ATHENS — Georgia opened as a 14 1/2-point favorite over Auburn according to VegasInsider.com, a number some might consider high taking into account the Tigers’ talent level and momentum.

The No. 5-ranked Bulldogs (8-1, 6-1 SEC) play the Tigers (6-3, 3-3) at 7 p.m. at Sanford Stadium (TV: ESPN, Radio: WSB 750 AM, 95.5 FM).

Georgia clinched the SEC East Division with a 34-17 win at Kentucky last Saturday. The Bulldogs will meet Alabama in the SEC Championship Game in Atlanta on Dec. 1.

Georgia won the SEC Championship game last season over Auburn, beating the Tigers 28-7 en route to a 54-48 (2ot) Rose Bowl win in a College Football Playoff Semifinal and 26-23 (ot) loss to Alabama in the CFB title game.

The Tigers claimed the regular season meeting with Georgia at Jordan-Hare Stadium in Auburn last season, and did so rather convincingly, 40-17.

Both teams have done their fair share of rebuilding since last season.

The Tigers lost four of the five offensive linemen who started five of their last six games of 2017, while Georgia lost five of its starting front seven on defense.

Auburn stumbled with back-to-back losses in October to Mississippi State (23-9) and Tennessee (30-24).

Coach Gus Malzahn and his Tigers appear to have found their footing with wins over Ole Miss (31-16) and Texas A&M (28-24) entering into what’s known as the “Deep South’s Oldest Rivalry.”

Georgia leads the much-contested series 58-56-8 and has won four of the past five meetings.

Other SEC games

(according to VegasInsider.com)

Ole Miss at Texas A&M (-12)

Kentucky (-3 1/2) at Tennessee

Mississippi State at Alabama (-24)

Vanderbilt at Missouri (-14 1/2)

South Carolina at Florida (-5 1/2)

LSU (-14) at Arkansas