The benefit of a defending division champion playing a schedule that's absent LSU, Alabama and Arkansas (last year's 1-3 in the SEC West) is that it's hard to find a place where Georgia might stub its toe - except for South Carolina. Gambling web site Beyond The Bets has released a way-too-early-but-who-cares-we-love-it set of betting lines for the entire 2012 conference schedule, and the Dawgs are favored in every contest save for a trip to Columbia, where they'll be four-point dogs:
Week 2: Georgia (-3) vs. Missouri
Week 4: Vanderbilt vs. Georgia (-17)
Week 5: Tennessee vs. Georgia (-12)
Week 6: Georgia vs. South Carolina (-4)
Week 8: Georgia (-17.5) vs. Kentucky
Week 9: Florida vs. Georgia (-2)
Week 10: Ole Miss vs. Georgia (-24.5)
Week 11 Georgia (-1.5) vs. Auburn
Essentially, Vegas thinks Georgia will repeat its 7-1 campaign of last season, as the Dogs will play the exact same SEC schedule except for newcomer Missouri, who replaces Mississippi State. Whether or not another 7-1 finish with a loss to the Gamecocks can get UGA to Atlanta through the backdoor - again - is yet to be seen, but Beyond The Bets has UGA winning the East at 7-1, over a 6-2 USC team. Sound familiar?
For more on the Georgia Bulldogs, check out Dawg Sports, Team Speed Kills and SB Nation's college football page.
