CFB: Florida to treat bettors?
One of the biggest games Saturday is also the biggest party; the “World’s Largest Cocktail Party” between Florida and rival Georgia.
The Florida Gators are a two-touchdown favorite, but that could be a steep price to pay for a game of this magnitude.
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Though this year’s contest won’t carry the same panache as the last couple, it is no less important to its participants. Florida (7-0. 3-3 ATS) is ranked first in the BCS but doesn’t have the same offensive power of a year ago.
Even after supplying misfortune on Mississippi State 29-19, coach Urban Meyer is far from pleased.
“We kind of operate around here on urgency. That’s not something we’re ashamed of,” Meyer said. “We’re not playing perfect, and there are times we’re not playing very good at all
“We’re not on the same planet statistically as last year. I’m not happy where we are at right now.”
Fortunately, Meyer and Florida can fall back on a superb defensive unit that leads the SEC in about every statistic and is the best nationally in total defense. Under coach Meyer, the Gators are 12-1 (7-5-1 ATS) against their so-called Big Three opponents, Tennessee, Georgia and Florida State. Florida is 9-1 ATS when playing against a team with a winning record over the last two seasons.
Two years ago, Georgia coach Mark Richt used a little chicanery to fire up his Georgia (4-3, 2-5 ATS) squad and it worked with 42-30 upset as touchdown underdogs. He might need something even crazier, since nobody will compare this Bulldogs team talent-wise to that club.
After falling to LSU and Tennessee, coach Richt went back to basics and it paid off against Vanderbilt with a 34-10 road win. The Bulldogs were crisper offensively than they had been since the Arkansas contest. The offensive line fired off the ball and coordinator Mike Bobo left the press box to be more involved with QB Joe Cox. Georgia is 10-5-1 ATS in neutral site contests against ranked teams the last decade and 17-6 ATS away from home after a bye week.
Florida is 16-3 and 12-6-1 ATS the last 19 years in this matchup, with the favorite 2-5-1 against the number. The SU winner is 23-3-1 ATS since 1982 in this rivalry.
The StatFox Power Line says Florida by 19, perhaps suggesting that there is room to spare for those backing the favorite at Sportsbook.com
