Why the Georgia Bulldogs Will Win the College Football Playoff

On Dec 25, 2022

They are the defending national champions, have been ranked No. 1 all year and are listed favorites (-138) at the SI Sportsbook to win this College Football Playoff.

Despite losing a slew of players in the NFL Draft, Georgia has remain unscathed this fall with all but one victory coming by double digits. That includes a two-touchdown win over Tennessee and recent 50-30 thrashing of LSU in the SEC title game.

Yes, Georgia draws perhaps the most talented No. 4 seed in playoff history with Ohio State to begin. But The Bulldogs are (in many ways) like Michigan, just bigger and better… and we saw what the Wolverines just did to Ohio State for the second year in a row.

Speaking of Michigan… they were absolutely stymied (34-11) by UGA in the semifinal round last year and, at the moment, are favored to meet Georgia in this year’s championship game. What makes us think anything from last year will be any different should they rematch?

Georgia’s defense ranks first nationally in rushing yards allowed (77.0/game), second in scoring (12.8/gm) and third in third-down percentage (.267). The unit features an All-American at every level in the forms of defensive tackle Jalen Carter, linebacker Jamon Dumas-Johnson and fifth-year safety Christopher Smith.

(Jalen Carter)

The Bulldogs get a banged up Ohio State backfield without TreVeyon Henderson again followed by a Michigan team, no matter how good Donovan Edwards has been, still adjusting to life without Blake Corum. If Georgia makes you one-dimensional, it gets ugly.

Georgia only played three games against nationally-ranked teams this year, but their average margin of victory in those contests was just over 26 points. This might not be the flashiest team… but there’s a reason the fine folks in Sin City have the minus money against the field to repeat.