No. 1 Georgia And number 3 TCU They will meet to determine this season’s national champion in the College Football Playoff National Championship at SoFi Stadium in Los Angeles on Monday night. The Bulldogs are coming off a 42-41 win over No. 4 Ohio State in the Peach Bowl semifinals, and the Horned Frogs are still rallying after a stunning 51-45 No. 2 Michigan in the Fiesta Bowl semifinals.
Georgia is looking to become the first repeat CFP Era national champion and the first since Alabama achieved the feat in 2011-12. Led by fourth Heisman Trophy finalist Stetson Bennett at quarterback, the Dogs have developed into one of the most balanced and effective offenses in the country. The Frogs sent a player to New York to be a Heisman finalist as well. Max Duggan, who didn’t even start the season as TCU’s first caller, has become one of the most dynamic players in the country.
What do you expect in Los Angeles on a Monday night? Let’s split the game and make selections directly against the spread.
Georgia vs. TCU: Need to know
Bulldogs evolved abroad: Heading into the playoffs, the list of Georgia’s best pass players was incredibly bizarre. The leading receiver was tight end (Brock Bowers) with wide receiver (Ladd McConkey) and running back (Kenny McIntosh) filling out the top three positions. It became clear at the Peach Bowl that Bennett had more guns on the outside than he first thought.
Adonai Mitchell, who has been injured for most of the season, had a game-winning touchdown and 43 receiving yards, Arian Smith had 129 yards and a critical score in the fourth quarter, and Marcus Rosmi-Jackson had two catches. It’s phenomenal that all of these receivers stepped up especially considering McConkey isn’t 100% after suffering a knee injury last month and monster tight end Darnell Washington’s up in the air situation.
“We’ve had musical chairs, and most people do because people have injuries at wide receiver positions, but between the wide receiver positions of AD, Marcus, there was a lot out there,” coach Kirby Smart said this week. And I believe [WR coach] Brian McClendon W [offensive coordinator Todd] Monken has done a tremendous job of chopping and chopping those roles.”
TCU’s running back clock: Star rusher Kendre Miller, who had 1,399 yards and 17 touchdowns this season, left the Fiesta Bowl with a knee injury. Put it in the title game remains a mystery. If he can’t go, senior Emari Demercado will probably get first-team reps. Demercado rushed for 125 yards on 14 carries and grabbed 69 yards in the third quarter. Louisiana transfer Imani Bailey He’s had 29 carries, 241 rushing yards and two touchdowns this season and will likely be the primary backup. Bailey recorded 642 yards and eight touchdowns last season with the Ragin’ Cajuns.
“I think he feels good,” coach Sonny Dykes said of Miller. “We had a good[assessment]of him the night before last when we got back from Phoenix. It was very painful. I woke up yesterday, and I felt a little better. I just saw him a little while ago. He’s feeling better today.. so I would say it’s probably questionable.” “And it will be the way I present it. We’ll see how he progresses during the week, see how he feels, and we’ll try to make a decision as we get closer to game time. Whether we think he’ll be ready to play or not.”
Battle for the big plays: Wide receiver Quinten Johnston has been Duggan’s pass catcher all season, and he’ll have a very exciting game Monday night against the extremely talented Dawgs secondary.
“We’re just starting to deal with them today, but their size on the outside stands out a lot,” Georgia full-back Javon Pollard said this week. “We know they have some very big receivers, big catch radii and they can run. Any time you have that size on the perimeter, whether it’s a fast game or deep balls, it’s always a great match.”
However, that secondary was set ablaze by Ohio State’s passing game and, in particular, star receiver Marvin Harrison Jr. It came one game after LSU put up 502 yards in the SEC Championship Game.
“Ohio State made some big plays against them,” Dykes said. And I’m especially sure in the passing game. And I’m sure they’ll work out some of those issues. And quite frankly, they just made some contested plays, and Ohio State got a really good set of wide receivers. And those guys played really well. “
A chess match between the Frogs’ and Dawgs’ secondary receivers can determine the outcome of the title game.
How to watch Georgia vs. TCU live stream
Game: College Football National Championship
Date: Monday, January 9 | time: 8 p.m. ET
Location: SoFi Stadium – Los Angeles
television: ESPN | Live broadcast: fuboTV (try for free)
Georgia vs. TCU Prediction, Picks
Featured game | Georgia Bulldogs vs. TCU Horned Frogs
Sally Barrett: TCU is 9-3-1 versus the spread this season, but hasn’t faced anything like what it will face in the title game. Georgia’s speed, depth, and experience would end TCU’s magical run in a game similar to the Dogs’ win over Tennessee earlier in the season. They’d win the line of scrimmage early, translate that into a few first-half touchdowns and shrink the football en route to a resounding win they’d dominate from the start. Fans will want a similar shootout to what both teams produced last weekend. Unfortunately for the public, it will be quite the opposite. Pick: Georgia (-13). Georgia 31, UCLA 14
Tom Fornelli: I’ve been holding off trying to figure out who can and can’t beat TCU this year, and for this game, it is. I focus on the total. There have been eight national championships in the CFP, and they tend to score high despite fielding some of the best defenses in the country. The eight games averaged 64.5 points. While it’s true that having an elite defense is often what separates top-level teams from the rest of the pack, once you get to that point, we’ve seen time and time again that it’s offense that wins. I expect that to be the case on Monday. Teams may not be led by NFL first-round draft picks in the future, but Duggan and Bennett haven’t been around the Heisman this season by accident. Picking: over 62.5 | Georgia 38, TCU 30
Chip Patterson: On the brink of founding a new modern dynasty, Georgia enters this showdown with a TCU that boasts a talent edge and championship experience that contributes to their status as a top favourite. But after seeing how Texas State University made Michigan pay off its offensive and defensive mistakes in the Fiesta Bowl, I think Smart is happy to approach this the same way old-school Alabama would in a game against a high-octane offense. Curb the bugs, play the situation and let Jimmy and Joe get into the trenches wearing TCU. I guess the back door won’t be completely closed against Duggan and the Frogs offense is able to put together quick hits, but I do see the Dawgs hanging on for their second straight title. Picks: TCU (+13), under 62.5 | Georgia 34, TCU 27
Dennis Dodd: The biggest reason TCU wins this game…they play in it! In it, the Frogs did indeed do something that previous pretenders to the throne had not done. Boise didn’t get here. Nor Cincinnati nor UCF. So, if taken in a vacuum, TCU could definitely win. Michigan underestimated it. Georgia won’t, but does it matter? Frogs are better than advertised. Scoring and coming from behind are built into their DNA. They will not be intimidated. They won’t freak out 10 in the fourth quarter. Actually, that’s the way they like it, apparently. If you want an early indication of this game, watch TCU center Steve Avila vs. Georgia tackle Jalen Carter. All Avila needs is confrontation. Can Georgia be held responsible for TCU’s athletic performance on defense? Bennett has yet to be suspended, at least the last 16 games during the nation’s longest winning streak. Picks: TCU +13, over 62.5 | Georgia 34, TCU 30
Sheehan Gyarajeh: TCU pulled off the biggest potting upset in college football history to defeat Michigan. Why are you giving up the frogs now? TCU boasts NFL talent all over the field and a receiver who will be first off the plate in April. Georgia proved fallible at times against Ohio State, especially when Darnell Washington walked off with an injury. The Bulldogs rely on tight mismatches to create an effective offense, so even a limited Washington is a concern against Joe Gillespie’s basically sound defense. The touchline is almost too big, especially with a player like Duggan moving the strings. ride with frogs for cover; They have a chance to shock the world. Pick: TCU (+13) | TCU 28, Georgia 24
Adam Silverstein: Georgia was a defining power and TCU is still seen as a spunky underdog who created a useful streak. Despite their seemingly lack of pedigree, the Frogs are more than just a team that surprises opponents and can put up points. They actually go in with the 19th most efficient defense in the nation, and a special teams unit that ranks better than the Dogs in efficiency (49-84). TCU is a live stream dogg A dog in this game, getting close to twice with a team going 9-3 ATS and (at least in my opinion) having a 25% chance of winning the game outright is a great value. At worst, the tailgate cover will be on. The double-digit bowl game favorite is 2-5 ATS this season, and the 5-plus national title favorite is 4-11 ATS since 1999. Pick: TCU (+13) | Georgia 37, TCU 30
Jack Crosby: I enjoyed TCU’s run to the CFP National Championship as much as anyone else. Sure, the Frogs are a Power Five team, but they’re a Cinderella story in the sense that they came off a 5-7 season, fired their longtime coach and were picked to finish seventh in the Big 12 preseason media poll. Dykes has led this team on a truly impressive run, and while it may keep TCU close for a while, Georgia will pull away in the second half as they dominate battles in the trenches. This punishing Georgia team will weaken the Frogs, slowly but surely, and continue to build their dynasty as Smart secures their second straight national title while the Dawgs cover the massive spread. Pick: Georgia (-13). Georgia 45, UCLA 28
Ben Kercheval: There are dozens of ways to dissect this game, but I’ll be KISS Georgia was the best college football team all season. In the biggest matches against the toughest opponents, the Bulldogs have shown time and time again why they are one step above everyone else. TCU has the offensive weapons to attack the Georgia defense, but I’m having a hard time imagining the Dogs defensive line isn’t a factor for the second game in a row. Points will be scored, but not quite in the clip we saw in the semifinals. I’d sell high on frogs after picking at the Fiesta Bowl and even give Georgia my front door cover. Pick: Georgia (-13), 62.5 OVER | Georgia 41, UCLA 27
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