First let's get the record out of the way. In 7 year's posting CFB at Pregame (didn't post in 2012) I am 286-219, 56.63%, and +154.33 units. That includes 5 winning seasons and 2 losing ones. Let me remind everyone that the LARGEST MAJORITY of my plays involve FCS teams. I suggest that anyone who wants to follow me get an account at 5dimes as they are one of only a couple of books that put out lines on FCS games and they are usually the first ones to put them out.
AUSTIN PEAY AT GEORGIA (SEPT. 1)
Until last year this Austin Peay football program was at the very bottom of the FCS. from 2013-2017 they were 1-45. They were BAD. Then in 2016 they fired their coach and hired a young asst. from UT-Chattanooga,Will Healy. In December 2015 in his introductory news conference he said something that looks prophetic in hindsight.
"I believe there is a process in making that happen," he said when talking about building a winning culture. "Whether it's fundraising, building character or a foundation to help us get to the next level, it's not going to happen overnight. It has to be done the right way, and we're going to do it the right way."
Austin Peay did a complete renovation of their stadium and Healy proceeded to bring in back to back top 5 recruiting classes. His first class included 31 true freshmen and the second 32 true freshmen. With all the underclassmen and putting in a new system they went 0-11 in his first year (2016). In only one year later in 2017 they went 8-4 and just missed the FCS playoffs. Three of those losses were to FBS Cincinnati 26-14, Miami Un. 31-10 and to undefeated UCF 73-33.
This team and head coach are on the rise and I look for them to make the FCS playoffs this year. These players would run thru a wall for their head coach and I look for them to keep this one inside the very large number.
Everyone knows how good Georgia is. Georgia has played an FCS team in each of the last three years. They beat Samford (8-4) 42-14, Nicholls St. (5-6) 26-24, and Southern Un. (6-5) 48-6. I look for this approach to the game for Georgia. Get the win, work on timing, stay healthy, and keep the play calling pretty vanilla. One thing to keep in mind is Georgia opens SEC play the next week at S. Carolina.
#563 5* AUSTIN PEAY +45 1/2 -120