As a disclaimer, bet at your own risk, I make no guarantees of accuracy or profit, these are simply my picks and my opinion, yada yada yada, legalese.
There is nothing to like about the University of Florida At Gainesville. Urban Meyer harbored violent felons, Dan Mullen wouldn’t stop talking trash no matter how many times he lost to Georgia, and Steve Spurrier is a walking hemorrhoid. Florida pretends to be a peer to Georgia despite the fact that they aren’t even a top 25 winningest program in college football history (Georgia is 11 if you generously include Yale & Harvard). They hate us, and we hate them, and ever since the Swamp caught fire in 2020, the program itself has been burning down. It’s beautiful. Because, you know, no one is happier than Florida that Brock Bowers is injured. What’s your biggest rivalry like?
I think the demise of Georgia’s season is greatly exaggerated. Georgia is going to run more 3-and-4-WR sets and use more space. Kirby is going to challenge receivers to block better and run traditional tight end routes with Oscar Delp. You never know, you may actually open up the offense by taking away a “find ways to get him the ball” guy. LOL just kidding, that’s wishful thinking. Kirby is a master motivator, though, and he may use this as a way to get his other offensive players to step up their game, which has been a problem in some games this season. Their interviews throughout the week have indicated as much, saying everyone just has to be 5% better with Brock out. When he comes back, the rest of the offense will probably be better. I am admittedly placing a homer Georgia pick this week, so keep that in mind as you place your bets for the weekend.
I’m already 1-0 on my personal parlay after taking the VT money line (-145) last night, but here, we are all about integrity, so I won’t count it because I didn’t get this column out in time.
SC +16.5 at Texas A&M
Jimbo’s clock is ticking, and frankly, I don’t think he cares. I don’t see any fight in the guy. I don’t see his players fighting for him. That was made evident in the choke at Alabama and the egg laid at Tennessee. Texas A&M is in real danger of an upset, and Shane Beamer occasionally punches up effectively, even though that punch usually seems like a punch from Little Mac in Mike Tyson’s Punch Out. Every once in a while, though, Little Mac fights a Glass Joe. SC makes it a game.
Auburn -6.5 vs MSST
Mississippi State is awful. Simple as that. They are an absolute pile of garbage without Mike Leach running the show and they’re playing an afternoon game at an Auburn team dying for a conference win. Blood in the water.
Oregon (-240) at Utah
This is purely a bet on Dan Lanning. He’s a great coach with a 30-year-old Heisman hopeful at quarterback and a team that wants to stay in the playoff conversation. The season is on the line, and I think Oregon answers the call.
Kentucky +3.5 vs Tennessee
I was impressed with Tennessee for just under one half last week as Tennessee looked like they were going to cruise to an upset. However, they absolutely collapsed in the 2nd half for many reasons, mostly going to the QB run one too many times. I think Kentucky has the horses to control the line of scrimmage and stay in the game much longer than Tennessee would like, especially at home.
Georgia -13.5 (yes I bought half a point but I still like Georgia -14) at Florida
Billy Bob Napier supposedly brought Steve Spurrier in to speak to the Florida team to impart some wisdom and fire them up. I’m sure it was inspiring, as the elderly, deteriorating head ball coach looks like he should be freezing in place on the Senate floor rather than shouting in a locker room. Regardless, Florida is going to come out tough and physical. They’re going to run blitz. They’re going to key on wide screens. They’re going to play press coverage. Anything to rattle Beck and force him to force the ball downfield. Georgia might finish the first quarter with zero yards. It’s going to be frustrating and nerve-wracking. Then, as the game goes on, Florida will get tired. Georgia’s defense will force a couple turnovers and the offense will hit a few explosives. Georgia runs away with it and wins by 17+. 31-14 sounds realistic