Due to a blowout loss to LSU in the SEC championship game, the No. 5 Georgia Bulldogs just missed out on making the College Football Playoff and have a Sugar Bowl date against the No. 7 Baylor Bears instead.
- Spread: Georgia -7.5
- Total: 41.5
- Date/Time: January 1, 8:45 p.m. ET
- Location: New Orleans, Louisiana
- Stadium: Mercedes-Benz Superdome
- TV Coverage: ESPN
- Georgia vs Baylor Matchup Report & Updated Odds
Sugar Bowl Odds Analysis
Georgia opened as a touchdown favorite for the Sugar Bowl, but that number had bumped up slightly to -7.5 as of December 12. The total has held firm at 41.5.
Georgia News & Notes
Georgia, making its second straight appearance in the Sugar Bowl, will be looking to improve on a 28-21 loss to Texas on Bourbon Street. The last time we saw the Bulldogs was in the SEC championship game, where they got routed 37-10 by the top-ranked LSU Tigers. A bounce-back performance from Jake Fromm is imperative to the Bulldogs pulling out a win in the Sugar Bowl.
Georgia’s coaching staff has taken some major lessons from last year’s New Year’s Six setback, and the number of NFL-bound players on the Bulldogs roster is lower this time around, so motivation shouldn’t be a factor. Coming off a poor showing in the SEC title game in what’s been a disappointing junior season, expect to see a different Fromm in the Bayou State.
Baylor News & Notes
No storyline is more important to the Bears right now than the health of starting quarterback Charlie Brewer. Brewer, who suffered a concussion in the Big 12 title tilt, hadn’t been cleared to play in the Sugar Bowl as of this writing. If he can’t go, the Bears will have to rely on backup Gerry Bohanon. Bohanon had only thrown 21 passes this season prior to the Big 12 championship game but fared well against Oklahoma.
It’s hard to believe that just two years ago, the Bears were sitting at the bottom of Power 5 conference football at 1-11 in head coach Matt Rhule’s first season. Baylor went 7-6 last year but has been exceptional in 2019, finding itself just one win outside of the College Football Playoff. Regardless of their play this season, it’s clear that the Bears are the inexperienced team in this matchup.
Betting Pick: Georgia -7.5
If Brewer is not playing, I’m all over the Bulldogs to both win and cover in this game. If he does suit up, I’m still confident in betting Georgia at the -7.5 number. Fromm hasn’t looked good of late and some concern remains surrounding his club’s performance in last year’s Sugar Bowl, but I believe he rises to the occasion in New Orleans.
- Georgia is 4-2 ATS in its last 6 games.
- The UNDER is 4-2 in Baylor’s last 6 games.
- The UNDER is 7-1 in Georgia’s last 8 games.
