It's the Deep South's Oldest Rivalry, and it's also the biggest game of the weekend. No. 4 Georgia and No. 12 Auburn are set to square off in a showdown that will take center stage on Saturday afternoon in the SEC on CBS Game of the Week. Georgia can wrap up the SEC East and remain in the College Football Playoff hunt with a victory, while Auburn can play the ultimate spoiler if it is able to spring the home upset.
The Bulldogs have won five of the last six and 11 of the last 14 meetings against the Tigers, including a 28-7 win in the 2017 SEC Championship Game two seasons ago. What will happen on Saturday afternoon on The Plains? Let's break down the matchup and make picks straight up and against the spread in one of the biggest games over the remainder of the 2019 season as Georgia puts its CFP candidacy on the line against one of its top rivals.
Storylines
Georgia: We talk all the time about the "eye test" in the CFP hunt, but why doesn't Georgia's defense get mentioned in that discussion? The Bulldogs haven't given up a rushing touchdown all season, and that's allowed the offense to play conservatively for the majority of the season. Jake Fromm has completed 67% of his passes and has a firm grasp of what this offense needs to be. He has developed a chemistry with wide receiver Lawrence Cager, who should be good to go after getting banged up earlier this month. The offensive line struggled in the loss to South Carolina, but got right over the last three games and is playing as well as it has all season.
Auburn: The Tigers are coming off of a bye week following a win over Ole Miss, and have a defense that has kept them in every game this season. The question is the offense, which has been inconsistent throughout the season -- especially against good opponents. D.J. Williams has become a big factor in the running game during JaTarvious Whitlow's mid-season absence, and the two are set to close the season strong. Quarterback Bo Nix has been stellar at home (65.3% completion, 1,043 yards, zero interceptions), and is coming off of a 340-yard performance against the Rebels.
Viewing information
Date: Saturday, Nov. 16 | Time: 3:30 p.m. ET
Location: Jordan-Hare Stadium -- Auburn, Alabama
TV: CBS | Connected TV: CBS All-Access
Live stream: CBSSports.com | Mobile: CBS Sports App
Game prediction, picks
Defense travels, and Georgia's defense will rule the day on Saturday. Auburn has to establish the run in order to have a semi-functional offense, but nobody has been able to do that against the Bulldogs this season. Williams and Whitlow will be held in check, Fromm will play mistake-free football and Georgia will get revenge for its 2017 loss in the same building. Pick: Georgia (-2.5)
So which picks can you make with confidence in Week 12? And which line is way off? Visit SportsLine to see which teams win and cover the spread, all from a proven computer model that has returned over $4,000 in profit over the past four seasons.
