Georgia vs. Alabama College Football Playoff national championship game early trends, odds: Bettors mixed on spread, crushing Crimson Tide on moneyline

While a lot could change between now and kickoff next Monday night from Indianapolis, bettors at Caesars Sportsbook are mixed so far on the spread for the Georgia-Alabama College Football Playoff national championship game, with the Dawgs at -3, but they are all over Nick Saban's team on the moneyline at +125 as well as Over the total of 52.5 points.

Neither Georgia nor Alabama had much trouble in the semifinals against Michigan and Cincinnati, respectively. UGA's 34-11 win over the Wolverines was Georgia's largest margin of victory over an AP Top 10 team in 80 years. The Bulldogs are the second team in the College Football Playoff era to reach the title game without winning their conference – Alabama did it following the 2017 season and would beat Georgia in overtime in the title game.

Caesars actually opened UGA at -2.5 for this game. The Tide are taking 73 percent of the tickets, but the Dawgs 80 percent of the money.

"Georgia handled Michigan more easily than Alabama did against Cincinnati, and Michigan was viewed as a better team than Cincy was," said Adam Pullen, Assistant Director of Trading at Caesars Sportsbook. "So you put the two together, and their win was more impressive than Alabama's win. The doubts were on Georgia going into the CFP, and all it took was one game for everyone to think highly of them again. So it makes sense that this line is currently at 3. If Georgia would have squeaked out a win over Michigan, it would have been closer to pick."

On the moneyline, Bama is getting about 94 percent of both the tickets and money. There were similar numbers on Michigan in the semifinal against Georgia, however.

"In big games, people siding with the underdog on the moneyline is usually how it works out," Pullen said. "You're going to have your fair share of Alabama money on the moneyline, and more will come later in the week. I'm a little surprised that the spread has gone up and there's been a good amount of money on Georgia on the spread. But Georgia was a 6-point favorite before against Alabama, so people may think there's value getting them at a much lower number a month later."

In the SEC Championship Game, Georgia closed as a 6.5-point favorite with a total of 49 and Bama rolled to a 41-24 victory. That improved Saban to 5-1 straight up and against the spread as an underdog since 2008. Alabama's only defeat SU & ATS in that span was in the 2008 SEC Championship Game, where it lost 31-20 as 10-point underdogs to Florida.

Currently, 62 percent of tickets and 73 percent of the money are on the Over 52.5 points for the rematch. The past three national title games all have had at least 60 points scored, but these two combined for 49 points in that early 2018 game. 

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