Notre Dame Fighting Irish at Georgia Bulldogs odds, picks and best bets
The Notre Dame Fighting Irish (2-0) head to Athens to square off with the Georgia Bulldogs (3-0) for a marquee Saturday night (8 p.m. ET) battle.
Georgia is ranked No. 3 in the Amway Coaches Poll powered by USA Today. The Fighting Irish are ranked No. 7.
The trip to Sanford Stadium marks a first for ND. What's not new is the idea of the Irish losing to a top-five foe. Notre Dame has lost 10 straight games - and 18 of its last 19 - against teams ranked in the nation's top five.
The Irish and the Bulldogs met two years ago in South Bend: Georgia defeated Notre Dame, 20-19. Also, in 2017 and again in 2018, Kirby Smart and the Bulldogs made some additions to their program that have vaulted Georgia into a perhaps-three-team stratosphere in college football with Clemson and Alabama.
And that's where the analysis of this game begins: Georgia has better football players than Notre Dame.
Notre Dame Fighting Irish at Georgia Bulldogs: Betting trends and tips
- Players recruited in 2017 and 2018 will dominate the action on Saturday night. UGA ranked third and first, respectively, in those two classes. ND ranked 10th both years.
- Georgia has averaged 49.3 PPG against two so-so foes (at least, not bottom-40) and one second-division FCS squad (Murray State). Notre Dame has notched 50.5 against so-so Louisville and awful New Mexico. So, throw out one game for each side.
- Surface defensive numbers tell a story of two top-15 units on that side of the ball. But a deeper dive shows that type of ranking may be premature for Notre Dame, and it may not do justice to the Bulldogs.
- Georgia: 11-4 ATS over their last 15 games against foes with winning records … 5-2 ATS over its last seven games as a double-digit favorite … 9-4 ATS in its last 13 games after allowing less than 20 points in the previous game.
- Notre Dame: 0-3-1 ATS over its last four road games … 7-8 ATS over its last 15 contests against SEC foes.
Dec 29, 2018; Arlington, TX, United States; Notre Dame Fighting Irish quarterback Ian Book (12) in action during the 2018 Cotton Bowl college football playoff semifinal game between the Fighting Irish and the Tigers at AT&T Stadium Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-Paste BN Sports
Notre Dame Fighting Irish at Georgia Bulldogs: Odds, betting lines and picks
Odds via BetMGM ; access Paste BN Sports' betting odds for a full list.
Prediction
Georgia 34, Notre Dame 17
Moneyline ( ?)
Steer clear of the Georgia -625/Notre Dame +445 proposition.
Against the Spread ( ?)
The ATS figure started in the 12s and went northward. It still has some steam at GEORGIA -14 (-115). Loved it at 13, still like it at 14. This one is worth a UGA play now with some on reserve for a cheaper 14 or a market correction back to 13.5.
Over/Under ( ?)
Hit the UNDER 58.5 - but on a smaller play if you're as high on the Bulldogs' pass defense as I am.
Skip Snow is 2-2 ATS this season.
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