Georgia vs. Oregon Odds
| Georgia Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spread | Total | Moneyline |
-16.5 -110 | 54.5 -110o / -110u | -800 |
| Oregon Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spread | Total | Moneyline |
+16.5 -110 | 54.5 -110o / -110u | +550 |
There is zero 'easing into' a title defense as the No. 3 Georgia Bulldogs begin their quest to be the first-ever repeat champions in the College Football Playoff era. Georgia's title defense begins with a Chick-fil-A Kickoff matchup against the No. 11 Oregon Ducks — a team featuring a few familiar faces on the opposing sideline.
Newly-minted Oregon head coach, and former Georgia defensive coordinator, Dan Lanning brings his Oregon Ducks to Atlanta as 17.5-point underdogs. Joining him is Auburn-transfer quarterback Bo Nix, who is striving to achieve something he never accomplished in three years on the Plains: Beat Georgia.
The polarizing quarterback is a combined 75-of-133 passing for 694 yards (231.3 yards per game) with one touchdown and two interceptions in three games against the Bulldogs.
The longshot Heisman-hopeful will have some prior familiarity with the Ducks offense: Nix’s offensive coordinator during his freshman season at Auburn, Kenny Dillingham, assumed the same position on Lanning’s staff in Eugene.
Heavy is the head that wears the crown — and Georgia Bulldogs head coach Kirby Smart is no exception. He faces a daunting task attempting to replace a modern-day NFL record of 15 draft picks from the Bulldogs’ CFP National Championship roster. This includes five first-round draft picks from the nation’s best defense.
But, while youth may rule the day on defense, senior quarterback Stetson Bennett is back under center to lead the Bulldogs offense. Aiding the walk-on hero’s effort will be the best tight end duo in the nation: Brock Bowers and Arik Gilbert. That pair draws a challenging Week 1 assignment against future NFL first-rounder Noah Sewell.
Is this actually the year for Nix, or will Georgia’s reloaded defense prove just as impenetrable? Our college football betting staff delivers their consensus point-spread and over/under picks for this Week 1 matchup between College Football Playoff contenders.
Georgia vs. Oregon Point Spread
-17.5 |
| 3 Picks |
 Coin Flip |
| 3 Picks |
+17.5 |
| 7 Picks |
Oregon +17.5
The Oregon Ducks boast the best offensive line that Georgia will face all season. Furthermore, the matchup between the Ducks and Bulldogs may be the best battle in the trenches that we witness this year.
Oregon has what it takes to limit Georgia’s greatest strength: Backfield pressure from up front. Georgia replaces 15 players selected in the 2022 NFL Draft, but the team should pick up right where it left off via the next-man-up at each position.
This season's Bulldogs defense may not be the historically great defensive unit from last year, but it is still formidable. Oregon will have its hands full when contending against returning Bulldogs defenders Jalen Carter, Javon Bullard, Nolan Smith and Kelee Ringo.
The Ducks offense is fortunate to have Auburn-transfer quarterback Bo Nix under center due to his ample prior experience contending with SEC defenses. Nix also directly benefits from one of the best offensive lines in football. He has never beaten Georgia throughout his college career, but he has as good a chance as ever to get it done in Week 1.
If Nix can limit the notorious, bone-headed plays that we all know and love, then he should keep Oregon within the number.
On the other side of the ball, the Ducks defense is healthy and revamped to limit the Bulldogs' playmaking ability. Georgia has built its offensive identity on a conservative game plan that prioritizes establishing the run and dump-offs to skill-position players to create in the open field.
Oregon’s linebacking corps of Noah Sewell*, Justin Flowe and Bradyn Swinson is poised and capable of limiting Georgia’s offensive success — especially if the Ducks defensive line performs above expectation.
The combination of Georgia's style of play, deliberate tempo and Oregon's capable defense gives plenty of cushion for Oregon to cover the 17.5-point spread.
Staff Pick: Oregon +17.5
Georgia vs. Oregon Over/Under
 Over 54.5 |
| 3 Picks |
 Coin Flip |
| 3 Picks |
 Under 54.5 |
| 7 Picks |
Under 54
The Oregon Ducks program finds itself in the midst of a rebuild as the team heads to Atlanta for what is effectively a home game for the Georgia Bulldogs. Almost as far away from home as possible in the continental United States, the Ducks will debut a new head coach and new quarterback — each with deep SEC roots.
Oregon head coach Dan Lanning spent the last four years on Kirby Smart’s staff and served as defensive coordinator for the last three years. Lanning will strive to instill in the Ducks defense hallmarks from last season’s historic Georgia Bulldogs defense.
Auburn-transfer quarterback Bo Nix will be the Ducks' Week 1 starter, after hopping the transfer portal out of Auburn and heading to the Pacific Northwest. Nix brings a plethora of big-time experience to Eugene, but the Ducks offense must regain its explosiveness: Oregon finished last season with only 10 plays of 40 or more yards.
It’s not clear that all the pieces will be present out of the gates for the Ducks offense.
Georgia's generational defense guided the team's path to the CFP National Championship. Now, Georgia must reload after an NFL Draft-record five Bulldogs defenders were selected in the first round alone.
This isn’t unfamiliar territory for the Dawgs, though. Last season's vaunted defense returned just five starters — yet it led the nation in scoring defense, allowing 10.2 points per game.
The Bulldogs defense will not have a problem reloading. Despite its personnel losses, Georgia still possesses one of the deepest teams in the nation and has added top-five recruiting classes each of the last five years.
Inside linebacker is an area of relative inexperience, but sophomores Jamon Dumas-Johnson and Smael Mondon, Jr. showed promise last season and during spring ball.
The Georgia offense looks to swiftly reassert its national championship form, but Stetson Bennett & Co. will face heavy resistance from the talented Oregon Ducks defense. On top of that, Lanning’s intimate familiarity with the defending champions is a unique challenge that Georgia must overcome.
Even if the 2022-23 Georgia defense isn’t a team for the all-time record books, this is still a very capable unit that will rank among the best in the country. Expect the Bulldogs to give the rebuilding Ducks a very hard time on offense.
Since Kirby Smart took over as head football coach in 2016, Georgia has hit the under in five of six openers. The only season-opener to go over the game total was Smart's first game ever as Georgia Bulldogs head coach.
Play the under at 51.5 or higher.
Staff Pick: Under 54
* 2022 Action Network All-American
