Jan 1, 2023

Admit it, you didn’t think they’d do it.

Not

    • 1 Related

    Georgia: After winning the program’s first national title since the 1980 season, questions immediately surfaced if Georgia could do it again — this time without five first-round NFL draft picks who left the defense. Well, here the Bulldogs are again, one step away. It began in the season opener with a complete dismantling of Oregon in a 49-3 win that continued to resonate through Selection Day. When the Bulldogs defeated then-No. 1 Tennessee on Nov. 5, they established themselves as the clear-cut No. 1 team in the eyes of the selection committee and never gave anyone a reason to doubt it. With a commanding 50-30 win over LSU in the SEC championship game, Georgia cemented its place in the CFP again thanks to another stellar defense and the leadership of quarterback Stetson Bennett. The defense entered the semifinal allowing the second-fewest points per game in the FBS.

    Last national title: 2021

    Key players

    Stetson Bennett can’t find the words to say after Georgia escapes with a miraculous win over Ohio State.

    TCU: QB Max Duggan. He began the season as TCU’s backup quarterback and is heading to the national championship game as the Heisman runner-up. It’s an improbable story that mirrors that of the entire team, as the Frogs have been so difficult to bring down. Duggan, who led the Big 12 in passing yards and passing touchdowns, has been one of the toughest players in the country to defend because of his sheer will and his combined ability to run and throw the deep ball. His 76-yard touchdown pass to Quentin Johnson on Saturday was the longest reception Michigan allowed since 2019. He entered the game having thrown just four interceptions all season but threw two against Michigan.

    Georgia: QB Stetson Bennett. His journey from a walk-on in 2017 to last year’s national championship MVP has been well-documented, but his story isn’t over. The Heisman Trophy finalist enters his second straight national championship with a 28-3 record as Georgia’s starter and with the edge in postseason experience against TCU’s Duggan. Bennett’s poise and confidence has been critical to Georgia’s success, and he has been driven — not deterred — by the naysayers throughout his career. He has set the school record for completions in a season, and he also has accounted for seven rushing touchdowns. With little if anything left to prove, Bennett enters the national championship game having thrown 21 touchdowns and seven interceptions this year.

    Matchup to watch: TCU’s offensive line vs. Georgia’s defensive line

    If TCU is going to have any chance at the upset, it’s going to have to win this battle to give Duggan time to make plays and to establish its running game. Ohio State found ways to make big plays in the passing game against Georgia, and TCU certainly has the ability to do that, but the Frogs can’t become one-dimensional.

    Georgia entered Saturday night with one of the top rushing defenses in the country, holding opponents to 2.9 yards per carry and just five rushing touchdowns.

    X factors

    TCU WR Quentin Johnston. At 6-foot-4, 215 pounds, Johnston has created matchup problems for defenses and emerged as Duggan’s top target with the ability to rack up yards after the catch. With another 163 receiving yards against Michigan, Johnston enters the national title game with a team-best 1,066 yards, 59 catches and six touchdown receptions — impressive numbers despite missing two games with a high-ankle injury. He has allowed the Frogs to stretch the field, and some of his best performances came against the toughest competition. His clutch touchdown catch at Kansas gave the Frogs the lead with just under four minutes to play. The following week, he did it again in a double-overtime win against Oklahoma State. Johnston is a first-round NFL draft prospect who could be the first receiver off the board.

    Georgia: DT Jalen Carter: There’s a photo from the SEC championship game that sums up the havoc Carter can wreak on a quarterback — not that LSU quarterback Jayden Daniels will need it to remember. In the picture, the 6-foot-3, 300-pound defensive tackle is holding Daniels effortlessly in his left arm like a toy, while holding up his right hand, signaling No. 1. That’s exactly where he might be drafted, as Mel Kiper Jr. has Carter projected as the No. 1 overall pick. In the six games leading up to Saturday night’s semifinal, Carter accounted for 24 tackles, 6.5 TFLs, three sacks and a pair of forced fumbles.