Georgia opens as 5.5-point favorites over Tech (surprised?)
Mark Richt got the obligatory Gatorade shower after clinching the SEC East. (AP photo)
Paul Johnson's team is 8-3 but had some hiccups at Duke. (Johnny Crawford/AJC)
Welcome to Georgia-Georgia Tech week. Is it just me or does the point spread seem a little thin?
Most sports books have installed Georgia as a 5½-point favorite. Granted, the game will be played at Tech — home field is worth three points in wagering circles — and this is a rivalry game, which generally screams, “Beware!”
There’s also the uncertain status of Georgia running backs (either because of injury or immaturity).
But the Bulldogs (9-2) have won nine straight and secured a spot in the SEC championship game. The Jackets (8-3 after a 6-0 start) have had a better season than expected, but they just allowed 31 points to Duke in a 38-31 win (the Blue Devils entered the game ranked 99th nationally in scoring offense at 21.8 points per game).
Georgia is ranked 13th in the BCS and the Associated Press. Tech is 23rd and 25th, respectively. I would’ve thought given the way perceptions tilt, the line would open at 10 points or higher.
I’ll have more looking ahead to the game in the next few days, but I figured this would be a good place to start the banter.
By Jeff Schultz
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819 comments Add your comment
GTBob's top
November 21st, 2011
1:50 pm
You better get off these blogs and have everything done when I get home or I am taking you to pound town when I get home
cursive
November 21st, 2011
1:50 pm
Kentucky Game = Wedged between HUGE Auburn game (biggest game the Dawgs have played in for years) and GT Bunglebee game (in-state rivalry). Offense wasn’t clicking, but the D was nasty as always. 47 rushing yards in the last 4 games. I guess that Tech’s prolific passing attack is going to rip us apart? Nah. Good luch Yech-ies, you’re going to need it.
Biff Pocaroba Fan Club
November 21st, 2011
1:50 pm
The funny thing is that most UGA fans have never stepped on that campus except to go to a football game. Most are blue collar, not college educated and never took one class at UGA. They couldn’t even spell UGA if you spotted them the “G”, but yet they rant and rave like UGA is their own school even though the last diploma they have is from their red neck high school.
GTBob
November 21st, 2011
1:51 pm
Hey GTBob, newsflash…..Richt IS a good coach. If you don’t believe me, just look at his career record.
Almost any coach in the country could do as well as Richt has done at UGA. If you are given that much talent you can only coach it down so much.
oh brother!
November 21st, 2011
1:52 pm
How many yards did UK get against UGA? Sounds about what the nerds will get as well…if they are lucky. This will be a complete and total blowout.
Ron Swanson
November 21st, 2011
1:52 pm
The funny thing is that Tech doesn’t have any fans…
harold
November 21st, 2011
1:52 pm
UGA HAS BEATEN ALL THESE “UNRANKED TEAMS”. AND ALTHOUGH UGA REALLY JUST AN AVERAGE FOOTBALL TEAM ( THE EAST IS SO WEAK!) UGA WILL “WAX” GT SATURDAY!
UGA ON THE OTHER HAND WOULD/WILL GET ROCKED BY THE REAL GREAT TEAMS WITH GREAT COACHES IN THE SEC—–BAMA & SABAN—LSU & MILES–PETRIONO & ARKANSAS. UNFORTUNATLEY UGA CAN’T HOLD THEIR JOCK STRAPS!
GTJason
November 21st, 2011
1:52 pm
Okay, the Transitive property does not apply to football ( basically if 1>2 and 3>2 then 3>1 for the dawg fans) I never bet on Tech for this game, but anyone that has watched the game in recent history would be an idiot to think it won’t be a tight game. Last year it was a missed XP (and yes we let you have a TD – even the crowd in athens let out a sigh when the RB went into the endzone). This year you have to believe UGA will be looking ahead to LSU, if not then the SEC championship will be even more of a blowout than the experts think. An upset would not be a big surprise.
no dog
November 21st, 2011
1:52 pm
The dogs have a chance to win the mighty sec (the only conference where teams actually beat each other…just ask one…they will tell you!) and should spend the next few days planning and practicing for that game. The Tech game is just a small fish in the bigger pond to them. Go sec!
Baddabing.....
November 21st, 2011
1:52 pm
I love men
Slide Rule
November 21st, 2011
1:53 pm
Where’s my geek squad service. I called over an hour ago to have one of you over to the cabin……..
Morning Jacket
November 21st, 2011
1:54 pm
The key to the game will be whether Groh can figure out some way to pressure Murray with effective blitzes. If that doesn’t happen, it could get ugly for the home team.
Alphare+Baddabing+GTBOB
November 21st, 2011
1:54 pm
What time are we meeting before the game?
Still@thebareback
November 21st, 2011
1:55 pm
Alphare and friends we can meet at my bar. I have a private room in the back
Ron Swanson
November 21st, 2011
1:55 pm
No looking ahead here. Dawgs under Richt have never lost focus on this one- his 9-1 record speaks for itself. Kwame Geathers was held out of the UK game but was available for an “emergency”. Big boy was resting for the emergency on 11/26.
G-Dawg
November 21st, 2011
1:56 pm
For all you haters….I bet OU, Oregon, and Okie State would take a 19-10 win right about now!!
Not So Fast
November 21st, 2011
1:56 pm
UGA has the 2nd best rush defense in the country behind Alabama (Better than LSU).GT will not be able to run on the Dawgs mark it down.
Silly Bloggers
November 21st, 2011
1:56 pm
GTBob logic…Bama has an off game they aren’t excited about and give up 21 points to Ga Southern. Bama loses by three to LSU. LSU manhandles Oregon. Oregon loses to USC. USC loses to Arizona State. ASU loses to UCLA. UCLA loses to Houston. So somehow with his vast circular logic…UGA sucks, the SEC sucks, no one has a tough schedule, Houston would overpower all SEC defenses, the SEC should stop playing football. Every defense that gives up a touchdown is awful. Any offense that doesn’t score 50 sucks. Every kid that has a traffic violation is a criminal. Any kid who smokes marijuana is a disgrace to humanity and a bad kid.
Essentially, all of these statements are egregious and embellished beyond belief but this seem to be the only currency GTBob knows how to express himself.
GTBob, your life will not improve one lick if GT wins outside of you being able to crow about something bad happening to UGA and you getting to let out all that pent up frustration you have been regurgitating and spewing over every single UGA blog the past nine-weeks we have won. Grow up and grow a set.
Slide Rule
November 21st, 2011
1:57 pm
Hey Biff:
and most pencil necked geeks who set foot on the trade school campus know nothing about football but act as if they were a coach in waiting and end up getting mugged on a walk to the varsity.
lewisbuzzard
November 21st, 2011
1:58 pm
I was figuring 7-8 UGA being favored. Hoping for a 2-2 split in CPJ’s first 4 seasons.
CHDawg
November 21st, 2011
1:58 pm
Biff, I went there, but I got news for you, man: anybody who thinks what happens on the field makes them any better or worse for the experience is pretty messed up. You and I are fans…that is all. Enjoy TGiving and have fun watching the game.
Gorilla Biscuit
November 21st, 2011
1:59 pm
Biffy, you’d love ‘em if they were GnaTs fans though.
Slide Rule
November 21st, 2011
1:59 pm
What has the A She She won lately in football? Bowl representatives will be stuck with the sucko Big Least playing the A She She in the Orange Toilet Bowl. The overnight ratings for that game may set new lows for a bowl game.
Bill Clinton
November 21st, 2011
1:59 pm
The line is set to promote equal wagering on both teams, not a prediction of the outcome.
Biff Pocaroba Fan Club
November 21st, 2011
1:59 pm
Hey Slide Rule:
Did you take one class at UGA? Didn’t think so.
Enough said.
Now serve me my Big Mac and fries because I have been waiting too long in the drive through.
Still@thebareback
November 21st, 2011
1:59 pm
Come by my bar for 2 for 1 Wine Spritzers after the game!!! Can’t wait to have some pants off dance off time with my friends GTBob, Alphare and the rest of the GT crew. Love me some men!
reebok
November 21st, 2011
2:00 pm
As a Tech fan, I encourage the Bulldogs players and coaches not to worry at all about the Tech game, and immediately begin game-planning for the SEC Championship.
Still@thebareback
November 21st, 2011
2:00 pm
Biff as always I need you to bring the crackers for the secret circle.
Attn Walmart Shoppers!
November 21st, 2011
2:00 pm
Get your uga diploma with the purchase of any uga t, undies (just like Damon’s) or sweat shirt!!!
Robards
November 21st, 2011
2:01 pm
Jeff, It’s a trap or “sandwich” game. Dawgs are coming off a division clinching game and have a title game the following week. One another note: a top 10 Clemson team was favored over Tech by less–3.5 or 4. You saw what happened to Clemson. Just sayin.
GFY
November 21st, 2011
2:01 pm
Hey UOAD/TOAD where’s your buddy supersized geek?
Still@thebareback
November 21st, 2011
2:02 pm
5150 you are coming too right?
Not So Fast
November 21st, 2011
2:03 pm
Have any of you Tech fans actually watched UGA’s defense? What is your team going to do when it can’t run the ball?
yeller bug
November 21st, 2011
2:03 pm
Larry Munson was a great announcer for UGA. “Hunker down you hairy dawgs”. The best line was the comeback win against UT when he said that UGA had just kicked UT in the face with a hob-nailed boot. Y’all lost a good one and I hope you lose another good one on Sat.
GTBob
November 21st, 2011
2:04 pm
GTBob, your life will not improve one lick if GT wins outside of you being able to crow about something bad happening to UGA
My life won’t be influenced by this game win or lose. I might actually give you guys a break if we win. If we don’t then i’m probably going to be worse.
Biggest Dawg
November 21st, 2011
2:04 pm
And teckies,you won’t beat us next year either…or the year after and after and after.
Slide Rule
November 21st, 2011
2:05 pm
Biffy….took a few more than one class. Is that how many your were allowed to take before they sent you packing to Southern Poly or did you even set foot on the trade school campus? Did you ever actually play football (XBox does not qualify). Nah…..didn’t think so.
GTBob
November 21st, 2011
2:05 pm
Have any of you Tech fans actually watched UGA’s defense? What is your team going to do when it can’t run the ball?
Yeah, I watched the Vandy game where they couldn’t stop Vandy’s 2 star running attack. Have they improved since then?
Oh yeah
November 21st, 2011
2:05 pm
reebok
You are correct Sir. You’d never know by the bloggers on here, that Tech didn’t matter, that they never thought of Tech, that the game with Tech doesn’t mean a thing….it really gets hilarious.
GT Bob is lonely
November 21st, 2011
2:06 pm
The Vegas boys usually get it right… If Crowell stays in the Kentucky game so we don’t have to use a 160 lb walk on that can’t hold the ball the score would have been way different…. UGA had 4 turnovers and still won…. that doesn’t ususlly happen…If Duke can score 31 on Tek then how much can UGA score?
Old Dog
November 21st, 2011
2:06 pm
The point spread was 30 against Kentucky; they won by 9. They probably figured the point spred against GT was 17, so they factored it down to 5.5. I, personally just hope for a win. I think this is going to be a very competitive game and no one knows who will win. Of course, if the Dawgs lose to GT, Richt will still get his extension since he won the SEC east.
Half Century Dawg
November 21st, 2011
2:06 pm
GTBob
November 21st, 2011
12:50 pm
I think the great defenses in the SEC have a little to do with that, don’t you?
LawDawg
November 21st, 2011
2:07 pm
Home field advantage = 3 points. Unfortunately for Vegas, they are ignoring the fact that more UGA fans attend this game in Atlanta than Tech fans.
Biff Pocaroba Fan Club
November 21st, 2011
2:07 pm
Yeah, keep calling us “nerds”. The typical UGA fan never even went to college. The typical UGA graduate calls us “boss”.
Still@thebareback
November 21st, 2011
2:07 pm
GTBob, I need to see you in the back.
GT Bob is lonely
November 21st, 2011
2:08 pm
GT Bob…. it’s the final score that counts… not the rushing yardage… that’s a stat for losers
I Crowell
November 21st, 2011
2:08 pm
Where my weed?
ugakev
November 21st, 2011
2:08 pm
Larry Munson just passed away and we want to talk about the tech game today?!! How about give the bulldawg nation a day or two to grieve and celebrate who was the heart of the bulldawg nation. The Tech game is the last thing on my mind today. Bulldawg fans don’t deserve trolls taking shots on on a day like today. Respect the bulldawg nation for atleast a couple days as many of us are sad and have bigger things on our mind right now than a football game.
fljacket76
November 21st, 2011
2:08 pm
Georgia fans never cease to amaze me. There are a number of teams that could have won 9 straight playing the Ga schedule. Be thankful that you did not see any of the top 3 teams in the West Division. Any one of them would have been a loss on your record. The SEC Championship Game will bring a true reality check, you are a barely above average team. With Tech being barely above average as well, Saturday should be a fun time.
Still@thebareback
November 21st, 2011
2:09 pm
Biff, I wish you would stop letting those UGA punks get under your skin. Come on over to the bar and we will play that game you love so much