The Appalachian State Mountaineers are well known for being a bothersome opponent for powerful teams early in a college football season. The Mountaineers haven’t beaten an opponent in a high-profile regular season game in recent years, but they have often come very close. That’s enough reason for the Georgia Bulldogs to feel a little uncomfortable in the 2017 season opener. The thing to keep in mind about season openers is that they often do not reflect how a team looks in mid-October or late November. Teams evolve and change, but first games of a season can be very rusty and ragged. Georgia will try to guard against that, but Appalachian State very nearly won at Tennessee in the 2016 opener. The Mountaineers will be full of confidence as they take the field again, and Georgia has to be ready and able to take a punch in this contest.
Details
Odds: Bulldogs -14.5
Date & Time: Saturday, September 2nd – 6:15 PM ET
Location: Sanford Stadium – Athens, Georgia
Broadcast: ESPN
Reasons To Bet On The Appalachian State Mountaineers
The Mountaineers are simply pests, and they have the playing style needed to pull off an upset. They took Tennessee into overtime last year before losing, and they lost not because Tennessee was so great, but because the Vols recovered their own fumble in the end zone after Appalachian State made a solid defensive play to cause the fumble. Appalachian State’s defense should once again be tenacious this year, and although people will readily and correctly say that Georgia has a lot of high-end offensive talent at the skill positions, first games are often situations in which teams – even the more talented ones – need time to get into a rhythm. If Appalachian State can play a strong first quarter on defense, Georgia could panic and need a halftime break to sort out any problems it encounters on offense. By that point in time, Appalachian State could own a lead.
When one refers to the playing style Appalachian State uses, the method is conducive to upsets because the Mountaineers play at a slow pace. They like to run the ball and use the clock, shortening the game instead of speeding it up with more plays. If Appalachian State keeps the game close early, it will be able to continue to rely on its time-consuming offense and let Georgia know its chances are few and far between. Taylor Lamb is a veteran quarterback who can expertly guide his team’s offense.
Reasons To Bet On The Georgia Bulldogs
The Bulldogs have much more talent and are playing at home – it’s that simple. Playing at home will matter, giving the Bulldogs an emotional boost in any critical situation and on any big play. That will come into the picture at some point.
Then consider Georgia’s talent. The Bulldogs are one of the very few teams in the country which can boast of two NFL Draft-caliber running backs in their backfield. Plenty of teams will have one, but Georgia certainly has two. Big back Nick Chubb and shifty, speedy change-of-pace back Sony Michel give quarterback Jacob Eason the assurance that he won’t have to win this game solely with his arm. Georgia’s balance and diversity on offense will keep Appalachian State’s defense off balance all evening long. It’s a big card in Georgia’s deck.
Outlook
The Georgia Bulldogs opened at -13.5 but the line moved up to -14.5 where they sit right now. That’s a big distinction as it crosses the key number of two touchdowns. The Bulldogs will win, but Appalachian State is good enough on defense to keep this game within two touchdowns. If this game was played in October, Georgia probably would have its rough edges polished and flushed out of its system, enabling the Bulldogs to win by 25, but in a season opener, Georgia’s offense won’t be consistent enough to cover the number. The Georgia Bulldogs will win by 10, which means you should take the Mountaineers to cover the spread.
Prediction: Mountaineers +14.5
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