Georgia vs. Florida, Tulsa vs. UAB Predictions: College Football Odds

This is the time of year when College football The playoff race is heating up as mid-major teams try to salvage their seasons by securing cup eligibility.

I’m keeping my eye on two underdogs as they continue their “race for six,” the number of regular-season wins needed to be considered.

Florida (first half +8.5) over Georgia

Florida’s blowout loss to rival Miami State in the opener set message boards all over the Sunshine State on fire two months ago.

Billy Napier’s seat was very hot, and American football pundits were already discussing his dismissal as imminent.

But “Sun Belt Billy” isn’t going away quietly.

The Gators rallied, winning three of their last four. Their only loss in the last six weeks came on the road against No. 7 Tennessee in overtime.

This resurgence coincided with the promotion of DJ Lagway to the starting quarterback role.

The highly touted freshman has shined this year, sharing credit with current freshman Graham Mertz.

Last week against Kentucky, he put it all together for the first time against an FBS defense.

After Lagway repeatedly scorched the Wildcats with his legs, Kentucky brought extra defenders into the box and allowed the freshman passer to beat them in the air as they faced Cover-1 and Cover-0.

Lagway completed seven passes for 259 yards to open the game.

What may surprise readers is that Georgia’s defensive profile is similar to Kentucky’s in several key areas.

According to Pro Football Focus, both the Bulldogs and Wildcats are in the mid-40s in coverage nationally, while Kentucky is actually the better team in passing and havoc.

The lack of disruption allowed teams to take risks in the outfield.

Mississippi State’s Michael Van Buren Jr. threw for more than 300 yards and three scores, and Alabama’s Jalen Milroe did even more damage, going for 374 yards through the air.

Given Lagway’s success downfield and Georgia’s willingness to leave their corners on the islands (25% 0/1 coverage on third and 10+), the Gators have a plan for success through the air.

The other side of this game in the first half was Mike Bobo.

The much-criticized offensive coordinator has a hard time writing plays early in games.

The Bulldogs rank 89th in first-quarter scoring average, the second-lowest among nationally ranked teams.

Performances against FCS Tennessee Tech and Mississippi State increased that average.

I expect Lagway to hit some long shots early, Florida to score 10 points in the first half, and Georgia to look sluggish in their early drives.

This game scenario should be enough to cover the entire spread in the first half.

Tulsa (Moneyline +125) via UAB

It’s white flag time for Trent Dilfer and the Blazers.

UAB has lost six straight, all by double digits.

Their starting guard Jacob Zeno will not play in this game.

And their defense in 2024 was absolutely terrible.

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Pick a metric: UAB is ranked in the bottom 15% in college football. The Blazers can’t tackle the ball (109th), stay in receiver coverage (104th) or create negative plays (131st in Havoc).

This is bad news when you catch a rising Golden Hurricane team.

Tulsa just completed the biggest comeback in college football this season, erasing a 42-17 deficit against UTSA in a thrilling one-point win last week.

Cooper Legace led the game masterfully off the bench, finishing with 333 yards through the air and five scores.

Tulsa needs this win to have a chance at bowl eligibility, so I think it calls for a maximum effort against a declining UAB team.

Why trust New York Post rates

Mike Calabrese is a college sports writer for the New York Post. His betting tips often focus on situational situations including travel, holidays and altitude differences.