Georgia football boarded the bus to head to Caesars Superdome on Thursday back in the underdog role once more.
Notre Dame is a 1-point favorite to beat the Bulldogs in the Sugar Bowl CFP quarterfinal, which is scheduled to kick off at 4 p.m.
The Irish originally opened as a 1-point favorite shortly after its 27-17 CFP first-round win over Indiana before the line quickly shifted to favor Georgia. The Bulldogs were as much as a 2-point favorite before the odds shifted back in Notre Dame’s favor on Wednesday night.
Per 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 should that matchup occur.
Ohio State is a 6-point favorite over Texas in the Cotton Bowl CFP quarterfinal that will be played at 7:30 p.m. on Jan. 10 at the Cotton Bowl in Arlington, Texas.
There are several possible explanations for why the odds in the Notre Dame game have shifted against the Bulldogs, among them the SEC’s less-than-stellar 7-5 record to date:
• 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 perhaps the SEC isn’t as good as it has been in past seasons, which was a hotly debated topic throughout the CFP committee’s rankings.
This, even though the SEC entered this season’s expanded 12-team CFP 16-6 in all-time college football playoff games dating back to its origin following the 2014 season.
The Big Ten entered these playoffs a cumulative 5-7, the ACC 6-6, the Big 12 was 1-6, the American 0-1 and the now-defunct Pac 12 was 2-3.
The SEC’s record against other conference teams since the playoff era (2014 season) was 14-4 entering into this postseason.
This season’s SEC saw a great deal more parity and depth, with home field advantage meaning more 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 much to do with the SEC’s parity and certainly some of the success other teams have enjoyed in the playoff, particularly Ohio State.
The Buckeyes, the odds-on favorites to win the CFP have benefitted greatly from the addition of former Alabama safety Caleb Downs, Ole Miss running back Quinshon Judkins along with former Kansas State quarterback Will Howard.
Time will tell how it all plays out, and it’s a good bet there will be plenty of reflection after the CFP Championship Game plays out at 7:30 p.m. on Jan. 20 in Mercedes-Benz Stadium.
Championship Odds
Ohio State +110
Texas +380
Penn State +460
Georgia +750
Notre Dame +750
