Georgia vs. Auburn: NCAAF Week 5 Odds, Prediction
The Deep South’s oldest college football rivalry is renewed Saturday from the SEC as No. 1 and two-time defending national champion Georgia could be tested in a visit to Auburn.
The Dawgs are 14.5-point favourites to win on the NCAAF odds.
Point Spread and Betting Analysis
Georgia and Auburn first played each other in 1892, and it’s the second-most played rivalry in the FBS behind Minnesota-Wisconsin from the Big Ten. UGA and Auburn are in different SEC divisions but are designated as crossover rivals. There will be no divisions starting next year with the additions of Oklahoma and Texas. Presumably, this rivalry will preserved but who knows with potentially more expansion, etc. They will play in 2024.
Last year, Georgia was ranked No. 2 nationally when it won 42-10 at home vs. Auburn – UGA’s sixth straight victory in the series (five by double digits). The Dawgs had 500 yards offence and held Auburn to 258. Then-Tigers QB Robby Ashford was an ugly 13-for-38 passing. He’s still with Auburn but now the backup to Michigan State transfer Payton Thorne.
UGA leads the all-time series 63-56-8. This is really the Bulldogs’ last major test until Oct. 28 in Jacksonville, Fla., against rival and No. 22 Florida.
Georgia Bulldogs
It’s Georgia’s first road game of the season. Junior Carson Beck won the starting QB job in fall camp, replacing two-year starter Stetson Bennett (now with the LA Rams), and has been very solid in completing 72.7 per cent of his throws for 1,184 yards, six TDs and a pick. He has the nation’s best receiving tight end in Brock Bowers, who has 22 catches for 256 yards and two scores. It has largely been a committee at running back. Per usual, it’s the defence carrying the show in Athens as the Dawgs are allowing just 11.3 ppg. The defence has yet to allow any points in the third quarter (UGA has outscored opponents 56-0) and the Bulldogs have outscored their opponents 87-17 in the second half. Georgia is riding a school record 21-game winning streak, school-record streak of 31 straight regular-season wins and 20 consecutive regular-season SEC victories.
Auburn Tigers
Auburn is in Year 1 under Coach Hugh Freeze, who was so successful years ago at Ole Miss but had to leave in disgrace. Freeze rebuilt his reputation at Liberty and is back in the SEC. The Tigers opened league play with a 27-10 loss at Texas A&M this past Saturday – it was a 6-3 slog at halftime. Michigan State transfer Payton Thorne has been Auburn’s primary QB in the early going, but he was brutal in the loss in throwing for only 44 yards so the Tigers also used Robby Ashford and Holden Geriner at quarterback, but they combined for just 12 yards passing. Freeze didn’t announce an official starter for this week but that he doesn’t “want to play a lot (of quarterbacks).” The offensive line play must improve regardless. All five of Auburn’s offensive line starters were penalized during Saturday’s game. They allowed seven sacks and 15 tackles for loss. Texas A&M’s defence can’t hold a candle to Georgia’s.
Georgia vs. Auburn Score Prediction
Georgia 31, Auburn 17
