No. 1 Georgia return to Sanford Stadium on Saturday for their first game as the top-ranked team in the College Football Playoff rankings, hosting No. 22 Missouri at 3:30pm ET on ABC. The Bulldogs, at 8-1 and 6-1 in SEC play, are coming off a 42-7 demolition of Ole Miss on the road, a win that snapped the Rebels’ 16-game home winning streak and lifted Georgia to the top of the committee’s rankings. Missouri, at 6-3 and 3-3 in the SEC, arrive looking to bounce back from a 34-20 home loss to Texas.
Georgia head coach Kirby Smart and his players spoke to the media on Monday about the Missouri game, and the message was one of focus. The Bulldogs have won home games against Tennessee State, Western Kentucky, Oklahoma and Vanderbilt this season, and road games at Arkansas, Alabama and Ole Miss, plus a neutral-site matchup against Florida. Their only defeat came early in the season, and they have not looked back since.
The line and the history
Georgia are heavy favourites, with the early betting market making them a substantial favourite against Missouri. History favours the Bulldogs. Georgia lead the all-time series 12-1, according to one preview, and Kirby Smart has never lost to Missouri as Georgia’s head coach. The Tigers’ task is daunting: they must go into Athens, in front of a crowd that will be celebrating the No. 1 ranking, and beat a team that has won by an average of 14.5 points this season.
What is at stake
For Georgia, the game is about holding serve. A win keeps them at No. 1 and keeps their path to the SEC Championship and the playoff clear. A loss would throw the rankings into chaos and give the committee a reason to reconsider. For Missouri, it is a free hit — a chance to pull off one of the upsets of the season and rescue a campaign that has stalled since the Texas defeat.
Sean McDonough will call the play-by-play for ABC, with Greg McElroy providing analysis and Katie George reporting from the sidelines. Veterans Day is Wednesday, and Georgia are planning a big recognition for the occasion at Sanford Stadium. Saturday afternoon in Athens, with the No. 1 ranking on the line and a Missouri team with nothing to lose — this is what college football in November is all about.
