Georgia vs. Florida Predictions, Picks & Odds Week 9

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24 October 2023

Georgia vs. Florida Predictions, Picks & Odds Week 9

The rivalry between the Georgia Bulldogs and Florida Gators is known as the World’sLargest Outdoor Cocktail Party, and we offer our best Georgia vs. Floridaprediction for one of the SEC’s best rivalries based on the best college football odds.

Georgia (7-0, 4-0 SEC) has been ranked No. 1 in the AP poll for19 consecutive weeks, the third-longest streak in the history of the rankings.The Bulldogs need to remain No. 1 for two more weeks to tie Miami’s streak of21 consecutive weeks from 2001 to 2002 as the nation’s top team.

Florida’s (5-2, 2-1 SEC) hopes to win the SEC East and play fora conference championship likely come down to whether it can knock off thetop-ranked Bulldogs, something it has done just once in the last six meetings.The Gators have won five of six games and two straight since their only SECloss at Kentucky (33-14).

Here is our best Georgia vs. Florida prediction and our college football picks (odds via our best college football betting sites; pick confidence based on a 1-to-5-star scale).

Georgia vs. Florida prediction: Week 9

Under 49 (-110 via Caesars, DraftKings, bet365) ⭐⭐⭐⭐

Both teams are coming off bye weeks,which, on paper, should help the offenses game plan for stern tests from theopposing defenses. However, Gators quarterback Graham Mertz’s performancesagainst top teams leaves something to be desired, and we expect the Bulldogsoffense to take time to gel without their best offensive weapon in tight endBrock Bowers.

Entering this season, Mertz averaged a 38total QBR, a 54% completion rate, a 5% interception rate, and five touchdownsagainst 12 interceptions vs. AP-ranked opponents, all of which rank last amongFBS quarterbacks. And against Utah and Tennessee, the two ranked opponentsFlorida has faced this year, Mertz has a 141.9 rating (much lower than hisoverall 163.7 rating this season) while averaging fewer than 250 passing yardsand just one passing touchdown per game. He should struggle against a Georgiadefense that allows the seventh-fewest points per game (14.0).

The impact that Bowers’ absence shouldhave on Georgia’s offense should not be understated. A potential Top 5 pick innext year’s NFL Draft, Bowers leads the team with 41 catches for 567 yards andhas caught four touchdowns. He had 100-plus yards receiving in threeconsecutive games before getting hurt in the Vanderbilt contest, and his two potentialreplacements (sophomore Oscar Delp and freshman Pearce Spurlin III) havecombined for 15 catches, 189 yards, and two touchdowns this season.

Florida has a Top 5 SEC defense in termsof total yards allowed this year (312.4 yards per game), and Bowers’ absenceshould put a damper on a Bulldogs offense that ranks fifth in total passingproduction.

$1,000 First Bet on Caesars

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Georgia vs. Florida best odds

Caesars, DraftKings,bet365 (-110)

Underbackers have their choice of three of our top sportsbooks for the best numberavailable, as Caesars, DraftKings, and bet365 offer a half-point higher totalthan their top competitors.

Wewould play this Under down to 48.5, so we would not put anyone off heading toFanDuel for a slightly better price of -105 even though they would be getting ahalf-point less of value.

Georgia vs. Florida odds

Caesars,DraftKings, and FanDuel have all seen their totals increase from 47.5 on Sundayafternoon, while the opening number at bet365 was slightly higher at 48.5. Theslight majority of the early wagers favor the Over, with a 57/43 split.

TheOver is 9-1 in Florida’s last 10 games against opponents ranked in the top fiveof the AP poll.

Allthe best sports betting sites are in unison with a spread of Georgia -14.5, with DraftKings beingthe only one juiced higher at -112 to back the favorites. Any line movement tothis point has gone in Florida’s direction, especially at FanDuel and Caesars,which opened at Georgia -15.5 and -16, respectively.

Sharpaction is likely driving the line movement, as the Bulldogs have gotten theslight majority of the betting action (54/46).