The Georgia Bulldogs are set to face the Tennessee Volunteers this weekend. Check out our college football odds series, which includes our Georgia-Tennessee prediction, odds, and pick.

The Georgia Bulldogs are the one team which has consistently risen above the chaos of this season. When they beat Clemson in Week 1, it seemed like a huge conquest. Clemson's collapse in subsequent weeks, however, has not taken away from that win. It was merely the start of a journey in which Georgia established an elite defensive standard and has never come close to losing it.

Georgia has by far the best defense in the country under head coach Kirby Smart, who loves to play this way. This is Kirby's dream team in Athens, a brutal and menacing team with a snarling, nasty defense which hammers the ball between the tackles, doesn't need to take many risks in the passing game, and regularly has a large margin for error. Ever since the Clemson game, no team has breathed on Georgia. The Dawgs have steamrolled each and every subsequent opponent, never allowing more than 13 points in any game. Quarterback injuries (J.T. Daniels, being replaced by Stetson Bennett) have not mattered. Receiver injuries have not mattered. This defense is playing lights-out ball, and as a result Georgia's 43-6 win over Missouri this past weekend marked a game in which the Dawgs failed to cover the spread. They were favored by 38.5. That's how esteemed they are. They are in great position to make the College Football Playoff and vie for the school's first national title since 1980.

Tennessee is the exact stylistic opposite of Georgia. Whereas the Dawgs are a defense-first team, Tennessee is an offense-first team. Whereas Georgia wants to slowly squeeze the life out of opponents with physical, grinding play, Tennessee — under first-year head coach Josh Heupel — wants to strike quickly. Consider this when making a Georgia-Tennessee pick.

Tennessee held the ball for under 14 minutes this past Saturday against Kentucky. The Vols were minus-18 in first downs gained. They gained under 500 yards and allowed over 600. It didn't matter. They won because they scored 45 points in the 13:52 they had the ball. They didn't need to get first downs when they were busy scoring 75-yard touchdowns and finding instant lightning in their passing game. Tennessee quarterback Hendon Hooker, a transfer from Virginia Tech, completed just 15 passes, but they went for 316 yards. The Vols torched the Kentucky secondary and won in spite of UK's 46:08 time of possession. It's the antithesis of what Georgia tries to do, as college football odds analysts know well.

Here’s how the bookmakers have set the Georgia-Tennessee odds:

College Football odds: Georgia-Tennessee Odds

Georgia: -19.5 (-114)

Tennessee: +19.5 (-106)

Over: 55.5 (-110)

Under: 55.5 (-110)

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Why Georgia Could Cover the Spread

The Bulldogs are favored by “only” 19.5 points. Georgia winning by 20 has been a relatively easy thing for the Dawgs to do this season. They didn't do that against Kentucky only because the Wildcats, in a game they were clearly going to lose, threw the kitchen sink on their final garbage-time possession. Tennessee's defense is not as good as Kentucky's. The Wildcats suffered injuries since their game against Georgia which affected their performance against Tennessee. Georgia should be able to physical demolish Tennessee on both sides of the line of scrimmage. We need to see an offense score 20 points against UGA before we bet on the Vols to keep this game close. Georgia has earned the benefit of the doubt.

Why Tennessee Could Cover the Spread

The Vols don't need to hammer the ball against Georgia's physically imposing defensive front. They just need to hit two or three long pass plays, and they can score 20 points, doing something other Georgia opponents have not yet been able to do this year. Hendon Hooker is comfortable in Josh Heupel's offense. He doesn't have to be consistent to score 20 to 24 points and cover the spread; he needs to make home-run plays. He can do that, even against UGA's phenomenal defense.

Final Georgia-Tennessee Prediction & Pick

Georgia is a trustworthy team. Tennessee is a talented team but not a group which is prepared for the physical superiority Georgia possesses. With a relatively low point spread, Georgia should be able to cover it. Dawgs 41, Vols 14.

Final Georgia-Tennessee Pick: Georgia -19.5