John Bazemore/Associated Press

College Football Odds Week 14: Picks Against the Spread for Updated Top 25 Games

Joe Tansey

The Georgia Bulldogs have been a flawless team in a college football season of chaos. 

Kirby Smart's program avoided any potential upsets during the regular season because of its top-ranked defense. 

That unit will be on display again on Saturday in the SEC Championship Game against the Alabama Crimson Tide. 

While the defense will be important, Georgia's offense could have its showcase game of the season to lock up the No. 1 spot in the College Football Playoff. 

Georgia's offense eclipsed the 40-point mark in each of the last four games and it has not dipped below 30 points since the Week 1 win over the Clemson Tigers. 

If the Bulldogs remain that efficient, they will cover the SEC Championship Game spread and put another double-digit win on their resume. 

The Oregon Ducks may have to follow the same offensive formula to open conference championship weekend with a win.

Oregon had no answers for the Utah Utes defense on November 20 in Salt Lake City, but now that the Ducks get the Utes on a neutral field, the results could be different. 

Week 14 Schedule and Odds

Sue Ogrocki/Associated Press

Friday, December 3

Conference USA: Western Kentucky (-3) vs. UTSA (7 p.m. ET, CBSSN)

Pac-12: No. 10 Oregon vs. No. 14 Utah (-2.5) (8 p.m. ET, ABC)

            

Saturday, December 4

Big 12: No. 9 Baylor vs. No. 5 Oklahoma State (-5.5) (noon ET, ABC)

MAC: Kent State (-3.5) vs. Northern Illinois (noon ET, ESPN)

Mountain West: Utah State vs. No. 19 San Diego State (-6) (3 p.m. ET, Fox)

Sun Belt: No. 20 Louisiana vs. Appalachian State (-3) (3:30 p.m. ET, ESPN)

SEC: No. 1 Georgia (-6.5) vs. No. 4 Alabama (4 p.m. ET, CBS)

AAC: No. 16 Houston vs. No. 3 Cincinnati (-10.5) (4 p.m. ET, ABC)

Big Ten: No. 2 Michigan (-10.5) vs. No. 15 Iowa (8 p.m. ET, Fox)

ACC: No. 17 Pittsburgh (-3) vs. No. 18 Wake Forest (8 p.m. ET, ABC)

               

Odds via DraftKings Sportsbook. Predictions against the spread in bold.

No. 1 Georgia (-6.5) vs. No. 3 Alabama

John Bazemore/Associated Press

Georgia's offense has not received enough national praise for how it has dismantled opposing defenses this season. 

Georgia's defense has been at the forefront of the discussion as to why the Bulldogs are playing so well.

Stetson Bennett has been nothing but consistent at quarterback for the Bulldogs. He has nine touchdown passes and a single interception in the last four weeks. 

The Bulldogs do not need Bennett to put up massive numbers each week. He is doing enough by throwing for around 200 yards and a few touchdowns in every game.

Bennett has five touchdowns, zero interceptions and two sacks suffered in UGA's three games against Top 25 opposition this season. 

He has received plenty of help from a deep rushing attack, led by James Cook and Zamir White. Cook and White combined for 17 of the team's 28 rushing scores. 

Alabama's defense is not terrible, but it gives up 60 more yards per game than Georgia. The Bulldogs could find some holes in that unit, just like the Texas A&M Aggies did when they put up 42 points on October 9.

Alabama comes into Atlanta with more offensive questions than Georgia. Bryce Young and Co. failed to score a touchdown until late in the fourth quarter against the Auburn Tigers last week. 

Georgia has not displayed offensive flaws close to that all season, and if its defense causes trouble for Young, Bennett and Co. have the potential to open up another double-digit advantage. 

No. 10 Oregon (+2.5) vs. No. 17 Utah

Andy Nelson/Associated Press

Oregon is no longer playing for a berth in the College Football Playoff, but it can still finish its season inside the Rose Bowl on New Year's Day. 

Oregon and Utah are playing for the Pac-12's Rose Bowl berth on Friday in Las Vegas and the game could go much differently than the meeting from two weeks ago.

Utah controlled the 38-7 victory from the start and its defense never let the Oregon ground game get into a rhythm. Oregon was also forced to throw more because of the large deficit it was up against. 

Utah has looked more mortal away from Salt Lake City this season. The Utes suffered three road losses in which they conceded at least 25 points. 

Oregon steadied its offense by beating the Oregon State Beavers handily in its final regular-season game. 

The Ducks can enforce their will on Utah's defense in the same manner in which the Utes achieved success two weeks ago.

Oregon has a 1,000-yard rusher in Travis Dye, who had 99 yards and two touchdowns last week, and quarterback Anthony Brown can be effective with his legs as well. Brown is Oregon's second-leading rusher. 

Utah allowed 126.6 rushing yards per game in the regular season. Oregon managed just 63 ground yards when the two sides met for the first time. 

Oregon seemed to fix its run-game issues against Oregon State, so it should be able to employ the same strategy on a neutral field against Utah.

The BYU Cougars, San Diego State Aztecs and Oregon State all punished Utah with the run in the Utes' three losses, and Oregon should follow that formula to a Pac-12 title.

   

Read 0 Comments

Download the app for comments Get the B/R app to join the conversation

Install the App
×
Bleacher Report
(120K+)