Vanderbilt arrives in Athens at 3-1, while Georgia is 4-0 and ranked second. Georgia is favored by roughly 24½ points.
16Powers.com
For Vanderbilt, the formula has to begin with shortening the game. Long possessions, third-down conversions and avoiding turnovers would give the Commodores an opportunity to make Georgia uncomfortable. Vanderbilt cannot afford to repeatedly give the Bulldogs short fields.
Georgia presents an entirely different challenge from most opponents because mistakes tend to snowball. A three-and-out becomes poor field position, poor field position becomes a Georgia touchdown, and suddenly a competitive game is 21-3.
Still, Vanderbilt has shown enough toughness to make this more interesting than the point spread suggests. The Commodores should be able to manufacture some offense, particularly if they can keep Georgia from turning the game into a track meet.
Georgia’s talent and depth eventually take control, but Vanderbilt makes the Bulldogs work.
Prediction: Georgia 34, Vanderbilt 17
