NCAAF Week 13 - #1 Florida and #7 Georgia Tech in Action

NCAAF Quick Picks: Florida and Georgia Tech Face One More Test Before Championship Games

Game-day: 11/28/2009

Kick-off: Florida State vs. Florida at 3:30 pm EST and Georgia vs. Georgia Tech at 8:00 pm EST.

Two of the top rated teams in the BCS Rankings, the #1 Florida Gators and #7 Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets, have one test each before marching into their respective conferences’ championship games and then, hopefully, into a BCS Bowl.

The Gators host Bobby Bowden and the often down but sometimes up Florida State Seminoles. The Yellow Jackets host the often times up but down in 2009 Georgia Bulldogs.

Both the Gators and Yellow Jackets are big college football betting favorites in the NCAAF sportsbook.

Florida State Seminoles vs. Florida Gators

Kick-off: 3:30 pm EST

NCAAF Odds: Florida -24

Analysis: The Florida State Seminoles haven’t had a very good 2009. With a victory over the Florida Gators, however, they no doubt would get a bowl bid. They still might because with 6 wins they are bowl eligible.

The problem, of course, is that the Seminoles aren’t going to beat the Gators. Could they keep it close, though? Maybe. The Seminoles lost to the Gators by 30 points in last year’s Florida vs. Florida State game but that Gators’ team is better than this one. This Gators’ team has been susceptible to blowing games against the spread.

In fact, Florida is only 5 and 5 ATS. They’ve lost against the spread to Tennessee, Arkansas, Mississippi State, Vanderbilt and South Carolina. Florida has gone 4 and 5 ATS in their last 9 games.

The Seminoles don’t usually beat spreads, but 24 points is a lot for what some might consider a rivalry game. The Seminoles haven’t been that great against the spread but they have been pretty good straight-up going 4 and 1 in their last 5 games.

Another thing to consider is the fact that the Gators have something else to play for down the road, the SEC and BCS Championships and probably aren’t going to be that fired up to beat up on old Bobby Bowden and the poor Florida State Seminoles. After getting a 17 point lead, Urban Meyer might call off the dogs and let Tim Tebow just stay out of trouble. That’s what I would do with Alabama and possibly TCU or Texas looming in the BCS title game.

All of it adds up to a Seminole victory against the spread.

Pick: Florida State

Georgia Bulldogs vs. Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets

Kick-off: 8:00 pm EST

NCAAF Odds: Georgia Tech -8

Analysis: The Georgia Bulldogs haven’t been as good in 2009 as they usually are. Although the Bulldogs do have a 6 and 5 record, their 6 victories could have easily been losses. Against the spread, the Bulldogs are 3 and 8. As 10 point favorites against the Kentucky Wildcats, Georgia was absolutely drilled 34 to 27 in their last game.

That’s right; the Bulldogs gave up 34 points to the Kentucky Wildcats. Now, they have to travel to Georgia Tech to take on one of the top teams in college football. The Yellow Jackets average 36 points a game and have scored 30 points or more in 8 of their 11 games in 2009. The Bulldogs give up, on average, 26 points per game.