2005 Georgia Bulldogs Handicapping Review

 

By Tom Wilkinson

 

The Georgia Bulldogs entered the 2004 season not just as favorites to win the Southeastern Conference, but the National Championship itself. The Bulldogs had the momentum coming off back-to-back SEC East titles and win totals of 13 in 2002, and 11 in 2003. Beyond that the Bulldogs were a veteran team with most of their key starters experienced and returning. If there was one sour note that some of the deeper and more skeptical minds in sports handicapping pointed to, it was the fact that Georgia had put together a run of 18 wins against only 8 losses against the odds dating back to 2002. Combine that outstanding record of profitability with a “name brand” and you can pretty much count on a significant sports betting market correction. Still, the doubters were in the minority and many online sports betting blogs featured posts that proclaimed Georgia as one of the “A” level teams for anyone’s list of football picks.

Georgia’s opening game was a 48-28 home win against 1-AA Georgia Southern. While the game was not lined it was also not the huge blowout one would expect from a national title contender. In their very next game at South Carolina as 7-point chalks, Georgia escaped with a 20-16 win that was a clear demonstration of their likely status at being overvalued against the odds, if not overrated overall. A 13-3 win over Marshall as 18-point home chalks in their third game was cause for real concern in the sports handicapping community as for the third straight game this alleged Bulldog powerhouse was barely getting by and demonstrating ZERO dominance against marginal teams.

Georgia’s value increased somewhat due to the sluggish start as they prepared to host defending national champion LSU as 2.5-point chalks. Georgia blew out the Tigers 45-16 and online sports betting blogs proclaimed that the REAL Dogs had finally arrived. But in their very next game, while at the top of many lists of football picks, Georgia lost to Tennessee 14-19 as 12.5-point home chalks. This began a plunge in which the Bulldogs would only beat the sports betting odds twice in their final eight games of the year.

Georgia finished the 2004 season with a record of 10-2 straight up and 3-7-1 against the odds as the sports betting market correction was definite and draining to many of those in sports handicapping who were proclaiming this team a “go with” commodity.