Missouri vs #1 Georgia | 2021 NCAAF Betting Preview

As expected, unbeaten Georgia was No. 1 in the first College Football Playoff rankings this week and the Dawgs should have no trouble this Saturday cruising past a mediocre Missouri squad as huge favorites on the NCAAF odds.

How to Bet Missouri at Georgia NCAA Football Odds & TV Info

When: Saturday, noon ET
Where: Sanford Stadium
TV: ESPN
Stream: ESPN app
Radio: Tunein.com
Opening NCAAF Lines: Georgia -39 (total 59.5)

Last Season

In 2020, Georgia blew out Missouri 49-14. JT Daniels threw three touchdown passes, two of them to wideout George Pickens. Daniels completed 16 of 27 passes for 299 yards. Pickens caught five passes for 126 yards and James Cook caught a TD pass and ran for a score. Zamir White ran for 126 yards and a score. Missouri managed just 200 yards of offense. Connor Bazelak completed 17 of 28 passes for 139 yards.

Georgia leads the all-time series 9-1. The Bulldogs have faced the Tigers just 10 times because they did not play again until Missouri joined the SEC in 2012. That year, the Tigers played host to Georgia in their first-ever SEC contest.

Why Bet on Missouri?

Missouri (4-4, 1-3 SEC) comes off a 37-28 win at Vanderbilt. Tyler Badie rushed 31 times for a career-high 254 yards and two touchdowns, Harrison Mevis booted three field goals to run his string of consecutive makes to 19, and Keke Chism caught a 45-yard “Hail Mary” touchdown pass from Connor Bazelak on the last play of the first half. It was Mizzou’s first SEC victory of the season and first true road win since a 38-17 decision at Florida on Nov. 3, 2018.

Badie ran his career rushing total to 2,125 yards, becoming the 18th Tiger to run for more than 2,000 yards. He also caught eight passes for 40 yards. His 254 yards were the fifth most in a single game in Missouri history. Badie is the first player in Mizzou history to rush for 200 yards in three or more games in a single season. He ranks fourth nationally in rushing yards (989), yards per game (123.6) and total points (90). He is third in total touchdowns (15), third in scoring (11.2 ppg) and 11th in rushing touchdowns. All six of those marks lead the SEC.

Mevis netted three field-goals from 46, 32, and 52 yards to extend his consecutive field goal streak to 19. Mevis stayed perfect on PATs, going 3-for-3 on the day, improving to 34-for-34 on the season. The sophomore is a semifinalist for the 2021 Lou Groza Collegiate Place-Kicker Award. The “Thiccer Kicker” is 11-for-11 on field goals this season including 3-for-3 from beyond 50 yards and 6-for-6 from 40-49. Four kickers have made 56-yard field goal in 2021. Of the four, Mevis is the lone kicker with multiple 50+ yard attempts who remains perfect (3-for-3).

Mizzou is 7-0 when leading at halftime under Coach Eli Drinkwitz. Mizzou leads the SEC in red zone efficiency, scoring on 25-of-26 trips this season. The Tigers have scored touchdowns on 80.7 percent of their trips to the red zone.

Why Bet on Georgia?

The Dawgs (8-0, 4-0 SEC) stomped rival Florida 34-7 last week to clinch a spot in the SEC title game. Stetson Bennett finished 10-for-19 for 161 yards and one touchdown, while tailback Zamir White tallied a season-high 105 yards on 14 carries. Bennett is 9-2 as a starter including 5-0 this year.

UGA held UF scoreless until 2:49 left in the game. It was the lowest point total by Florida in the Dan Mullen era. UF came in averaging 34.4 points a game. It was the fifth time this season that the Bulldog defense has blanked a team in the first half.

Bennett has yet to be named the team’s starter ahead of Saturday’s matchup against Missouri. To date, Bennett has completed 65.7% of his passes for 1,159 yards, 12 touchdowns and four interceptions. JT Daniels began the season as the starter but has been hurt.

Georgia leads the nation in Scoring Defense giving up just 6.6 points per game. The Bulldogs are averaging 37.9 points/game, which is ranked 14th nationally. Georgia is 4-0 versus ranked teams, including a pair of top-10 wins. The defense has allowed just five touchdowns while the unit has scored four touchdowns.

UGA also leads the country in Red Zone defense. Opponents have advanced to the Red Zone only 14 times this season resulting in four touchdowns, four field goals and six times coming away with no points. Georgia opponents have scored just 53 points in 2021. That eight-game tally is the lowest since 1971 when the Bulldogs had allowed 46 through eight contests. Under Kirby Smart, Georgia has registered 23 scores on defense or special teams. The Dawgs are 20-1 when they register a non-offensive score under Smart.

Linebacker Nakobe Dean was named a semifinalist for the Butkus Award on Monday. Dean has been a menace all season with 37 total tackles, 3.5 sacks, two interceptions and one pass defended. Also of note, Dean won the 2018 High School Butkus Award.