For the fourth time in conference history, the Georgia Bulldogs and LSU Tigers will do battle for the right to be crowned SEC champion.
- Date/Time: December 7, 4 p.m. ET
- Stadium: Mercedes-Benz Stadium
- TV Coverage: ESPN
- Sportsbook Odds: LSU -3.5 | O/U 57
- Georgia vs LSU Matchup Report
Sportsbook Odds Analysis
Sportsbooks opened the Tigers as slight 3.5-point favorites, but a run of action on LSU had moved that number to -7.5 as of Tuesday afternoon. The total opened at 57 and has since dipped to 55 as of this writing.
Georgia News & Notes
The Bulldogs are making their third straight trip to the SEC title game after beating Auburn in 2017 and losing to Alabama a year ago. Georgia last encountered LSU on October 13, 2018 and left Tiger Stadium having endured a 36-16 beatdown. The Bulldogs, who possess the second-ranked rushing defense in the country, are giving up an average of only 68.5 rushing yards per game. UGA has held its last five opponents to under 100 yards on the ground.
Georgia’s hopes of making the College Football Playoff now rest solely on beating LSU in this game, so there’s more on the line than just SEC bragging rights. If the Bulldogs fail to knock off the Tigers, the door is suddenly wide open for either Utah, Oklahoma or Baylor.
Georgia will be without its top wide receiver, George Pickens, for the first half of the matchup due to his involvement in a fight that happened against Georgia Tech last Saturday. Injuries have hit the Bulldogs, as they’ll be forced to play without Lawrence Cager. D’Andre Swift, who sustained a shoulder injury against Georgia Tech, is expected to suit up.
LSU News & Notes
Led by their energetic head coach Ed Orgeron, the hype surrounding the undefeated Tigers is the highest it’s been in quite some time in the Bayou State. Burrow is the straw that stirs the drink for LSU’s high-flying offense, as the Heisman Trophy favorite has already broken both LSU and SEC records entering this contest. If Burrow is on his game – which he has been all year long – the Tigers will continue to put points on the board with ease, even against Georgia’s elite defense.
Freshman safety Maurice Hampton was absent as the Tigers practiced on Monday afternoon, so it’s worth keeping an eye on his status as the week goes on. Hampton has provided LSU with flexibility in the secondary the last two weeks after earning his first career start against Arkansas as junior safety Grant Delpit dealt with an ankle injury.
Betting Pick: Tigers -7.5
Georgia’s stout run defense should slow down the red-hot Clyde Edwards-Helaire, but the difference in this game comes down to the quarterbacks. Jake Fromm has been good in 2019 but Burrow has been significantly better. I think Burrow and the Tigers answer the call on the biggest stage they’ve stepped onto in years and go into the College Football Playoff as SEC champions.
- Georgia is 4-1 ATS in its last 5 games.
- The OVER is 7-1 in the last 8 meetings between LSU and Georgia.
- Georgia is 0-3-1 in its last 4 games against LSU.
