In the SEC Championship Game on December 4, 2021, the Georgia Bulldogs were solid 6-point favorites over the Alabama Crimson Tide. Alabama seemed to be down a notch, at least by their standards, in 2021. By contrast, the Georgia defense was touted as perhaps the greatest of all time. Georgia head coach Kirby Smart was being hailed as the best recruiter in college football, surpassing Alabama’s Nick Saban in that category. But the game showed that Georgia was not quite ready to reach the summit. Alabama earned a convincing 41-24 that left gamblers and fans shaking their heads. Indeed, there was plenty of regret on the part of those who were fooled into betting against Nick Saban’s Crimson Tide. Now comes the wagering question of whether anyone has the nerve to step into the rolling Tide.
The Alabama Crimson Tide will face the Georgia Bulldogs in the National Championship Game at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis, Indiana. This game will take place on Monday, January 10, 2022, with a kickoff time set for 8 p.m. ET and television coverage on ESPN.
2021 CFP National Championship Odds
Alabama Crimson Tide +3
Georgia Bulldogs -3
Total 52.5
Odds Analysis
Georgia opened as a 3-point favorite with a total of 52.
Last month gamblers were eager to back the Bulldogs against an Alabama team that was hardly dominant in the 2021 regular season. But after Alabama rolled over UGA, nobody is sprinting to the window to bet on the Bulldogs. Yet Wise Guys see that as a perfect contrarian opportunity.
Georgia has the strange distinction of being a favorite that everyone considers an underdog. Media coverage and social media banter would lead one to believe that Alabama is double-digit chalk. Except that they are not.
Monday’s National Championship Game is breaking down into traditional camps. Squares are stampeding the betting window to plunk down cash on the biggest name brand in college football. Sharps are quietly looking at a loaded Georgia team, knowing how hard it will be for any opponent to beat them twice in five weeks.
Georgia Bulldogs
Georgia throttled Michigan 34-11 as 7.5-point favorites in the Orange Bowl in the College Football Playoff semifinal. The game went under the total of 46.5. As a result, the Bulldogs are 13-1 straight up, 9-5 against the spread, and 6-8 under the total. Overall, Georgia ranks 28th for total offense, 7th for scoring offense, 2nd for total defense, and 1st for points allowed.
Kirby Smart is a former defensive coordinator under Nick Saban at Alabama. Smart is 0-4 against his mentor. Smart is attempting to become just the second Saban assistant to defeat the GOAT. Jimbo Fisher of Texas A&M broke through as the first assistant coach to beat Saban earlier this season
Alabama Crimson Tide
Alabama is coming off a 27-6 win over Cincinnati in the College Football Playoff at the Cotton Bowl. The Crimson Tide were 12.5-point favorites. The game went under the total of 56.6. Alabama stands at 13-1 straight up, 8-6 against the spread, and 7-7 over/under.
Alabama quarterback Bryce Young was the 2021 Heisman Trophy winner. Young completely outclassed Georgia quarterback Stetson Bennett in the SEC Championship Game. Now the question is if Georgia’s defense will adjust with new wrinkles to throw at Young. In the same way, Georgia must prepare Bennett to avoid the mistakes and turnovers that were so costly in the first game against Alabama.
Georgia vs. Alabama Prediction
On this occasion, the favored Bulldogs have the irony of being a contrarian bet. The masses will zig with the Crimson Tide. Thus, the sharps will zag with Georgia. Certainly, the Bulldogs have no talent gap against the Crimson Tide. And they are due to bust through finally.
BookMaker Pick: Georgia Bulldogs
BookMaker offers play-by-play betting odds for live sporting events every day! The user-friendly wagering interface on your smartphone provides an easy way to place bets on the go. Mobile betting lines are updated by the minute, so click here to start gambling on thrilling live action at BookMaker Sportsbook!
