georgia.png
Getty Images

Las Vegas always knows. Or so it seems.

This week's Tennessee vs. Georgia spread is the latest example. The Bulldogs are somehow a 10-point betting favorite, according to DraftKings Sportsbook, in the latest showdown with College Football Playoff implications. Well, that "showdown" label at least applies for Georgia. At 7-2 and coming off of a stinker of an effort against Ole Miss, the Dawgs absolutely cannot afford another loss as they look to keep their faint playoff hopes alive. 

There is already foreshadowing: In the latest CFP Rankings, Georgia would have been the first team out of the bracket. This all follows with there likely being more 10-2 teams than there are slots at the end of the season. Don't even mention 9-3. 

Ten is way too many points unless you (or Vegas) know something the public at large doesn't. What's known: Georgia is playing as bad as it has since Kirby Smart's first season in 2016. 

The unknown: The status of Tennessee quarterback Nico Iamaleava, who is reportedly in concussion protocol. That would definitely impact the point spread. Tennessee is playing better than Georgia at the moment, and Nico gives the Volunteers a better chance to win. 

And, yes, any discussion of this game should begin the knowledge that Georgia winning the last seven Tennessee games in a row by an average of four touchdowns.

Still …

Something seems up. And it wouldn't be the first time sportsbooks knew something the public didn't. 

Also, concussions are not to be trifled with. There were immediate questions whether Miami Dolphins QB Tua Tagovailoa should have returned to the sport at all after suffering three concussions.

There is a players association to protect Tagovailoa, however. Iamaleava and his peers are part of a system that is paying for decades of neglect regarding head trauma.

The NCAA published its first findings on head trauma in 1933. 

"Yet, it was not until 2020 as part of the settlement of a class-action lawsuit that the NCAA required member institutions to establish a concussion management plan," said attorney Eugene Egdorf, who has handled several such cases against the NCAA. 

None of this is a slight against Tennessee sports medicine. Just a reminder that NFL players are backed by a union. And, again, perhaps that Vegas knows something.

Ten points? At least offensively, Georgia's in disarray. The Dawgs come into this game 15th out of 16 SEC teams in rushing. Only nine other Power Four programs have more turnovers than Georgia's 15. 

Carson Beck's decline this season is worth a documentary. The one-time Heisman Trophy favorite has thrown 12 interceptions, all in the last six games. The last time Georgia as a team had more in a season was 2011.

Georgia's offensive line deserves some blame, too. Against Ole Miss, the line gave up five sacks and nine tackles for loss. Star guard Tate Ratledge has struggled with injuries. Going into the Texas game, Smart told ESPN the o-line was the position group he was most worried about. 

Ten points? Not unless walk-on quarterback Gaston Moore takes the field Saturday at Sanford Stadium. Moore is Tennessee's redshirt senior backup who has thrown 42 career passes. 

Unless Tennessee makes a definitive statement regarding Iamaleava between now and then, which is unlikely, we'll wait for Saturday. SEC teams are required to issue an injury report 90 minutes before game time listing a player as "available," "game-time decision" or "out." 

Don't be surprised if Las Vegas knows beforehand. 

Week 12 storylines

More Tennessee-Georgia: With Iamaleava hurt, consider this note when diving into Vols-Dawgs via CBS Sports' Will Backus. Only two quarterbacks have started and finished their games against Tennessee this season. That would be Alabama's Jalen Milroe and Mississippi State's Michael Van Buren. 

Run the dang Milroe: We suggested before the season that Alabama's biggest shift on offense might be allowing Jalen Milroe to become the Crimson Tide's leading rusher. In putting the ball in Milroe's hands against LSU, Kalen DeBoer did the right thing, the smart thing and the only thing. Milroe is the biggest, baddest, fastest runner on most SEC fields. That he happens to play quarterback is a minor detail. Heading into this week's Mercer game, Milroe is Alabama's leading rusher (565 yards) and 10th in the SEC. Each time he runs, Milroe reduces the chance for a turnover or a negative play in the passing game. If the strategy against LSU was the turning point in Alabama's season, you can thank us by buying us a beer at the Tide's first-round CFP game.

USC update: A former Group of Five quarterback who played high school ball in California weighs in on the Trojans. "Can Lincoln Riley get better at coaching? Sure. You can't blame Lincoln Riley for this. … [Top USC QB recruit] Julian Lewis. That's going to sway the program one way or another. There's a bunch of kids who are going to come with him or go with him. If they wait 2-3 more years [to improve], they're going to lose Lincoln and everybody else. This next month is going to be really big -- how they finish off this recruiting cycle." 

Nebraska vs. USC could be a bowl elimination game for the loser. 

SMU fallout: David Miller was practically gushing through the phone last week after the Pittsburgh win that positioned the Mustangs to play in the ACC title game and possibly the playoff. SMU's long-time billionaire benefactor shepherded the school into the ACC.

"Our objective, certainly the first years, maybe the first couple of years, was to be competitive and demonstrate we belong in the ACC. To put some meat on that bone that meant win 6-7 games and be bowl eligible. We've obviously exceeded that."

Not only are applications up by a third at the prestigious university, but athletic interests are up too.

"We haven't seen this much excitement and enthusiasm … in 50-plus years. I wasn't around in the Doak Walker days, but I've connected to the university for over five decades. Nobody will debate that [buzz.] … This was about so much more than sports. If we could get to power conference status, particularly in the ACC [we thought], it would change the brand. It has done that."

During the past bye week, SMU became the latest school to publicly announce it would fully fund revenue sharing. That number, $20.5 million annually, for the next 10 years is a result of the House v. NCAA settlement. There are only handful of schools to announce they would fully fund that entire amount. 

The school raised $100 million in a week when it announced the ACC initiative. "We have a very aggressive NIL effort underway through our Boulevard Collective. We're going to compete at the highest level … I say that to you emphatically," Miller added.  

SMU continues its ACC and CFP destiny with games left against Boston College (Saturday), Virginia and Cal. 

Coach Prime, philosopher: Deion Sanders this week gave probably the best, most succinct reason for diving into the transfer portal. At least for him and the Buffs. 

Utah comes to Boulder, Colorado, this week with its fourth starting quarterback this season. 

Punching bag game: Take Alabama to cover this week against Mercer. Surprise! OK, not. But there has to be something to take out of the SEC's annual punching bag schedule in November. Since Chattanooga covered as a 44.5-point underdog in a scrappy 31-3 loss in 2016, the Tide have outscored their November non-con opponents by 48 points per game. The Bears are 41.5-point underdogs this week. 

How it can get better for Ole Miss: We live in a world where defensive coordinator Pete Golding is a genius, Lane Kiffin can win a big one and the Rebels have a bye week before finishing against Florida and Mississippi State. 

Quote of the week: From LSU governor Jeff Landry, who pushed for a live tiger to be in attendance at Tiger Stadium for the Alabama game: "Our tiger, our live tiger, unfortunately, disappointingly, was the only Tiger who showed up Saturday." 

At last check, no live animals will be harmed this week as the Tigers travel to Florida. 

Clinching scenarios: Six teams can secure conference title game berths this week …

  • Oregon in the Big Ten with a win at Wisconsin.
  • BYU in the Big 12 with a win over Kansas or losses by Iowa State, West Virginia and Arizona State.
  • Boise State in the Mountain West with a win at San Jose State and a UNLV loss against San Diego State.
  • Both Army and Tulane in the American if Tulane wins at Navy.
  • Louisiana in the Sun Belt with a win over South Alabama.

Quick kicks

  • Tennessee can become the first SEC team to beat Georgia and Alabama in the same season since LSU in 2019. The Vols haven't done it themselves since 2006. 
  • There are no players on the Georgia roster who were active during the Dawgs' last home loss in 2019. There have 28 straight home wins since losing to South Carolina that year. 
  • Penn State is favored by the most points on the road in the last 30 years. The Nittany Lions are 29-points favorites over Purdue, according to DraftKings Sportsbook. 
  • Since the stunning upset loss to Northern Illinois, Notre Dame has won seven straight games by an average of 33.4 points. That's the biggest number in a seven-game stretch since 1977 ... when Joe Montana was quarterback. 
  • Travis Hunter's 161 total plays against Texas Tech were the most of any FBS player since at least 2014. 
  • Oregon is seeking its second 11-0 start in program history. The first time was in 2010, Chip Kelly's second season as coach.
  • Ducks quarterback Dillion Gabriel will start his 60th career game. That's one short of the FBS record, set last year by Oregon's Bo Nix. 
  • SMU is 5-0 in conference play in consecutive seasons for the first time since 1947-48. 
  • A presumed win against Mercer makes Kalen DeBoer the first coach to win at least eight games in his first season since Ray Perkins in 1983. Perkins replaced Bear Bryant. 
  • Let's talk about Mack Brown for a second. As the dean of FBS coaches, in terms of age, Brown will be allowed to go out on his own terms; at 73, he has earned that. He's not the dean in terms of service. Kirk Ferentz, 69, is in his 26th year at Iowa. Ferentz is closer to running for governor unopposed than being on any kind of hot seat. But Brown deserves a ceremonial exit. First FBS coach to win at least 100 games at two schools. A national championship. Twenty-one game Big 12 winning streak. Hall of Famer. Twenty-six bowls, eight of which were of the major variety. Oh, and Brown and his North Carolina team have rebounded nicely from an unsightly four-game losing streak. One more win and a Brown-coached team would be bowl eligible for the 30th time. Not bad. 
  • Miami's Cam Ward leads FBS with 29 touchdown passes. The last ACC QB to lead the nation in that category was North Carolina's Jack Cummings in 1958 (11).