It’s only fitting that two former Georgia Bulldogs are a big reason why their teams are in Atlanta for the Super Bowl. Todd Gurley has been one of the best running backs in the league this season and has kept the chains moving for the Los Angeles Rams with his ability to pick up tough yards on the ground. Meanwhile, Sony Michel has been the latest draft hit for the New England Patriots, and this year’s first-round pick nearly finished with 1,000 yards as a rookie. They are both out to win their first Super Bowl and offshore sportsbook BetDSI has a Super Bowl prop bet on which player will have a more productive day.
Which former Georgia Bulldog will have more rushing yards?
Sony Michel -149
Todd Gurley +110
Related: Super Bowl Betting Guide
There has already been some considerable line movement on this prop. Gurley was originally a -130 favorite to have more rushing yards than Michel, but the betting odds have more than flipped since that point.
Gurley had a fantastic year on his way to being named First Team All-Pro. He averaged nearly five yards per carry, fumbled the ball just once, and he finished with 17 rushing touchdowns. Michel’s numbers were not as good as his former college teammate, but they were better than the league average. He averaged 4.5 yards per carry, fumbled the ball just once as well, but he had just six rushing touchdowns as James White got a lot of the red zone work.
One thing to keep in mind is that neither Gurley nor Michel is likely to break a long run. Both players carried the ball over 200 times this year, but Gurley had a long of 36 and Michel had a long of 34. Since neither one of these players are home run hitters, that means the player getting more work is likely to win this battle.
Michel has gotten a decent amount of run in the postseason. Bill Belichick has used him as the Patriots’ battering ram, giving him 24 carries against the Chargers and 29 carries against the Chiefs. He responded with 129 yards in the first game and 113 yards in the second, but he clearly needed the week off in between the AFC Championship Game and the Super Bowl. He was noticeably gassed in the second half, and the team had to stop giving him the ball.
That being said, Gurley hasn’t seen much action at all in the last month. There are concerns that his knee is still bothering him after sitting out in Week 16 and Week 17, and he has finished with under 50 rushing yards in three of his last four games. CJ Anderson got the lion’s share of the carries against the Saints two weeks ago, and he may cut into Gurley’s numbers once again.
Taking Michel here is the right move. The Patriots are small favorites and are likely to run the ball a little more than the Rams, and Belichick is the master at taking away an opponent’s best weapon.
