Why the odds have changed against the Bulldogs in the Sugar Bowl playoffs

Why the odds have changed against the Bulldogs in the Sugar Bowl playoffs

Georgia football boarded the bus to head to Caesars Superdome on Thursday, once again in the role of underdog.

Notre Dame is a 1-point favorite to beat the Bulldogs in the Sugar Bowl CFP quarterfinals, scheduled to begin at 4 p.m

The Irish were originally a one-point favorite shortly after their 27-17 CFP first-round win over Indiana before the line quickly shifted in Georgia’s favor. The Bulldogs were already considered two-point favorites before the odds changed again in Notre Dame’s favor on Wednesday evening.

According to the Draft Kings’ future odds, Georgia would be a 1-point favorite over Penn State with a win, while the Irish would be a 1-point underdog in this matchup.

Ohio State is the favorite by 6 points over Texas in the Cotton Bowl CFP Quarterfinals, which will be played on January 10 at 7:30 p.m. at the Cotton Bowl in Arlington, Texas.

There are several possible explanations for why the odds have shifted in Notre Dame’s game against the Bulldogs, including the SEC’s less than stellar 7-5 record so far:

• Florida 33, Tulane 8

• Texas 38, Clemson 24

• Ohio State 42, Tennessee 17

• Navy 21, Oklahoma 20

• Vanderbilt 35, Georgia Tech 27

• Arkansas 39, Texas Tech 26

• USC 35, Texas A&M 31

• Missouri 27, Iowa 24

• Michigan 19, Alabama 13

• Illinois 21, South Carolina 17

• LSU 44, Baylor 31

• Texas 39, Arizona State 31

There has been some speculation from analysts that the SEC may not be as good as it has been in past seasons, which has been a hotly debated topic in the CFP committee’s rankings.

That’s despite the SEC going 16-6 this season in the expanded 12-team CFP, which dates back to its origins in the 2014 season in college football’s all-time playoff appearances.

The Big Ten went into these playoffs at 5-7 overall, the ACC at 6-6, the Big 12 at 1-6, the American at 0-1 and the now-defunct Pac 12 at 2-3.

The SEC’s record against other conference teams since the playoff era (2014 season) was 14-4 entering this postseason.

The SEC saw significantly more parity and depth this season, with home-field advantage more important than ever. SEC teams ranked in the top 25 finished the regular season just 16-15 in true road games this season.

The transfer portal had a lot to do with the SEC’s parity and certainly some of the success that other teams had in the playoffs, particularly Ohio State.

The Buckeyes, the odds-on favorite to win the CFP, have benefited greatly from the signings of former Alabama safety Caleb Downs, Ole Miss running back Quinshon Judkins and former Kansas State quarterback Will Howard.

Time will tell how it all plays out, and we’re betting there will be plenty of deliberations after hosting the CFP championship game at Mercedes-Benz Stadium on Jan. 20 at 7:30 p.m.

Championship odds

(via fanduel)

Ohio State +110

Texas +380

Penn State +460

Georgia +750

Notre Dame +750

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *