No. 1 Georgia is looking to complete its run to become the first consecutive national champion since Alabama in 2011-12, and as this journey reaches the home stretch in the college football Playoff semifinals, a formidable foe stands in its way in the form of No. 4 Ohio State in the Peach Bowl. This showdown between the two giant programs should provide plenty of excitement as we prepare to crown a national title winner for the 2022 college football season.
The Bulldogs won their first SEC title since 2017 when they topped LSU in Atlanta earlier this month, while the Buckeyes’ quest for a perfect season came to an abrupt halt in the regular-season finale vs. rival Michigan. One of the biggest storylines is that this one will feature two Heisman Trophy finalists – the Georgia quarterback Stetson Bennet IV and Ohio State Quarterback C.J. Stroud.
Catch all the action from the Peach Bowl Semi-Finals Georgia vs. Georgia LIVE updates. ohio state.
How to Watch Peach Bowl Live
Date: Saturday, Dec. 31 | Time: 8 p.m. ET
Location: Mercedes-Benz Stadium — Atlanta
TV: ESP | Direct: fuboTV (Try for free)
Georgia vs. State of Ohio: need to know
Stroud Factor: It seems there is a narrative forming that the struggles of Stroud vs. Michigan is making a trend rather than an outlier. In reality, nothing could be further from the truth. The Buckeyes’ star quarterback still threw for 349 yards and completed 64.6 of his passes when, for the most part, Michigan knew Stroud aired him. Additionally, Stroud had a month-long reset to fix these errors. Can he take advantage of a Georgian defense comparable to what the Wolverines had to offer? If you choose to count an angry Stroud, do so at your own risk.
Bulldogs can also turn it on: Georgia’s defense is the most noticeable, but its attack has proven throughout the season that it can also light up a scoreboard. He ranks in the top 10 in total offense — his 491.9 yards per game is one spot behind Ohio State — and seventh in yards per game at 6.97. Remember: The Bulldogs haven’t been in many positions where they need to ramp up in order to keep the unblemished record alive. Can Georgia hang if Ohio State forces a shooting? Statistics suggest it is possible.
Ohio State Injury Concerns: star running back Tre Veyon Henderson won’t play due to foot injury and wide receiver Jaxon Smith-Njigba will leave for the NFL next season after suffering a hamstring injury all year. Will their absences decide the match? Smith-Njigba probably won’t. He’s only had five catches all season and hasn’t played since Oct. 27. The Buckeyes have two receivers who have passed the 1,000 yard mark with Marvin Harrison Jr.. and Emeka Egbuka. If someone tells you that Smith-Njigba’s injury is a factor, that person is either lying or hasn’t been paying attention to Ohio State all year. As for Henderson, his injury is suboptimal, but Ohio State was able to work around it as well. Myian Williams is his best rusher this year with 817 yards and 13 touchdowns and has basically been a co-starter with Henderson.
Peach Bowl prediction, choice
I’m going to take the Buckeyes not just to cover, but to win it. The luxury of time will help Ryan Day’s team coach more than Kirby Smart’s, and disrespect will only add to that motivation. Georgia hasn’t been in a shootout situation this year, but Ohio State will on Saturday. I’ll grab the points in case Ohio State fails, but it’s going to be a four-quarter classic. Prediction: Ohio State (+6.5)
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