ATHENS - We inch closer to the start of the college football season, and with that Kirby Smart’s UGA Football is being handicapped by betting houses, and there’s something pretty interesting about what we know so far.
Georgia is favored so far in each published game. Each. Game.
That’s pretty astonishing in a way; in another way it is sort of predicable.
Betting houses say UGA’s games at Alabama (UGA -3) and Ole Miss (UGA -4.5) will be the most competitive contests. That’s not a shock. Those two games are half of UGA’s road games this season; they both also were in the CFP last year; and they both beat (and lost) to Kirby’s Dawgs last year.
There’s no line listed for road contests at Arkansas or South Carolina, but the Bulldogs will likely be substantial favorites to topple the Hogs and Cocks.
What struck me more than anything in looking at these early lines is not that the Dawgs are favored in Athens over Auburn (UGA -16.5), or the displaced Cocktail Party (UGA -12.5). Instead it is that Georgia is considered a 10.5-point favorite to beat Oklahoma Between the Hedges.
If you remember, Oklahoma beat Michigan, Tennessee, Alabama and Missouri before bowing out to the Tide in Norman in the College Football Playoff first round. Oklahoma’s over-under for wins this season is 7.5, and with good reason.
The Sooners have a tough schedule. They travel to Michigan (UM -2.5), Dallas (Texas -6), host the Rebels (OU -4) in addition to the game in Athens.
But to see Oklahoma, a team that played in the CFP last season and has a pretty good name brand, sit as a massive underdog on the road… well it set me back a little bit.
Consider this: Oklahoma has only been a double-digit dog three times (all during a very difficult 2024) in the last 11 seasons. OU wasn’t an underdog in the regular season in 2018, 2019 or 2020 - they’ve been dogs ten times in two years of SEC play.
Now, it must be pointed out that Alabama is the only team to beat Georgia in Athens this decade, and although Oklahoma beat Alabama last year - Oklahoma ain’t Alabama.
They proved that at the end of the year.
But still, 10.5? That’s a lot of points. We will see if the line stays there, but consider this: Georgia is 28-2 against SEC teams in Athens in its last 30 games. That’s not to suggest the Dawgs cover the line in games where they are at least ten-point favorites. UGA is 10-15 against the spread in those games.
Will Georgia win? Probably. Will they cover - they might not.
Early 2026 UGA Football Lines:
Oklahoma (+10) at Georgia
Georgia (-3) at Alabama
Auburn (+16.5) at Georgia
Georgia (-12.5) vs. Florida
Georgia (-4.5) at Ole Miss
Early 2025 UGA Football Lines & Results:
Georgia (-5.5) at Tennessee | No. 6 Georgia 44, No. 15 Tennessee 41 (OT)
Alabama (+4) at Georgia | No. 17 Alabama 24, No. 5 Georgia 21
Ole Miss (+9.5) at Georgia | No. 9 Georgia 43, No. 5 Ole Miss 35
Georgia (-9.5) vs. Florida | No. 5 Georgia 24, Florida 20
Texas (+2.5) at Georgia | No. 5 Georgia 35, No. 10 Texas 10
Early 2024 UGA Football Lines & Results:
Georgia (-12.5) vs. Clemson | No. 1 Georgia 34, No. 14 Clemson 3
Georgia (-3.5) at Alabama | No. 4 Alabama 41, No. 2 Georgia 34
Auburn (+23.5) at Georgia | No. 5 Georgia 31, Auburn 13
Georgia (1.5) at Texas | No. 5 Georgia 30, No. 1 Texas 15
Georgia (-3.5) at Ole Miss | No. 16 Ole Miss 28, No. 3 Georgia 10
