Georgia opens as 15.5-point favorite over Missouri
Kirby Smart is warning Georgia against another letdown after the Bulldogs followed an earlier rise to No. 1 in the AP poll with a loss to Auburn.
| Kickoff | 3:30 PM ET |
|---|---|
| Venue | Sanford Stadium |
| Spread | Georgia -16.5 |
| Total | 48.5 |
| TV | ABC, Disney+ |
|---|---|
| Streaming | the ESPN app |
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Follow the full play-by-play and box score →Georgia opened as a 15.5-point home favorite over Missouri after beating No. 10 Ole Miss 42-7 in Oxford. The Tigers, coached by Eli Drinkwitz, were No. 18 in the CFP rankings before their 34-20 home loss to No. 7 Texas.
The Bulldogs also are positioned to move to No. 1 when the new CFP rankings are released Tuesday night, according to DawgNation. Kirby Smart closed his postgame news conference at Vaught-Hemingway Stadium with the message he has repeated to his team: “Humility is a week away.”
Georgia has already seen the risk that comes with success this season. The Bulldogs rose to No. 1 in the AP Top 25 after winning at Alabama, then lost 27-24 to unranked Auburn the following week.
Smart pointed directly to that sequence after the Ole Miss win, saying how his players respond to success reveals plenty about the team. He credited their growing belief in each other and the plan, while stressing that their preparation cannot change with Missouri coming to Athens.
The Bulldogs have responded to the Auburn loss by beating Florida 27-8 after an open week and then delivering their most complete performance of the season against Ole Miss. Smart also said Georgia is dealing with the physical wear common across the league and must turn its attention quickly to Missouri.
Georgia’s recent championship teams offer two different examples of handling the No. 1 CFP ranking. The 2021 Bulldogs held the top spot for five weeks before losing the SEC Championship Game. Wins over Michigan in the Orange Bowl and Alabama in the national championship game followed. After beating Tennessee, the 2022 team moved to No. 1 and stayed there for the final five weeks of the season.
Why it matters
Georgia has a chance to move to No. 1 in the CFP rankings after its 42-7 win at Ole Miss. The Bulldogs also have direct experience with a costly letdown, having lost 27-24 to unranked Auburn after winning at Alabama.
What to watch next
The CFP rankings will be released Tuesday night. Georgia then hosts Missouri in Athens next week.
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