TENNESSEE @ GEORGIA (GSW -7.5, 235.5) CFB ODDS, CFB PREDICTIONS, CFB PREVIEWS
VOLUNTEERS @ BULLDOGS 11/16/24
It’s playoff football time in the SEC and two losses probably puts on the outside looking in. With No. 7 Tennessee visiting Athens, Georgia, on Saturday night for what is effectively a playoff elimination game, No. 12 Georgia ventures into uncharted territory and draws on head coach Kirby Smart's record of avoiding back-to-back defeats.
Georgia (7-2, 5-2 SEC) just lost to Ole Miss, ranked No. 16 at the time, 28-10. For the first time since 2020—the last season in which the Bulldogs suffered two losses—Georgia lost to a team not named Alabama. Georgia, which is currently ranked No. 12 in the latest CFP poll, is trying to avoid suffering a second straight loss for the first time since Smart's debut season in 2016. Boise State is ranked right behind the Bulldogs at No. 13 and would enter the playoffs over Georgia as the fifth-best conference champion.
Georgia would probably be able to fit into the field of 12 if they won the last three games on the schedule. At No. 12, the Bulldogs have the lowest ranking going into a game since they were No. 13 in November 2020. The Bulldogs dropped nine spots in Tuesday's CFP rankings.
The Volunteers (8-1, 5-1) defeated common opponent Alabama 24-17 to start a four-game winning streak. Back in September, the Crimson Tide defeated Georgia 41-34. Tennessee hasn't defeated Georgia since 2016. As time ran out in 2016, Tennessee QB Josh Dobbs completed a 43-yard Hail Mary to seal a 34-31 victory.
After missing the second half of Saturday's 33-14 victory over Mississippi State due to a concussion, quarterback Nico Iamaleava is expected to return to the Volunteers. Iamaleava is listed as questionable for the competition and remained in concussion protocol on Thursday. Josh Heupel, the head coach of the Volunteers, expressed confidence earlier in the week that the sophomore would be ready to play.
Trevor Etienne, Georgia's top rusher, will miss time because of a rib injury. He has scored seven touchdowns while rushing for 477 yards. On Saturday, freshman Nate Frazier will be the primary ball carrier. With 333 rushing yards and three touchdowns on the ground, he is second on the team.
The Bulldogs will require more from quarterback Carson Beck if they hope to defeat Tennessee for the eighth consecutive game. Beck was one of the preseason Heisman Trophy favorites going into this season after having a 24-touchdown, six-interception season in 2023, but the fifth-year senior's campaign has fallen far short of expectations.
Beck fumbled twice while throwing for 186 yards and an interception in Saturday's loss at Ole Miss. With nine picks in his last four games, Beck now has an FBS-high 12 interceptions this season. Smart is unwilling to consider a change under center, even in light of the lackluster results.
Georgia's 10 points are its fewest since the Bulldogs' 10-3 victory over Clemson in Week 1 of 2021. With a Tennessee defense that gives up just 12.6 points per game, the fifth fewest in the nation, Smart is aware that his offense will need to perform better. The Volunteers' defense has yet to give up 20 points in a game, with the highest total occurring during their lone defeat, a 19–14 loss to Arkansas on October 5.
Since their loss to Arkansas, Tennessee’s defense has been outstanding. They just held Mississippi State to 271 yards of total offense. Georgia won last year’s game 38-10 an holds a 28-23-3 advantage in the series.
Get free CFB Picks and CFB Predictions for the top games on the weekly 2024 CFB schedule from JA Cavalier, one of the industry's premier expert CFB handicappers. J.A. Cavalier has been bringing the CFB betting community the best CFB free picks and predictions for nearly three decades. Visit daily for the best CFB moneyline and run line odds and game totals.
COACH RICK FREE PICK:
CARSON BECK UNDER 263.5 PASSING YARDS
Beck is a mess. He leads the FBS in interceptions and he’s been off his game over the past four weeks. Tennessee has one of the best defenses in the FBS. The Vols rank 14th in the nation against the pass allowing 173.9 yards per game. Beck has gone Over this number once in his last three games and just four times all season. Tennessee has produced six picks in its last four games. Things could get ugly for Beck.