Quentin Johnston, Dee Winters detail initial takeaways as heavy underdogs against Georgia

TCU has been bet against all year long – that won’t change as we approach the College Football Playoff National Championship game. Georgia will enter the title game as double-digit favorite over the Horned Frogs, something that is not shock to TCU stars Quentin Johnston and Dee Winters.

“I’m not surprised with it given that we were picked to be seventh in the Big 12 and end up coming out on top. Obviously being the underdog is something we’re not unfamiliar with,” Johnston said. “So going to try to just keep moving like we did the rest of the season. And keep our heads to the ground and keep playing football.”

Winters agreed with his teammate.

“All year we’ve been picked second to last in the Big 12,” he said. “And then coming into the playoffs being the underdog against Michigan. But I think the big thing for us as a whole, it just fuels us and kind of gives us a little more motivation to go out there and prove who we are and show what TCU is about.”

The TCU coaching staff has done a fantastic job motiving the players, Winters said. Knowing how hard they prepared for each game all season, it was rewarding to prove everyone wrong when every person outside of the Horned Frogs program was betting against them. Johnston said that was one of the biggest motivating factors – Georgia is no different.

Georgia is officially a 12.5-point favorite over TCU, per Vegas Insider. From a bettor’s perspective, the Horned Frogs have covered the spread in 11 of their 14 games this season. Even if they can’t dethrone the Bulldogs, coming within two scores is a legitimate possibility – and history says they can do it.

Kickoff between TCU and Georgia in the College Football Playoff National Championship game is scheduled for this coming Monday, Jan. 9 at 7:30 p.m. ET live from SoFi Stadium in Los Angeles. ESPN will carry the national broadcast.