- The Alabama Crimson Tide and Georgia Bulldogs will go to battle for a national title on Monday night.
- Mike Ianniello and Tanner McGrath debate which side of the spread to bet for this SEC rematch.
- Check out their reasons for betting either team below.
Alabama vs. Georgia Odds
| Alabama Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spread | Total | Moneyline |
| +3 -120 | 52.5 -115o / -105u | +120 |
| Georgia Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spread | Total | Moneyline |
| -3 +100 | 52.5 -115o / -105u | -140 |
Odds via'DraftKings. Get up-to-the-minute'college football odds'here.
By Tanner McGrath
Georgia lost one game with its defense getting shredded one time, and the world seems to have forgotten how dominant this team is.
Sure, the Bulldogs are favorites. But per our Action Network PRO Report, more than 65% of the tickets are coming in on Alabama. Just a few weeks ago, this line was -6.5. Now, it's less than a field goal at some books.
The public is purely disrespecting the best team in college football this season – all because of one letdown game.
Let's remember what the Dawgs pulled off this season:
- 13-1 record
- 9.6 points per game allowed (first nationally)
- 39 points per game scored (ninth nationally)
The consistency of the Georgia defense – and then the Georgia offense after Stetson Bennett took over the starting quarterback full-time – was outstanding. Until that Alabama game, Georgia never let anyone get close.
Meanwhile, nobody has been more Jekyll and Hyde this season than Alabama. The Tide, in chronological order, managed to:
- Dominate Miami, 44-13
- Barely beat Florida, 31-29
- Dominate Ole Miss, 42-21
- Lose to Texas A&M, 41-38
- Outshoot Arkansas, 42-35
- Beat Auburn without Bo Nix in a gross effort, 24-22
- Blow out Georgia, 41-24
Just going off this season's precedent, Alabama is due for a letdown game – especially against a Georgia team that is not only the best in college football, but now feeling very disrespected.
It's rare when you get to play that card. I'll lay the points with the Dawgs, who I believe win this game handily.
By Mike Ianniello
Let me get this straight. You want to give me Nick Saban, No. 1 seed Alabama and three points? What an idiot!
Besides being the best college football coach of all-time, Saban has also dominated against his long list of former assistant coaches, especially Kirby Smart.
In four tries against his former boss, Smart is 0-4, including a 41-24 loss just a month ago. So, what has changed since then? Because last time I checked, Bryce Young is still the quarterback for the Crimson Tide.
The Heisman Trophy winner has tossed 46 touchdown passes and just five interceptions this season. He set the Alabama single-season record for passing yards and touchdowns.
Well, against this Georgia defense, Young went off for 421 yards, the second-most in his career, and tossed three touchdowns and no interceptions.
Sure, you can point to that as just a bad game for the Bulldogs defense. But prior to Alabama, who was the best quarterback Georgia has faced all season? Bo Nix? Hendon Hooker? Even Hooker threw for 332 yards and two touchdowns against Georgia.
The one change you can point to is the loss of wide receiver John Metchie III. That definitely sucks for the Tide. But they still have leading receiver Jameson Williams. The Biletnikoff Award finalist caught seven passes for 184 yards and two touchdowns in the SEC Championship.
Let's not cry for Bama too much here. Without Metchie, it will just be forced to rely more on five-star freshman Ja'Corey Brooks, the team’s leading receiver against Cincinnati last week.
The last time Alabama relied on a true freshman receiver making a big play in the National Championship game, someone named DeVonta Smith emerged on the big stage.
On the other side will be former walk-on Stetson Bennett. While he certainly was not the reason that Georgia lost the SEC Championship game (it was the pass defense), it still remains to be seen if he can come up with the big plays when the team relies on him.