Ricky Dimon
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The first College Football Playoff rankings are out, but you can be sure that they will look at least a little bit different next week. That’s because the #1 Tennessee Volunteers are going up against the #3 Georgia Bulldogs on Saturday afternoon. It’s actually #1 versus #2, too, as Georgia is atop the AP poll and Tennessee is right behind.
Below is our SGP for the biggest game of the college football weekend, and also be sure to check out our full Tennessee Volunteers vs Georgia Bulldogs picks on the side and total.
Under 66.5 (-110)
Hendon Hooker over 271.5 passing yards (-114)
Ladd McConkey to score a touchdown (+135)
Parlay odds: +1246
Part of the value in same game parlays, of course, is that all of its components can be correlated if you so choose. However, plays that aren’t correlated drive up the overall payout of the parlay. That is the plan here, as Hendon Hooker passing for a fair amount of yards and Ladd McConkey scoring a touchdown conflict with an under bet. But given the relatively high total, there is no reason why all 3 of these plays can’t hit at the same time.
Under 66.5 (-110)
It would take a lot for me to bite on the over for any Georgia game when the total is this high. Even though Tennessee boasts a high-powered offense, this showdown is no exception. Part of the reason why the Volunteers play a lot of high-scoring games is that they jump out to leads and force opponents to throw the ball. UGA, on the other hand, will feature a balanced attack – perhaps even more run-heavy than pass. The clock will likely be on the move to a greater extent than in normal Tennessee games. More importantly, the Dawgs’ defense is awesome. No, it’s not as good as it was in 2021; but how could it be? It’s still one of the best in the country.
Get our best NCAAF player props for this week’s slate
Hendon Hooker over 271.5 passing yards (-114)
Georgia’s defense is obviously stellar, but it already wasn’t quite as dominant as it had been in 2021 (understandable given the amount of talent that departed for the NFL). Now the Bulldogs are without linebacker Nolan Smith, who is leading them in sacks with 3. That should help Hooker have more time in the pocket, and when he does… watch out. Hooker has passed for 2,338 yards with 21 touchdowns compared to only 1 interception, surging into the Heisman Trophy favorite position (-110 at DraftKings). He has exceeded this number in 5 of 7 games, including 3 performances with at least 325 yards through the air. Tennessee may be playing from behind for the first time this year, too, giving Hooker all the more reason to air it out in bunches.
Don’t miss our college football mega parlay for Saturday (+963 odds!)
Ladd McConkey to score a touchdown (+135)
The Vols may be #1 in the CFP rankings, but they are not without flaws. They are allowing more than 300 passing yards per game, so Stetson Bennett should be in line for a big day in front of the home crowd – in which case McConkey would be one of the beneficiaries. McConkey has scored 3 touchdowns in 2022, including 1 last week against Florida. The sophomore leads Georgia with 33 receptions, so he clearly has a great rapport with Bennett. Well into plus money to find the endzone, McConkey has great value.
Check out our college football Week 10 best underdogs
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