ATHENS — Kirby Smart’s message to his Georgia football team will be to have some “Clean, Old-Fashioned” focus this week.
The Bulldogs are an 18-point favorite against in-state rival Georgia Tech at 7:30 p.m. on Friday in a game that could have College Football Playoff implications.
On the one hand, Georgia has clinched a spot in the SEC Championship Game at 4 p.m. on Dec. 7 against the winner of Saturday’s game between Texas at Texas A&M with the winner getting a first-round bye and a trip to the Sugar Bowl in the 12-team CFP — regardless of the outcome of the rivalry game with Georgia Tech.
But on the other hand, an impressive Georgia win over a Yellow Jackets team that took down Top 10 ACC-foe Miami earlier this season could mitigate a close loss in the SEC title game should the Bulldogs stumble.
Either way, it’s a safe bet Smart will demand his Georgia players not look past a Georgia Tech program that gave them all sorts of trouble last season.
This, even as the college football world will be quaking with impactful games that will shape the college football postseason landscape all around them.
Ohio State will be looking to beat Michigan and clinch a spot in the Big Ten title game in Oregon, while the Big 12 features four primary teams that can get into their respective league championship game with a win, with Arizona State and Iowa State having the inside track.
Miami, meanwhile, can clinch a spot in the ACC championship game to face SMU with a road win at Syracuse.
Here’s a look at this week’s SEC games and CFP-impactful games and their respective opening betting lines, per Circa Sports:
Memphis at Tulane -11, 7:30 p.m., ESPN (Thursday)
Oregon State at Boise State -16, Noon, Fox (Friday)
Oklahoma State at Colorado -17, Noon, ABC (Friday)
Miss. State at Ole Miss -24, 3:30 p.m., ABC (Friday)
Georgia Tech at Georgia -18, 7:30 p.m. ABC (Friday)
Michigan at Ohio State -21, Noon, Fox (Saturday)
Tennessee -11 at Vanderbilt, Noon, ABC (Saturday)
South Carolina at Clemson -5 Noon, ESPN (Saturday)
Louisville -4 at Kentucky, Noon, SEC Network (Saturday)
Maryland at Penn State -22, 3:30 p.m. BTN (Saturday)
Notre Dame -7 at USC, 3:30 p.m. CBS (Saturday)
Auburn at Alabama -11, 3:30 p.m. ABC (Saturday)
Miami -12 at Syracuse, 3:30 p.m. ESPN (Saturday)
Cal at SMU -11, 3:30 p.m., ESPN2 (Saturday)
Arizona State -8 at Arizona, 3:30 p.m., (Saturday)
Arkansas at Missouri -4, 3:30 p.m. (Saturday)
Purdue at Indiana -26, 7 p.m. (Saturday)
Florida -13 at Florida State 7 p.m. (Saturday)
Oklahoma at LSU -6, 7 p.m., ESPN (Saturday)
Washington at Oregon -17, 7:30 NBC (Saturday)
Texas -5 at Texas A&M, 7:30 p.m., ABC (Saturday)
Kansas State at Iowa State -3, 7:30 p.m. Fox (Saturday)
Houston at BYU -10, 10:15 p.m. ESPN
