SEC Championship Game Prediction
Now underdogs, will the Auburn Tigers pull off the small upset in the SEC Championship Game when it takes on Georgia at 4:00 p.m. ET?
ODDSMAKERS LIKE: Georgia. According to oddsmakers from online sports book Bovada.lv, the Bulldogs are now 1.5-point favorites to beat the Tigers, who opened as 1.5-point underdogs and went up to -2.5 before the line jumped the fence. As for the total, the number currently sits at 47.5 points after hitting the board at 51.
THE PUBLIC LIKES: Auburn. As of Saturday morning, just under 55% of the tickets were on the Tigers to cover at the betting window.
HISTORICAL TRENDS LIKE: The Bulldogs and the under. The favorite is 6-2 against the spread in the last eight meetings between these two teams while the Bulldogs are 5-2 against the number in their last seven games versus the Tigers. The under has also cashed in five of the last seven meetings between these two teams.
WHO WE LIKE: Auburn. The fact that this line jumped the fence gives me some pause on the Tigers but I still believe this is one of the two best teams in the country right now (the other being Clemson). What sharp bettors see in Georgia is a little confusing seeing as how the Bulldogs were out-gained 488 to 230 in the first meeting between these two teams.
Yes, that game was played in Auburn and yes, the title game will be in Georgia’s backyard in Atlanta. That said, the Bulldogs were dominated in the trenches the last time these two teams played and if Auburn can make UGA one-dimensional again, then I like the Tigers chances of winning.
Granted, Kerryon Johnson’s health is concerning. But if Georgia shuts down Auburn’s rushing attack, the Tigers still boast a quarterback in Jarrett Stidham that is playing his best ball of the season. No longer is Gus Malzahn’s offense predicated solely on the running game. Stidham can throw, unlike previous signal-callers that have operated in this system.
SEC CHAMPIONSHIP GAME PREDICTION: AUBURN TIGERS +1.5