Georgia rolls into Atlanta as a two-score favorite against Florida, despite coming off a devastating loss to Auburn that knocked them from the top of the rankings. This Week 9 matchup, technically at a neutral site in Mercedes-Benz Stadium, sees the Bulldogs as 10.5-point favorites according to DraftKings Sportsbook, a head-scratcher for anyone who watched them get stunned by their rival.
The Dawgs & Gators: A Tale of Two Bye Weeks
Both teams hit their open dates, but the vibes couldn’t be more different. Florida was riding high, fresh off a massive comeback win over No. 7 Texas in Austin, even doing it with their backup quarterback. Talk about a momentum swing! Meanwhile, Georgia stumbled into their off-week looking wounded after that crushing defeat to Auburn. You’d think that would tighten up the lines, right? But nope. Oddsmakers still see the Dawgs as the clear favorite, and honestly, that spread is wild after what we just saw. The crowd in Atlanta will definitely be leaning red-and-black, so maybe that’s part of it, but it still feels like a lot to give a team that just got upset.
Buckeyes Roll Into LA as Favorites, Trojans Are on the Ropes
Over on the West Coast, Ohio State is heading into Los Angeles as a 7-point favorite against a mentally wounded USC team. What’s crazy here is that Ohio State has a big question mark at quarterback, starting a backup, but they’re still a touchdown favorite against Lincoln Riley’s crew. It doesn’t exactly speak volumes about the Trojans, does it? USC just looked flat, struggling to move the ball in a 24-7 loss to unranked Wisconsin. Star quarterback Jayden Maiava looked pedestrian, which is a huge concern. Sure, the USC defense played well enough to win that game, but Wisconsin didn’t exactly have a Heisman favorite like Jeremiah Smith on their roster to deal with. This line tells you everything you need to know about where these two teams are right now.
Arizona Is Quietly Crushing It, But Texas Tech Is Desperate
Don’t look now, but Arizona has quietly put together a 6-1 start to their season, with their only loss being an 11-point defeat. They’re heading to Lubbock to face a frustrated Texas Tech team, who just got handed a convincing 37-24 loss by Cincinnati in Week 8. Will Hammond is still struggling at quarterback for the Red Raiders, and apparently, even super booster Cody Campbell is tweeting about that loss being inexcusable. If Texas Tech can’t pull it together and regroup after that kind of public pressure and a bad home loss, Arizona is absolutely capable of handing them their second straight defeat. For both teams, the winner of this game is going to get a sweet boost to their Big 12 and College Football Playoff chances, and that’s what makes this matchup one to watch this weekend.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by CBS Sports.
Leave a Reply