Georgia’s trip into week four comes with the kind of line that makes you stop and look twice.
After rolling past Arkansas 45-17 on the road in their SEC opener, the Bulldogs are 3-0 and heading back to Athens for what should be their toughest test so far: Oklahoma. It’s the sort of top-25 matchup that looked even bigger when the season began, but the Sooners’ uneven start has changed the feel of it. Georgia, which has handled business through three games, is favored by more than many expected.
DraftKings Sportsbook opened Georgia as a 14-point favorite over Oklahoma. The over-under is 47.5 points.
ESPN’s matchup predictor is also firmly on Georgia’s side, giving the Bulldogs an 83.4 percent chance to win.
That number makes more sense once you look at how the two teams have arrived here. Both Georgia and Oklahoma were ranked highly in the AP Poll entering the season, and this game had the look of a clash between two 3-0 teams still living up to that billing. Instead, Oklahoma has stumbled enough to turn this into a much steeper challenge for the Sooners than anyone probably expected.
Oklahoma started the year with a 51-0 win over UTEP, which was exactly the kind of result it was supposed to be. Since then, though, things have gone sideways.
The Sooners went to Michigan in week two and took a 17-10 loss. That defeat doesn’t look disastrous on paper, but it also wasn’t a clean performance, especially with Michigan’s own early-season questions.
Then Oklahoma had a chance to steady itself at home against New Mexico on Saturday and came away with only a 14-6 win.
Those two games are the reason Georgia is sitting as a two-touchdown favorite.
The Bulldogs, meanwhile, have done what they were supposed to do and maybe a little more. They haven’t faced a heavyweight yet, but they have covered the spread comfortably in all three games. That matters here, because while the opponent list hasn’t been intimidating, Georgia has at least looked the part of a team ready to keep moving forward.
The biggest concern for Oklahoma is its offense. That unit has held the Sooners back, while the defense has been as advertised. In fact, the Sooners’ defense still looks like one of the best in the country, which means Georgia’s offense should have its hands full.
On the other side, Georgia’s defense gets a much friendlier draw against an Oklahoma offense that has struggled to move the ball over the last two weeks.
Kickoff between Georgia and Oklahoma is set for 3:30 pm EST on Saturday, Sept. 26.
In Other News...
Razorback Stadium Had A Wild Pregame Visitor Before Arkansas Faced Georgia
Before Georgia and Arkansas kicked off at Donald W. Reynolds Razorback Stadium, the most memorable sight in Fayetteville was not on the depth charts but on the field itself. A skunk was spotted wandering around the stadium pregame, an odd little detour to a matchup that already carried plenty of attention because of where the teams stood heading in.
Georgia entered the day as a heavy favorite, listed by 24.5 points, with the game set for ABC and the usual backdrop of recent form and the series history between the programs. Even before the opening whistle, though, the scene had already produced the kind of college football moment that feels almost tailor-made for a Saturday in the SEC. [Read more 🡒]
Georgia Suddenly Has A Nate Frazier Concern It Didnt Want
Georgias backfield took a hit Saturday when starting running back Nate Frazier went down with a lower leg injury during the game against Arkansas and had to leave the field limping. He briefly reappeared on the sideline moving well enough to sprint, which at least offered a moment of relief, but the picture changed later when he was seen walking with a noticeable limp before heading to the locker room.
The concern only grew when transfer wide receiver Isiah Canion also left with an injury in the first half and did not return. For a Georgia team trying to keep its offense on track, the timing of both setbacks is less than ideal, and Kirby Smart is expected to have more to say once the game is over and the full extent of the injuries becomes clearer. [Read more 🡒]
Georgia's Arkansas Win Came With One Concern Fans Can't Ignore
Georgia handled Arkansas 45-17 with a performance that looked a lot like the Bulldogs at their most efficient, leaning on the ground game and letting Gunner Stockton settle in as both a runner and passer. Stockton rushed for 97 yards, threw for 147 more and a touchdown, while Chauncey Bowens powered the offense with three scores. Georgias defense did its part too, piling up multiple sacks and keeping Arkansas from finding much rhythm.
The one uneasy note came late enough to linger afterward: wide receiver Isiah Canion left the game with a leg injury. For a team that already looks balanced and sturdy in the box score, any injury to the receiving corps is worth watching closely, especially as Georgia tries to keep building momentum behind a run-first attack that worked so well Saturday. [Read more 🡒]