Georgia Bulldogs and Arkansas Razorbacks are set for an SEC matchup on Saturday afternoon at Donald W. Reynolds Razorback Stadium in Fayetteville.
This is the SEC opener for both teams. Georgia is off to a 2-0 start after picking up lopsided wins over Tennessee State and Western Kentucky, with the Bulldogs beating the Tigers 63-3 and the Hilltoppers 70-20.
Arkansas is 1-1 after defeating North Alabama 31-14 in Week 1, before falling to Utah 43-10 in Week 2.
With kick-off slated for Noon ET on ABC, it's time to break down the odds and go over the best bets to make.
Georgia vs. Arkansas betting picks and predictions
Georgia -24.5 (-110)
Georgia enters this contest ranked as the No. 2 team in the country and has an elite amount of talent up and down its roster.
Thus, it's not surprising to see Kirby Smart's team favored by more than three touchdowns.
The Bulldogs enter as 24.5-point favorites, signaling that professional oddsmakers have plenty of faith in Smart's team to move to 3-0 in convincing fashion.
They are led by QB Gunnar Stockton, who has rarely thrown an incomplete pass through two games. Specifically, he has completed 28 of his 32 pass attempts for 436 yards to go along with eight touchdowns and zero interceptions.
Stockton has done a great job of spreading the ball around and his efficiency has led to all three backups seeing playing time early on this season. That should have Stockton fresh and ready to roll for the SEC opener.
The Georgia running game is led by Nate Frazier, who has racked up 127 yards and four touchdowns on just 10 carries.
Sacovie White-Helton paces the Bulldogs with 104 receiving yards on four catches. No matter where you look, this Georgia offense is off to a strong start.
That hot start is in a good position to continue in this one, as the Arkansas defense was completely out-matched against Utah last week. The Razorbacks allowed 41 points and 441 yards of total offense, with the Utes going 6-for-11 on their 3rd and 4th down tries.
The Bulldogs are firing on all cylinders, and there is such a large disparity of talent in this one. Arkansas is off to a rough start under Ryan Silverfield and things won’t get any easier in this Week 3 contest. Georgia should roll.
Under 54.5 (-110)
While the Georgia offense should have little trouble putting up points, banking on Arkansas to score enough to take this one over the listed total of 54.5 is a bit risky.
The Razorbacks managed to score just 31 points against an inferior North Alabama team in Week 1 and mustered up just 10 points last week against Utah.
QBs KJ Jackson and AJ Hill have both seen playing time, leaving some question marks as to who will get the majority of opportunities in this one.
The running game has been unreliable, as the Razorbacks are averaging just 2.7 yards per carry so far this season.
Georgia's first-team defense has yet to allow a touchdown and, while Arkansas is certainly a step up in competition, it's tough to see the Razorbacks finding resounding success.
Look for the Bulldogs to do the majority of the scoring and perhaps take their foot off the gas in the second half. That formula should help keep the total under 54.5 points.
Gunnar Stockton over 18.5 completions (-116)
Stockton has played 11 drives through two games and all 11 have resulted in Georgia touchdowns. He has looked extremely polished and has double the amount of touchdown passes (8) than incompletions (4).
That kind of efficiency isn't sustainable throughout the course of the season, but it is certainly an encouraging sign for Stockton's development.
He hasn't played much in the second halves of Georgia's first two games, but that should change in this one.
Smart will want to see how Stockton performs against a tougher defense and, while Arkansas isn’t the most intimidating defensive unit out there, they are still an SEC team and should provide more resistance than Georgia's first two opponents.
In a game that should feature more playing time and more passing attempts, look for Stockton to improve on his completion numbers of 13 and 15 from the first two weeks of the season.
His completion percentage may drop, but the volume should be there for Stockton to reach 19+ completions.
Read more college football picks and predictions on site.
Georgia vs. Arkansas odds
Georgia | -3000 |
Arkansas | +1400 |
Spread | Georgia -24.5 |
Total | O/U 54.5 |
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This article was written by a partner sports writer via Spotlight Sports Group. All odds displayed on this page were correct at the time of writing and are subject to withdrawal or change at any time.
