The Georgia Bulldogs are proving that last year wasn’t just a flash in the pan. The Bulldogs have looked great through their first two games of the season. They hammered a good FCS team in Austin Peay in their season opener, and they thrashed South Carolina in a pseudo-rivalry game last week. In Week 3 of the college football season, the Bulldogs will face the Middle Tennessee State Blue Raiders. They are heavy favorites on the CFB betting line, and most observers are expecting another blowout win for the Dawgs.
Watch this Week 3 matchup live on Saturday, September 15, 2018, at 7:15 p.m. ET at Sanford Stadium in Athens, Georgia.
College Football Odds at BookMaker.eu
Middle Tennessee State +32.5
Georgia -32.5
Total 54
Odds Analysis
Middle Tennessee State opened up as a 30.5-point underdog per the CFB betting odds, but that number wasn’t high enough. The line quickly shot up by two points, and it has remained steady at 32.5. The total has moved a bit too since it opened, going from 52 to 54 on the NCAAF betting line early in the week.
Player to Watch
He may be the coach’s son, but Brent Stockstill has shown he has what it takes to be a successful quarterback during his five seasons in Murfreesboro. Stockstill has been one of the top Group of Five quarterbacks for each of the past four years, and he is off to a good start this year too.
In games against Vanderbilt and UT Martin, Stockstill has combined to complete 69.1 percent of his passes for 574 yards with six touchdowns and one interception. His 8.4 yards per attempt is a pretty respectable number, and it’s been all the more impressive because his offensive line has not been good in pass protection. Stockstill has been sacked nine times through two games.
That’s a bit of a concern coming into this week. MTSU’s season was derailed when Stockstill missed six games due to a shoulder injury in 2017, and now he must face one of the best defenses in the country.
Key Stat
Georgia has picked up right where it left off on offense. The Bulldogs had a lethal running game that gashed opponents all season long in 2017, and it’s looking to be more of the same in 2018. Sony Michel and Nick Chubb are playing on Sundays now, but this team has become the Alabama of the SEC East and just reloads with its deep talent pool.
D’Andre Swift, James Cook, and Elijah Holyfield are leading the way. All three have averaged over five yards per carry and none of this trio have been particularly stressed through the first two weeks of the season. None of the three are averaging more than 10 carries a game, and Kirby Smart’s goal is to have all three stay fresh throughout the year.
Middle Tennessee State did a decent job of stopping the run against Vanderbilt and UT Martin, but this rushing attack is different than anything they will see all year.
Free ATS Pick
The Blue Raiders have one of the most porous secondaries in college football. They were beaten pretty thoroughly through the air by UT Martin and Vanderbilt, and that could mean a big game for Jake Fromm. Fromm has been deadly efficient in this offense, and he is averaging more than 10 yards a throw at this point.
Some may consider this a potential letdown spot for Georgia after a big win over South Carolina and with a road trip to Missouri on the agenda for next week. However, I think Georgia will roll as Stockstill is harassed all day long by waves of defenders. Look for super recruit Justin Fields to air it out a bit too as Georgia uses this one to get him ready just in case Fromm struggles in the future or goes down.
College Football Odds: Georgia 48, Middle Tennessee State 10
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