2013 College Football Bowl Picks: Nebraska vs Georgia Odds and Predictions – Free Capital One Bowl Picks

Capital One Bowl Odds and Picks: Nebraska vs Georgia Predictions – Free College Bowl Picks 1/1/13: Two teams that were both one win away from playing in a BCS bowl meet Tuesday in the Capitol One Bowl when the seventh-ranked Georgia Bulldogs (11-2, 7-1 SEC) take on the 16th-ranked Nebraska Cornhuskers (10-3, 7-1 Big Ten). In fact, the Bulldogs were one win away from playing for a national title before a four-point loss in the SEC title game to Alabama knock them out of the BCS picture all together. Meanwhile, Nebraska suffered an ugly loss in its conference title game to a Wisconsin team that it had already defeated during the year. Although neither side saw its regular season end the way it wanted, both teams can still go out on a high note by winning Tuesday. After being so close to playing in the BCS title game, the Bulldogs are 8 ½-point favorites in this one.

Georgia has been one of the most balanced teams all season, ranking 20-th in points per game (37.2) and 17th in points allowed (18.8). Quarterback Aaron Murray is one of the best in the country, and he enters the bowl game with almost 3,500 yards to go along with 31 touchdowns. Meanwhile, the ground game is led by a pair of freshmen in Keith Marshall and Todd Gurley. Together, the duo has accounted for 1,983 yards thus far along with 24 touchdowns. On the defensive side of the ball, linebacker Jarvis Jones leads one of the country’s most talented groups. The unit will be missing stud nose tackle John Jenkins in the bowl game, but safety Bacarri Rambo and linebacker Alec Ogletree are just a few of the other NFL-caliber talents helping out Jones.

For Nebraska, a powerful rushing offense keyed by dual-threat QB Taylor Martinez has carried the Cornhuskers all year. Nebraska currently ranks eighth in the country in rushing and 27th in scoring at 35.1 points per game. Martinez has thrown for 21 touchdowns this year, and he has also run for almost 1,000 yards and added 10 more scores. Ameer Abdullah is the speedy back for an offense that features both traditional and option sets while Rex Burkhead is the main power back. All told, five different players have at least 300 yards rushing for Nebraska. Defensively, the Cornhuskers have been inconsistent. Overall, the unit is allowing just over 26 points per game, but the Cornhuskers have had multiple games when they have stifled opposing offense and others when they have been gashed for huge totals.

The Bulldogs Win If:

The Bulldogs’ offense is powerful and balanced, and if Murray and company come out and keep the Nebraska defense guessing, Georgia will become the next team to pile up a ton of points against the Cornhuskers. Piling up points is also a great way for the Bulldogs to help their defense control Nebraska’s ground game. The Bulldogs have a vicious pass rush and solid secondary, and if Martinez is put in situations where he has to throw the ball, Georgia’s defense is going to be in attack mode. If the Bulldogs are at least able to keep the Nebraska ground game somewhat in check early and their offense builds a bit of a lead, Georgia should be able to pile on the Cornhuskers as they become forced to abandon the run to some degree.

The Cornhuskers Win If:

Although they have a much different style of running the football than Alabama, the Cornhuskers need to try to control the game on the ground just as the Crimson Tide did when they knocked off Georgia in the SEC title game. The best way to slow down the Bulldogs’ offense is to keep Murray and company on the sidelines for as long as possible. Not to mention the fact that the Nebraska offense is at its best when Martinez is running the ball to set up plays in the passing game and not the other way around. Nebraska isn’t going to outscore the Bulldogs in this game if Martinez has to throw the ball to do it, but if the Cornhuskers can establish the run and ride their handful of backs all game long, they can control the pace and the Georgia offense and pick up the win.

Bottom Line:

A lot has been made about Nebraska’s top-ranked pass defense being able to slow Murray and the Georgia offense. Well, the Bulldogs’ offense doesn’t exactly need Murray to have a monster game in order to put up points. Gurley and Marshall are both averaging more than six yards per carry, and the Cornhuskers’ run defense has already been gashed in all three of its losses. UCLA and Ohio State ran wild on Nebraska, and Wisconsin just hung 70 on the Cornhuskers in the Big Ten title game. In fact, Nebraska allowed an average of more than 56 points per game in their three losses. Georgia is going to be able to pound the ball and put up plenty of points on the ground, and even without Jenkins in the middle of the defense, the Bulldogs have enough size and speed to contain Martinez and company. In the end, Georgia is going to simply overmatch Nebraska in the trenches and run away with this game.

Prediction: Georgia Bulldogs (-8 ½) Cover the Spread

Nebraska vs Georgia Vegas Odds and Total
Date: 1/1/13
Line: Georgia -8
Total: Over/Under 61
Television: 1 PM EST on ABC

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