Welcome to week 11 of Pick Six, a weekly column where the RTI team plus a weekly guest picker calls their shots on six games. We’ll do our best to pick the most competitive games each week and will focus heavily on the SEC when possible. Spreads are listed and will occasionally be mentioned in the comments. We’ll keep a running tally of records (straight up, not ATS) throughout the year and compare those to how Vegas fared.
Last week, everyone went 4-2 including Guest picker Brad Shepard. For the year, Daniel is 38-22, Reed is 36-24, Houston is 34-28, our guest pickers are 35-25 and Vegas favorites are 37-23.
This week’s guest picker is Ryan Wooden, columnist for TodaysPigskin.com. You should absolutely check out his column on Joshua Dobbs here.
No. 20 Georgia (-10) at Kentucky 12 pm ESPN
Daniel: What are we supposed to do with this Georgia team? We like them, we don’t, we do, we leave them for dead after Todd Gurley’s suspension, we praise them for their resiliency and then they choke it all away last week against Florida. That’s where the Bulldogs stand heading into Lexington this week. We do know it’ll be the last game without Gurley and we’ll see if the Bulldogs can pull out one more win without him to keep them in the SEC East. Kentucky’s sky-high start to the season has come crashing down with three straight losses by an average of 23 points. Both teams are limping a little bit, but UGA has a little more depth and more to play for than UK, though it won’t be easy. Winner: UGA 27-21
Houston: Georgia has to be stinging after that collapse in Jacksonville last weekend, but they won’t really go into Lexington and lose to the Wildcats…right? I actually think this one is pretty simple: Georgia is not as bad as they looked against Florida, and Kentucky is not as good as they looked during the first half of the season. Kentucky is much improved, no doubt, but still can’t compete with Georgia from a talent/depth standpoint. I expect Georgia to rebound and Kentucky’s late season slide to continue. Winner: Georgia 37-23
Reed: I added this game to the picks panel this week solely to make fun of Kentucky. Everyone jumped on Kentucky’s bandwagon after a 5-1 start. They were an overtime (and perhaps a delay of game) call away from starting the season 6-0. But they didn’t beat anybody and now that they’re playing real teams their flaws are showing. Don’t get me wrong, they’re much improved in Stoops’ second year, but they’re going to struggle to get bowl eligible. Georgia is coming off an inexcusable loss to Florida and they will be hungry for a victory. They still have an outside shot at a CFP berth and will be one step closer after dispatching of the Wildcats. Winner: Dawgs 31-24
Ryan: Listen, I get that Kentucky is a much improved football team under Mark Stoops. He’s recruited really well in his time in Lexington and that influx of talent is starting to pay off in the form of victories. They’re at home this Saturday and when we add in a reeling Georgia squad that was just embarrassed by Florida, it feels like we’ve got all the makings of an upset.
But… then… it’s Kentucky and it’s cold outside and basketball is starting and the stadium is empty and it’s Kentucky. Listen, I respect what Mark Stoops and the Wildcats are doing, but they’re still Kentucky and until they at least bother not being Kentucky, I’ve earned the right to expect the worst of Kentucky. I’d expect members of rival fanbases to say similar things about anyone who expected Tennessee to suddenly win a high-profile game and UT has only been bad at football for a little while. Kentucky’s been bad forever.
Wins THEN respect, Wildcats. Not the other way around. Winner: Georgia 38-14
