CFB Betting: On opening night at Clemson’s Death Valley the Georgia Bulldogs entered their game against the Clemson Tigers as a team touted as national championship material. But Clemson proved to be a dangerous home dog and defeated the Bulldogs 38-35 as head coach Mark Richt’s Georgia team never really recovered due to being decimated by injuries en route to an 8-5 season. The Tigers proved to be a very good but not great team that was ultimately outclassed by eventual national champion Florida State but they did upset Ohio State in an impressive Orange Bowl win to finish 11-2. However, they enter the 2014 season minus their starting quarterback, top running back, and top two receivers.
The Georgia Bulldogs will host the Clemson Tigers at Sanford Stadium on Saturday with coverage on ESPN starting at 5:30 PM ET. BetDSI opened with Georgia as a seven point favorite.
A Stoudt Offense
Senior Cole Stout will replace record setting QB Tajh Boyd who was the Atlantic Coast Conference’s second all-time leading passer. Six starters departed with Boyd from last year’s team that averaged over 40 points per game for the second straight season. Clemson has recruited exceptionally well under seventh year head coach Dabo Swinney and offensive coordinator Chad Morris is head coaching material. Meanwhile defensive coordinator Brent Venables has turned a liability of a unit into an asset after two years on the job and has seven starters back. Clemson has gone just 8-12 against the spread in nonconference games.
Senior Mason Takes Reins
Just as is the case with Clemson the Georgia Bulldogs will have a senior taking over as the new starting QB in Hutson Mason, who did well filling in for Aaron Murray last year and sparked an impressive 41-34 comeback win at Georgia Tech in the regular season finale. The most important of the six returning starters is RB Todd Gurley, who was not healthy for most of 2013 and yet still led UGA in rushing and enters 2014 as a Heisman hopeful. The Bulldogs eight starters back on defense for new coordinator Jeremy Pruitt, who arrives from national champion Florida State. Georgia has paid out in 13 out of their last 24 home games as a favorite.
Our Pick
Georgia in big time revenge is the call.
