Tennessee vs Georgia Early Prediction, Odds & Spread – CFB Week 12

• Georgia is a 10-point home favorite over Tennessee in Week 12 College Football action on Saturday, November 16
• Volunteers QB Nico Iamleava is questionable with an upper-body injury
• Check out the Tennessee vs Georgia early prediction, odds and spread below

Georgia’s postseason hopes are on the line Saturday when they host Tennessee under the primetime lights. The Bulldogs are fresh off a second conference loss week at the hands of Ole Miss, and one more slip-up will eliminate them from the College Football Playoff conversation.

Online sportsbooks don’t believe there’s much chance of that happening this week, as they’ve pegged Georgia as big home chalk in the college football odds.

Tennessee vs Georgia Odds

The Bulldogs opened up as 8.5-point favorites, with a total of 53.5. Both of those numbers have seen movement since lines were released, as Georgia is now favored by 10, and the total has plummeted to 48.5.

Even at the current number, spread bettors are all over the Bulldogs. Georgia is currently drawing 64% of the tickets and 88% of the handle per the college football public betting splits. Kickoff for this massive SEC tilt is scheduled for 7:30 pm ET at Sanford Stadium, in Athens, GA, with ABC and ESPN+ providing the coverage.

CAESARS SPORTSBOOK

Bet $1 & Double Your Winnings On Your First 10 Bets!

LOCK IN PROMO

CODE: SBD2DYW

CODE: SBD2DYW

SIGNUP BONUS

DOUBLE YOUR
WINNINGS

ON YOUR FIRST 10 BETS!

CLAIM OFFER

Odds as of November 11 (2 pm ET) at Caesars Sportsbooks. Be sure to check out the best Caesars Sportsbook promos before betting on NCAAF Week 12.

Will Nico Be Ready to Go?

A big reason bettors are fading the Vols is the question surrounding Nico Iamaleava’s health. Tennessee’s starting QB left last Saturday’s win over Mississippi State after three snaps in the third quarter and did not return. He’s reportedly dealing with an upper-body injury, but the Vols did get some good news on Monday.

Josh Heupel on Nico Iamaleava: He was with us today and had a good day. Feel like he'll be in great shape for Saturday.

— GoVols247 (@GoVols247) November 11, 2024

Head coach Josh Heupel said Iamaleava had a good day of practice, and should be ready for Saturday night. He refrained from guaranteeing his status, however, and warned the media to monitor the injury report.

Iamleava is in the midst of a fantastic redshirt freshman season. He’s thrown for 1,879 yards and 11 TDs, while also rushing for another 300 yards.

If Imaleava can’t go, Gaston Moore will take the reigns, but his experience is limited. He’s thrown only 42 passes at the collegiate level, with more interceptions (3) than touchdowns (2).

Georgia Banged Up as Well

The Bulldogs are dealing with injuries of their own. Starting RB Trevor Etienne failed to finish his second consecutive game last week due to a rib injury. The junior running back managed only 24 yards versus Ole Miss, while Georgia rushed for a season-low 59 yards in a losing effort.

On the bright side, they did get guard Tate Ratledge back last week, and hopefully, he can help stabilize a shaky offensive line.

Bulldogs Look Broken

QB Carson Beck was sacked five more times in the loss to the Rebels, bringing his season-long total to 14. He also threw another interception, giving him seven picks in his last three outings. The Georgia receivers didn’t help by dropping three more passes, and now lead the nation with 29 drops. Beck has thrown for less than 200 yards twice in his last three outings, with only 2 total touchdown passes.

On the other side of the ball, the defense has also been disappointing. Last week’s 28-10 loss was the most lopsided defeat for the Bulldogs since the 2019 SEC Championship Game. They’ve yielded at least 28 points in three of their last six games, and have fallen to 19th nationwide in scoring defense.

Tennessee vs Georgia Prediction

Needless to say, the air of invincibility that has accompanied Georgia over the last three years is gone. They look like a fringe contender at best in the College Football Playoff odds, and would be a much smaller favorite on Saturday if Iamleava was healthy.

And therein lies the dilemma. If you believe Heupel that Iamleava will likely suit up, then bet the Vols immediately. Tennessee is neck and neck with the Bulldogs in terms of SP+ rankings, and boasts the superior defense.

Tennessee vs Georgia SP+ Rankings

If Iamleava plays, this game will be a tightly contested affair, but if he’s out, you won’t have much confidence riding with a Moore-led offense. Which brings us to the total. At this point, it looks like the safest bet. Yes, the under has been hit hard already, but neither one of these teams is a true juggernaut. Even with Iamleava, Tennessee has only reached 30 points once in conference play.

Georgia, meanwhile, has been held to 14 points or less twice already in 2024, and the Vols defense will be the best unit they’ll face all season.

• Pick: Under 48.5 (-110)