Tennessee Vs. Georgia Betting Odds And Analysis — Can Vols’ Offense Crack Dawgs’ Defense?

The No. 1 Georgia Bulldogs (9-0 SU, 6-3 ATS) travel to Knoxville this week to take on the Tennessee Volunteers (5-4 SU, 5-4 ATS). In recent years, Georgia has dominated this SEC rivalry, winning the last four by at least three touchdowns, which is right around what the spread is at many sportsbooks for this game.

Kickoff is scheduled for 3:30 p.m. ET at Neyland Stadium.

Tennessee Vs. Georgia Betting Odds

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Defense Is Name Of The Game For Georgia

Georgia’s offense deserves a lot of credit for the success the Bulldogs have enjoyed this season. To rank 14th in scoring with 38.4 points per game against a tough SEC schedule is quite an accomplishment, but it is no secret that the driving force behind the team’s domination has been the defense.

It is the No. 1 red zone and scoring defense in the country and the No. 2 unit in total defense, run defense, pass defense, sacks, and pass defense efficiency. The Bulldogs rank 52nd in turnovers gained, but forcing turnovers does not matter as much when teams are barely averaging one touchdown a game (6.6 points/game).

Four teams failed to get into the endzone against the Georgia D, and of the five touchdowns scored against it, Kentucky’s second-quarter touchdown that made the score 14-7 is the only one that did not come in garbage time.

The defense may lead the way, but the Georgia offense does its part. From a production standpoint, its 430 yards per game is solid but not overly impressive. The Bulldogs have one of the most efficient passing games in the nation (third), just not the most prolific. The offensive line is one of the best in the country as it ranks second in sacks allowed and fourth in tackles for a loss allowed.

So, if the defense has a bad day, there is a good chance the Bulldogs win away.

Also Read: Tennessee achieves record sports betting handle in September

Tennessee’s Fast-Paced Offense Might Be Up To The Challenge

The Volunteers are enjoying one of the more successful seasons in recent years under new head coach Josh Heupel, and that success is primarily due to the fast-paced offense he brought with him. His talented unit ranks first in the country with an average of 2.92 plays per minute, but the offense does more than just run plays.

It gains ground and scores points.

Tennessee’s offense averages almost 460 yards a game and does an excellent job turning those yards into points. At 38.2 points/game, the Volunteers rank 15th in the nation in scoring and third in the SEC behind Alabama and Georgia.

Of course, the problem with running such a fast-paced offense is the other team has the ball a lot. Tennessee has the worst time of possession in the country (130th; 24:03). That can easily mean bad things against an offense as good as Georgia’s, especially since Tennessee’s defense is not that strong (418 yards and 28.2 points per game allowed).

Betting Analysis: Is Tennessee’s Offense Up To The Challenge?

The only hope the Volunteers have is if their offense plays a near-perfect game and the Georgia defense struggles with the pace of play. The Bulldogs have not had to play as fast as they’ll need to against the Volunteers, but there is no reason to think they are not up to the task.

Maybe Tennessee scores a touchdown or two before the game gets out of hand — something only Kentucky has done against Georgia this season. The Volunteers quarterback, Hendon Hooker, is playing well, but he is not the most talented QB the Bulldogs defense has seen this season. Playing ‘well’ against the Georgia defense is not enough.

He will need to create plays and make some magic happen. Hooker will make some plays, but enough to win the game or keep it close? Don’t count on it.