Dawg Post's Weekend Picks for UGA Football and the Rest of College Football Are In

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MIAMI - Kirby Smart and No. 1 UGA football are back at the Orange Bowl - and a feisty Florida State program looms. Here is what will happen this weekend for the Dawgs and all over college football... according to the Dawg Post crew.

No. 18 NC State (+2.5) vs. No. 25 Kansas State | ESPN |5:45 PM

Matt’s Pick: It’s been a great season for the Wolfpack, but it’s going to end with a loss. Give me Kansas State (-2.5)

Ryan’s Pick: I am going to start out these picks by taking the points. I will go with the team that probably has the best player, which is NC State (+2.5) and linebacker Payton Wilson. These are two teams not to trust, however. 

Dean’s Pick: I’m going to take Kansas State (-2.5) giving the FG here. I don’t mid this game at all. In fact, I am somewhat intrigued.

No. 14 Arizona (-3) vs. No. 12 Oklahoma | ESPN |9:15 PM

Matt’s Pick: The Sooners think their season is over. The Wildcats are still fighting for an outstanding season. I’ll take the Wildcats (-3).

Ryan’s Pick: Arizona was quietly the third best team in the PAC 12 this season. Oklahoma was kind of a roller coaster. Big highs and steep lows. There were definitely twists and turns along the way. I am not going to twist this up and take Arizona (-3). 

Dean’s Pick: This is the best game of the bowl season outside of the playoff in my view. U of A (that's what they call it out there) has proven me wrong this season. They are good at the footballs. I will take the Wildcats (-3).

No. 22 Taters (-4) vs. Kentucky | ESPN |12:00 PM

Matt’s Pick: Clemson’s defense gets it done. They need to end the season strong. I’ll take the Tigers (-4).

Ryan’s Pick: Hmm. Hmm. Hmmm. Clemson (-4). Kentucky just really wasn’t that good. Neither was Clemson, but they have a little more talent. 

Dean’s Pick: Here's you last chance to buy the Taters' stock before the showdown to start the season with UGA to kickoff 2024. I'll be shorting them on that one. I am taking them here - rather I'm holding. Taters (-4). 

No. 19 Oregon State (+6) vs. No. 16 Notre Dame | CBS |2:00 PM

Matt’s Pick: The Beavers lost their coach and DJ Uiagalelei quit on his team and entered the portal again. This one could get ugly. Give me Notre Dame (-6).

Ryan’s Pick: I do hate the way all of this shakes out with players transferring during bowl season, but it makes some of these games easier to pick for me. I’ll take Notre Dame (-6) here is what would have been an even better matchup if Oregon State had its structure from the 2023 season. 

Dean’s Pick: Great get for CBS to have Notre Dame on the channel. Oregon State doesn't have its starting quarterback - neither do the Irish. Yikes. I really don't think Notre Dame will lose this game - five me the Irish (-6).

Memphis (+10) vs. Iowa State | ESPN |3:30 PM

Matt’s Pick: That’s a lot of points. Memphis would love a bowl win any way they can get it. They might lose, but I’ll take the points. Memphis (+10).

Ryan’s Pick: Iowa State (-10) off of a feeling. 

Dean’s Pick: I don't like this game at all. I will take Iowa State (-10), but I don't like it.

No. 9 Missouri (+1) vs. No. 7 Ohio State | ESPN |8:00 PM

Matt’s Pick: I think the Buckeyes are the better team. This could be a fun game, but I’ll take the Buckeyes (-1).

Ryan’s Pick: This is the non-playoff game I am most excited to watch. All of the Ohio State fans are gushing about Devin Brown right now, but why was McCord the starter? There has to be a good reason for that. This Missouri team is good, and being in the Cotton Bowl means a lot to them. Missouri has been at about the same level as Ohio State this season in my eyes. 

I really do think this is a good matchup. The Tigers will be missing some guys, but so will Ohio State. If Marvin Harrison Jr. does not play, then Missouri will have the best player on the field in Luther Burden, who called playing in the Cotton Bowl a “dream come true.” I have Missouri (+1). 

Dean’s Pick: So I am interested to watch this one. Missouri winning this game would be epic. Talk about a throw down in Middle Earth. Bring out the tractors and Golden Girls! Time for the Missouri Waltz! All of that sounds horrible outside of the Golden Girls, who I am always in favor of. 

But this is football, and Ohio State only loses to Michigan and the Dawgs these days. OH... never mind. Just give the point and keep it moving - Buckeyes (-1). 

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No. 11 Ole Miss (+3.5) vs. No. 10 Penn State | ESPN |12:00 PM

Matt’s Pick: Ole Miss has some good mojo around the program. They’ve got some guys who can score. Penn State looks awful at times. I’ll take the Rebels (+3.5).

Ryan’s Pick: Ole Miss (+3.5) is just the better team here. Am I missing something? Penn State’s defense is the real deal, but that offense is tough to watch. I saw an Instagram post that has Drew Allar as a Heisman candidate next year. HA. I see we are already in offseason content form. I will go with the better team with the points here like I always do.

Dean’s Pick: Love this game: two fancy boy coaches in a New Year's Six showdown. Penn State can't score. Ole Miss scores a lot. I feel like there's a Sherman-Rebels-Atlanta joke in here somewhere (too soon?), but is there anything funny about Penn State? There is not. Give me Ole Miss (+3.5) in an upset.

Auburn (-7) vs. Maryland | ABC |2:00 PM

Matt’s Pick: Maryland QB Taulia Tagovailoa quit on his team and has opted out of this game for whatever reason. Give me Auburn (-7).

Ryan’s Pick: You really can’t predict what is going to happen in an Auburn game. They went from losing to New Mexico State to blowing the game against Alabama. I’ll go with the Tigers (-7) to cover.

Dean’s Pick: Gross. I'll take Auburn (-7) and avert my eyes. 

Toledo (+3.5) vs. Wyoming | “The” CW |4:30 PM

Matt’s Pick: I like the Rockets here and the points. Toledo (+3.5).

Ryan’s Pick: This is a sendoff for Wyoming’s head coach. I will go with a Cowboys win and cover on The CW. Wyoming (-3.5).

Dean’s Pick: Executives at the CW have to be excite about this one. Wyoming (-3.5).

Wisconsin (+10) vs. No. 13 LSU | ESPN2 |12:00 PM

Matt’s Pick: LSU’s offense is just too good. I’ll take the Tigers (-10).

Ryan’s Pick: Wisconsin just was not very good this year. I will be interested to see what happens with Luke Fickel in year-two. Lincoln Riley and Brian Kelly really put a damper on my year-two/good coach theory. I’ll go with LSU (-10) with Nussmeier slinging it around.

Dean’s Pick: The Big Ten is such trash. Only LSU could screw this up - and they won’t. Tigers (-10) cover the line. 

No. 23 Liberty (+17) vs. No. 8 Oregon | ESPN |1:00 PM

Matt’s Pick: Oregon has no motivation here, but in the end, they’re just a lot better. They close the season strong and cover. Oregon (-17).

Ryan’s Pick: Oregon (-17) is going to destroy Liberty. Going from being a few points away to being in the College Football Playoff to playing Liberty in the Fiesta Bowl does not sit right.

Dean’s Pick: Why is this matchup happening? Liberty has no business playing in this game. None. This is stupid. I hope Oregon beats the breaks off them. Give me the Ducks (-17), and put me down as totally against this stupidity. 

No. 17 Iowa (+7.5) vs. No. 21 Tennessee | ABC |1:00 PM

Matt’s Pick: Iowa still can;t score. Tennessee should be happy to play in a somewhat respectable bowl game. They should be taking this game seriously. Tennessee (-7.5).

Ryan’s Pick: No Joe Milton, no problem. Joe, I think you could have benefitted from another piece of game tape against a good defense. Iowa has no offense.That is what this comes down too. Tennessee (-7.5) is good enough to cover this spread.

Dean’s Pick: Now Joe Milton is opting out of this game? Have you seen Iowa's QB? Enough said - Give me the Vols (-7.5).

No. 4 Alabama (+2) vs. No. 1 Michigan | ESPN |5:00 PM

Matt’s Pick: Michigan isn’t man enough to beat Alabama. They aren’t going to push those guys around. They’re one-dementional and won’t be able to score with the Tide. Alabama (+2).

Ryan’s Pick: Yeah, I’ll take Alabama (+2) and Nick Saban and a month to prepare and the points. We just watched Alabama beat probably still the best team in the country. Alabama has the size to match up with Michigan in the trenches, and they have the skill guys to beat them, just as they beat Georgia.

If the Wolverines beat Ohio State with a little more punch, and showed a little more explosion on offense, then I’d feel differently. I think Alabama wins this game.

Dean’s Pick: So I am going to take UM (-2) here. I don't know who will win this game, but I have to say that winning this game would be the third pretty improbable outcome for the Tide in as many games. I just wonder how you pull that off. I don't think either team is noticeably better than the other. I am very curious to hear the cussing coming from the Athens area as they watch what could have been. 

No. 3 Texas (-4.5) vs. No. 2 Washington | ESPN |8:45 PM

Matt’s Pick: Texas might come out and make a statement. I think this game will be close for 4 quarters, but in the end, Horns win by a touchdowns. Longhorns (-4.5).

Ryan’s Pick: I think people are really riding the Longhorns here, but give me Washington +(4.5). The Huskies answered the bell all year long. They went on the road and beat a tough Oregon State team, they blew through a lot of cupcakes and beat a really good Oregon team twice. There are spots where Texas is better, and if you tell me you think Texas is the better team, I am not going to fight you on it.

I like Washington here straight up. If it comes down to the QB and the skill guys, I am taking the Huskies. To me, it really comes down to the fact that I think Texas struggled a lot more this season than Washington, and I think the Huskies get by and make it to the title game.

Dean’s Pick: Texas is better, and I am going to take the Horns (-4.5) to cover, but I am starting to wonder out loud if UW is better than we all think, and they just win games. I've watched enough of them to know that's not what they've put out there this season - they've been far, far too up and down for my liking - but they have won. Texas should have never lost to Oklahoma, but sometimes the better team does not win. It happens. I don't think it will happen in this one. 

No. 6 Georgia (-17) vs. No. 5 FSU | ESPN |4:00 PM

Matt’s Pick: Georgia could really embarrass FSU in South Florida. The ‘Noles have given up. Their best remaining players have quit on the team. There’s no fight in that group. I expect this one to be ugly. Georgia (-17).

Ryan’s Pick: I am not going to dive too much into this. Georgia is significantly better than Florida State under the current circumstances. I would have picked Georgia to win if both teams were at full strength. I am picking the Dawgs (-17) big in this one.

Georgia seems like it wants to win this a lot more, and it will have far more talent and depth on the field.

Dean’s Pick: Georgia (-17) - don't talk to me | I've been dealing with Santa and that fraud Elf on a Shelf. I am going to tell you like I told my niece over Christas: Never start Elf on a Shelf - never. 

This line has even moved since we did our picks in video form, so I am leaving it at 17 on the site. You can read more about this in Final Feelings, but I just don't like the way the Noles are approaching this game; I don't find anything different in the way Georgia is approaching this game. 

That's not a good combination. Expect the Dawgs... big. 

Season ATS

Matt 49-67-4

Ryan 57-59-4

Dean 54-62-4

UGA 2021 & 2022 Back-to-Back National Champions Flag