With college football season on the horizon, ESPN Chalk's college football experts -- Phil Steele, "Stanford Steve" Coughlin and Chris Fallica -- combine to give you betting previews of the top 25 teams, according to the ESPN College Football Rankings. They break down each team's strengths and weaknesses, along with season win total bets and national title odds.
Odds from Westgate Las Vegas SuperBook as of Aug. 22.
Georgia Bulldogs
National title odds: 25-1 (opened 30-1)
Season win total: 8.5
FPI win total projection: 8.9
Phil Steele
Strengths: If Nick Chubb and Sony Michel are 100 percent healthy, the Bulldogs have one of the best running back corps in the country. They have my No. 7-rated offensive line, my No. 11-rated linebackers and No. 19-rated defensive backs.
Weaknesses: The running back corps
Over/under (8.5): If you feel confident that both running backs will be back this year, then the over is worth a look. I have Georgia favored in nine games this year with a couple of toss-ups on the schedule.
National title (25-1): Georgia opened at 30-1, since bumping up to 25-1. Despite the favorable regular-season schedule and a head coach who has been a part of Alabama's recent national titles, I will pass. Georgia ranks only No. 29 in my Power Poll, and I would have the Bulldogs a double-digit 'dog to the SEC West champ. If they did make the CFB Playoff with an upset there, they would be double-digit 'dogs in the first playoff game and in the title game -- and I can't see three major upsets.
"Stanford Steve" Coughlin
When I see head coaches take over at a new school, I always hope they step into a situation where the QB position is established, but in an era when signal-callers are transferring at a rate never seen before, this is hardly the case. So, in steps the former Alabama defensive coordinator Smart, and not only does he have to deal with the QB ordeal, he has to monitor his star RB, Nick Chubb, who is coming off knee surgery.
Now, the Dawgs still have plenty of weapons on offense, but as I worried a year ago, who is gonna get them the ball? The toughest part of the decision at QB for Smart is going to be grading it while they start the year with three ranked teams and three conference opponents (including two division games) all before Oct. 1. I do like the Bulldogs in their Week 1 matchup with North Carolina, because I think Smart will have his defense ready to go. However, the inconsistency on offense due to the uncertainty at QB will be Georgia's downfall. I'll take the under.
Chris Fallica
O/U: Georgia has won fewer than nine games just once in the past five years. That's the "bad" Georgia. The Bulldogs have a road schedule that's about as favorable as it gets, with Missouri, South Carolina and Kentucky. I think the swing game is the Tennessee game. If Georgia wins that one, I would have a hard time thinking the Bulldogs fail to go 9-3. Even if they lose that game, if they beat North Carolina in the season opener, that too might secure 9-3. Is 8-4 possible? Sure, it is. But I think Kirby Smart will be worth a win somewhere along the way. I would be surprised if Georgia doesn't go at least 9-3.
CFB Playoff odds: Uncertainty at QB, the question if Nick Chubb can stay healthy after knee surgery and a potential matchup with Alabama or LSU in the SEC championship make it unlikely Georgia will win the national title, but simply on the basis that if they were to win the SEC they would be in the playoff, it's worth a very small flier.