Georgia vs. Missouri point spread: Picking Bulldogs vs. Tigers

In Week 10, there are plenty of exciting matchups in the college football world. Arguably, none are more significant than a showdown between SEC East‘s College Football Playoff hopefuls, the Missouri Tigers and George Bulldogs.

But while Missouri has looked impressive in 2023, the current betting line has Georgia, at home, favored by 15.5 points. And that is a line that Monday’s guest on the Andy Staples On3, Dan Rubenstein, was more than willing to get behind.

“Look, it’s in Athens. I think that there is a fact that a lot of people try everything that they can to not admit that Carson Beck might actually be really good. He’s confident; he steps into the pocket and throws with poise. Like no Brock Bowers, no problem last week against Florida,” said Rubenstein.

“I think Mizzou is a different challenge. I just don’t think the Mizzou defense, as we saw what LSU did, slicing them up; I just don’t think that the Mizzou defense is where it’s been. So I like Georgia a good deal.

“If Mizzou beats Georgia, they’re probably beating them comfortably. If Mizzou plays incredibly, they have a chance to win this game. But also, if Mizzou plays incredibly, it might not matter. So I like Georgia just because you add in a more confident Carson Beck, you add in the receiver is getting involved with no Brock Bowers… that becomes more and more scary to me.”

One of the critical reasons Rubenstein favors Georgia is the impressive play of their starting quarterback, Carson Beck. Beck took over the reins of the team after back-to-back championship-winning quarterback Stetson Bennett left for the NFL. And all he’s done since taking over is throw for 2462 yards, complete 73 percent of his pass attempts with 14 touchdowns and four interceptions, all while keeping Georgia undefeated in 2023.

Still, Rubenstein sees reasons for Missouri fans to be optimistic when taking on the best team in the land in week 10. The thing he loves about the Tigers this season is their balance on offense, thanks to some elite play at running back

“The thing that I actually like about Mizzou on the other end is Cody Schrader’s been really good. He’s been one of the best three or four backs in this conference, and they’ve become a more complete offense because of it. And the better he is, the more things tend to open up for a guy like Luther Burden, who’s one of the best receivers in this conference. So, there is something that’s kind of fascinating about Mizzou. But there’s also something about a lot of the defenses that Mizzou has faced, not necessarily preparing them for Georgia.”

Staples says the line is a question about Georgia

Staples, on the other hand, came into this conversation questioning the line for this game. But by the end of it all, the On3 college football expert had a bit of a change of heart.

“Georgia begins a trio of very tough games with Missouri. This one, Georgia’s a 15.5-point favorite; that is so many points against the good team.

“I saw Georgia last week, and he (Beck) did spread it out very well. Ladd McConkey seems to have moved into the safety blanket role that Brock Bowers was occupying… Dominic Lovett looked good, too.

“I was impressed with some of their young D-linemen, too. Tyrion Ingram-Dawkins, who’s coming off of foot surgery, looked really good. And then Damon Wilson was with was making plays.

But slowly Staples opinion shifted:

“This line is a question. It is a question that asks, which Georgia are we going to see?” he continued. “The Georgia that played Kentucky in Florida or the Georgia that played Auburn and South Carolina?

“So I came into this planning to pick Mizzou to cover but not win- the open week, the time off, the prep time. But the more I think about it, the more I think Georgia may just be hitting that gear. And the fact that this is at home only enhances that. So I was ready. I was ready to take Mizzou to cover, but my mind has been changed… So I will take Georgia to cover.”

With the way Georgia has played in the last two games against heated SEC East rivals, oddsmakers are thinking the Bulldogs carry that momentum at home in a big way. Couple that with many college football experts questioning Missouri’s strength of schedule, with their biggest test coming in a loss at home to LSU, and the picture begins to make more sense. Both college football experts lean towards the Bulldogs, not only taking care of business at home on Saturday but also covering the points line.