Big Ten Legends Division winner Michigan State will attempt to avoid its sixth straight bowl loss on Monday when it faces SEC East winner Georgia at the Outback Bowl in Tampa, Florida. The game, which is scheduled for a 1:00pm ET start on January 2nd at Raymond James Stadium, will be broadcast live on ABC. The latest bowl game odds have the Bulldogs listed as a -3.5 against the spread favorite; the game total is set at 50 points. Before making your 2011 College Football Picks on this Monday’s big game get the latest Michigan State vs Georgia Spread available now.
Michigan State, a 12-24 loser to Georgia in the 2008 Capital One Bowl, shocked many pundits with its 11-1 record last season, but the Spartans strong finish did little to help them come bowl time as Head Coach Mark Dantonio saw his team get massacred 49-7 by SEC giant Alabama in the Captial One Bowl. The disheartening finish to an otherwise great season served as Michigan State’s fifth consecutive bowl loss, a streak that had its beginnings with a 2003 setback against Nebraska in the Alamo Bowl.
The Spartans, which are lead by senior quarterback Kirk Cousins, are, once again, a stout team as their 10-3 record would indicate, but most are predicting another postseason crash for the East Lansing school. Michigan State, which owns the nation’s fifth ranked defense (272.7 yards per game allowed), is certainly capable of ending its bowl skid, though.
The 10-3 Bulldogs represent a difficult challenge, no doubt, but they are not without flaws as they proved in losses to Boise State, South Carolina, and top ranked LSU (suffered a 42-10 loss in the SEC Championship).
Georgia handled middle tier to good teams, beating squads like Auburn, Mississippi State, Florida, and Georgia Tech, but its offense did not fare as well against the aforementioned big boys. Sure, the Bulldogs posted plenty of yards and points against the Gamecocks, but the Broncos and Tigers held them to an average of 15.5 points and 334.5 yards per game.
Should the Spartans defense, which is comparable in quality to the units at Boise State and LSU, keep quarterback Aaron Murray and running back Isaiah Crowell in check, MSU could be looking at a long awaited postseason celebration. But some things are easier said than done, and Georgia, unfortunately for Spartan fans, is no stranger to bowl success under Mark Richt.
The Bulldogs are 7-3 in bowl games with Richt on the sidelines and, even more disturbing for Michigan State, is the team’s 23-8 mark off a loss with Richt as the coach. So, while this game figures to be more tightly contested than the Spartans last bowl outing, Georgia is still the best pick.
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Michigan State vs Georgia 2011 Outback Bowl Game Point Spreads: Provided by BetOnline.com
Michigan State Spartans +3.5 (-115), Over 50 (-110), +150 (Moneyline)
Georgia Bulldogs -3.5 (-105), Under 50 (-110), -170 (Moneyline)
