This article is part of our College Football Picks series.
Sugar Bowl Picks: Georgia vs. Notre Dame
Get in on the college football bowl season for 2024-25 with a BetMGM bonus code featuring a Bonus Bet offer of up to $1,500! RotoWire has plenty of college football betting tools and info to keep you in the loop this season. From the latest college football odds to college football futures, we have you covered.
We've got a doozy to wrap up New Year's Day's college football playoff with 12-1 Notre Dame facing well-rested 11-2 Georgia in New Orleans. The Bulldogs went just 4-9 ATS during the season, while their games went over the listed number six times, including three of their last four. Notre Dame is an impressive 11-2 ATS, covering nine straight, while the total went over seven times.
Georgia vs. Notre Dame Sugar Bowl Odds
Spread: Georgia -1 ( -108 DraftKings Sportsbook), Notre Dame +1.5 (-105 BetMGM)
Total: Over 45.0 (-110 Caesars Sportsbook), Under 45.5 (-112 DraftKings Sportsbook)
Moneyline: Georgia -115 (FanDuel Sportsbook), Notre Dame -100/even (ESPN Bet)
Join in on the fun during the 2024 college football bowl season with a FanDuel Sportsbook promo code featuring $250 in Bonus Bets if your bet wins!
We've seen next to no line movement here, as Georgia opened as one-point favorites, and that's where it sits at many books, with just a few spots creeping to 1.5. It seems like bettors are fully torn on the games outcome, and barring some late line movement, the spread is rendered meaningless, just play the moneylines.
Winning odds haven't shifted much, either, throughout the last week. Georgia is still nearly universally at (-115), but getting even odds at ESPNBet is a nice option.
We've seen minimal movement with the total as well, though it is trending upward, opening at 44.5. That's an incredibly low number despite two elite defenses.
Georgia vs. Notre Dame Sugar Bowl Betting Picks
Thankfully, we don't have to worry about injuries and opt-outs here, but injuries are a story. Georgia won't have starting QB Carson Beck, while Notre Dame's defense suffered a massive loss in their first playoff game when Rylie Mills was lost to a knee injury, their third setback across a vaunted defensive line.
It's a coin flip on the winner, and while I personally like the Irish, I can't confidently back either side. Can Notre Dame generate enough pass rush with their injuries to rattle Gunner Stockton, and can those same linemen corral Georgia's running game? And what did Georgia do with their time off to prepare Stockton for his first start with the highest stakes on the line?
The total is where I land, and it's just too low. I fully recognize that these teams rank third and 19th in points allowed, with Notre Dame sitting at 13.8 ppg and Georgia at 20.4. If they allow those averages, we're up a creek. But this isn't a Week 8 matchup where you play conservatively. I expect both teams to trade blows and bring out all their options, and while it won't be a shootout, both teams will find paths to points.
Georgia vs. Notre Dame Best Bet: over 45.0 (-110 at Caesars Sportsbook)
Be sure to dig into the latest sportsbook promos available at the best online sportsbooks to get the most bang for your buck this college football bowl season. The Caesars Sportsbook promo code allows fans to double their winnings on their next 10 bets after placing a $1 bet!
Georgia vs. Notre Dame Sugar Bowl Betting Predictions
My prediction is a back-and-forth slugfest, which helps none from a betting perspective. If we call these defenses a push, I find myself siding with the Riley Leonard/Jeremiyah Love side of things over Stockton/Trevor Etienne. Georgia allowed 456 yards rushing to Massachusetts and Tennessee; the only teams to top 200 yards rushing against the Irish were option-oriented Army and Navy.
Both teams will find shot plays in the passing attack that we won't expect, which leads to points. Give me the upset with Riley Leonard making a play to win and/or seal it.
Notre Dame 27-24.
