Georgia Opens as a 12-Point Favorite over Kentucky

ATHENS - Dean Legge’s guide for betters heading into this weekend’s game with Kentucky. 

On Sunday No. 6 Georgia opened as a 12-point favorite at Kentucky. The 12-point line means the Bulldogs have about a 81.6% chance to win the game.

However, Kentucky has been particularly good as an underdog this season (+13.5 at Florida; +10 vs State; +7 at Missouri) - going 3-1 straight up as a dog. They won both of those games outright. Florida has covered the line in all of its contests except the upset loss to Kentucky.

Since 1995, the Dawgs have on average been a 13.7-point favorite to beat the Cats. However, UGA is only, on average, a 10.15-point favorite in Lexington in that time.

In ranked fights between the two schools, UGA owns a 1-0 record since 1994.

Georgia continues to be highly ranked. Under Kirby Smart, after the win over Vanderbilt, ranked UGA teams are 17-0 against unranked teams - winning by an average score of 39-14. In five of those 17 contests the opposing team scored ten points or fewer. In nine of those games the Bulldogs scored 41 points or more. 

With the win over to No. 9 Florida, Kirby Smart is 8-6 overall against ranked teams, and 4-2 against top-ten teams.

THE NATIONAL LANDSCAPE

This weekend shapes up to be a massive one in the SEC, and therefore nationally. No. 1 Alabama travels to No. 4 LSU for its first real test of the season. The winner of that contest will have a major advantage in getting to Atlanta for the SEC Championship. 

Meanwhile, Lexington, Kentucky will hold the SEC East championship game this weekend when No. 6 Georgia travels to meet the No. 11 Cats. This is only the second meeting of ranked teams in this game since 1994 (2007, No. 8 UGA 24-13 over No. 22 Kentucky). 

Texas and West Virginia tangle in a Big 12 elimination game in Austin. No. 5 Michigan hosts No. 14 Penn State at 3:45 PM in a test for the Wolverines. No. 3 Notre Dame plays a quasi home game at 5-3 Northwestern on ESPN at 7:15. 

All of the major action, as pointed out above, is in the SEC, which will have a double header on CBS this Saturday starting at 3:30. 

TELL ME ABOUT THEM DAWGS

Georgia moved up to No. 6 in this week’s AP poll. All time, UGA is 18-3-0 as the No. 7 team in the country. With the win over the Gators, Georgia is now 31-6-1 as the No. 7 team in the country.

Meanwhile, in every game the Bulldogs have won, Georgia has done so by double digits. It is 5-1 in SEC play with the game with the Cats serving as the final in a three-game stretch against ranked foes.

WITH A SHIVER IN MY BONES JUST THINKING ABOUT THE WEATHER

The Googles tells us that that in the hour of kickoff this Saturday in Lexington we should expect it to be mostly cloudy with cold temperatures. There is an 8% chance of rain for the game. Kickoff should check in around 49 degrees. The close of the game should be about 46 degrees. This is the coldest game Georgia has played in this season - and it isn’t close. Wind for the game is set to be around 9 mph. 

It is expected to rain Saturday morning in Lexington.