Two schools that like to run the football, Coach Mark Stoops and the Kentucky Wildcats (+25) are set to pay a visit to their conference foe No. 10 Georgia Bulldogs at Sanford Stadium. The matchup is scheduled to kick off at 6:00 p.m. ET and ESPN has the TV rights.
Betting Preview: Kentucky Wildcats at Georgia Bulldogs
Kentucky is the noticeable underdog here and is currently getting 25 points by oddsmakers. Oddsmakers have placed the over/under (O/U) at 48 points, and there should be some solid live betting possibilities for this game.
The Wildcats are 4-2 against the spread (ATS) and have gained 0.0 units this season. The team has posted an O/U record of 3-3.
The Bulldogs are up 1.0 unit for moneyline bettors so far. They’re 3-3 ATS and have an O/U record of 2-4.
The Wildcats are 3-3 straight up (SU), including 1-3 SU against SEC opponents. The Bulldogs are 5-1 SU overall and 2-1 SU in conference play.
The Wildcats enter after a 24-20 victory over Arkansas last week where Lynn Bowden Jr. completed seven passes for just 78 yards and one touchdown. Bowden Jr. (196 yards on 24 rush attempts, two TDs) also spearheaded the running attack in the win and was complemented by Asim Rose (90 yards on 16 carries). Josh Ali (two receptions, 13 yards) and Justin Rigg (two catches, 43 yards) handled the receiving duties.
Georgia narrowly dropped a 20-17 game to South Carolina. The defense allowed the Gamecocks to eat up the clock by running for 142 yards on 36 rush attempts. Bryan Edwards put up a good showing in the win for South Carolina, accounting for 78 yards on six catches. For Georgia, Jake Fromm completed 28-of-51 passes for 295 yards, one touchdown and three interceptions. D’Andre Swift (113 rushing yards on 23 attempts, one TD) and Zamir White (44 yards on 12 carries) handled the ground game in the defeat as George Pickens (seven receptions, 98 yards) and Demetris Robertson (five catches, 51 yards, one TD) led the pass-catching attack.
Each squad sports a strikingly similar (55-45) run-pass ratio on the season. The Wildcats have rushed for 192.3 yards/game (including 184.8 per game against Southeastern opponents) and have 11 scores via handoffs this year. The Dawgs are logging 237.2 rushing yards per game (244.7 in conference) and have 15 total rush TDs.
If 2019 numbers are any indication, then it’s looking like the Dawgs ought to hold an advantage when it comes to RB efficiency. Their running backs has produced 6.2 yards per carry while their defense is allowing a YPC of 2.7 to opponents. The Wildcats have rushed for 5.0 yards per carry while allowing a YPC of 5.1 to opponents.
The Wildcats offense has logged 192 yards/game through the air overall (171 per game versus conference opposition) and has seven passing TDs so far. The Dawgs have put up 267.7 pass yards per outing (246 against SEC competition) and have 11 total pass scores.
Defensively, Kentucky has allowed opponents to run for an average of 173.2 yards and throw for 207.5 yards per game. The Georgia defense has allowed 208.3 yards per game to opposing passers and 73.3 yards per game on the ground. The Dawgs are allowing an adjusted net yards per pass attempt (ANY/A) of just 4.42 to opponents, while the Wildcats have given up a 4.93 ANY/A.
Offensively, Smith is up to 665 passing yards on the year, and has connected on 46 percent of his 117 attempts with four scores through the air and five interceptions. He has a 3.70 adjusted net yards per pass attempt overall, although that number sits at 0.31 over the past two games.
Jake Fromm has connected on 90-of-133 passes for 1,083 yards, seven TDs and three INTs for Georgia. His ANY/A sits at 7.80 for the year and 5.99 over his past two outings.
These two teams met last year with the final outcome being a 34-17 victory for Georgia.
Kentucky Wildcats vs. Georgia Bulldogs Betting Prediction
SU Winner: Georgia, ATS Winner: Kentucky, O/U: Under
Team Betting Notes
- Each team defense has produced 15 sacks this season.
- The Georgia offense has lost four fumbles in 2019 while Kentucky has lost six.
- The Wildcats offense has recorded two pass plays of 40+ yards, while the Bulldogs have put up four such plays.
- The Kentucky defense has allowed zero pass plays of 40 yards or more, while Georgia has given up five such plays.
- The Kentucky offense has created 17 rushing plays of 20+ yards, while Georgia has created nine such runs.
- The Wildcats defense has allowed nine rushing plays of 20+ yards, while the Bulldogs have given up two such runs.
- The O/U for Georgia’s last match was set at 52. The under cashed in the 20-17 defeat to South Carolina.
- In its last three contests, Georgia is 1-2 ATS and the under cashed in two of those three.
- Over its last three contests, Kentucky is 1-2 ATS and the under cashed in each of those three.
- The O/U for Kentucky’s previous game was set at 52. The under cashed in the team’s 24-20 win over Arkansas.
- Kentucky has averaged 5.4 yards per carry over its past three outings and 5.4 over its last two.
- Georgia has averaged 4.8 yards per carry over its last three games and 4.9 over its past two.
