Georgia vs. TCU: Major Matchups in the National Championship
Los Angeles, Calf. — Georgia and TCU have made their way to the City of Angels and we’re just a few days away from the 2023 College Football Playoff Final. TCU got here with an upset win over Michigan. Georgia overcame two 14-point deficits to take down Ohio State by a point.
The Bulldogs are a strong favorite, 12.5 points according to VegasINsider.com, but games are often decided by matchups. Below, DawgsHQ breaks down the ones we feel are the biggest as UGA tries to repeat as National Champs.
Georgia cornerbacks vs. TCU wideout Quentin Johnston
Johnston is a stud. He’s big, fast, and confident. He doesn’t have to be open to make big plays but he can get open. He doesn’t have to stretch the defense to bite off chunks of yardage, evidenced by the short pass he caught against Michigan that he turned into a long touchdown.
Georgia has to know where he is and it has to make him fight on every route and for every ball. Kelee Ringo and Kamari Lassiter have the size to match up. They should have the raw speed to keep up as well
DawgsHQ’s Take: It is highly unlikely that the Bulldogs will follow Johnston with a cornerback. Both Lassiter and Ringo are going to draw the matchup and the key is playing the ball in the air. The second key is getting him on the ground when catches it. Shutting him down is going to be incredibly difficult but the Bulldogs can put TCU in a bind by keeping him under control.
UGA offensive line vs. TCU’s exotic blitzes and stunts
This should be the No. 1 area of concern for the Georgia offense. The Bulldogs have done a great job assignment and communication over the past couple of months. Teams have caught Georgia flat footed a time or two, but not much more than that in a given game.
But TCU presents a different challenge. Michigan’s offensive line had an awful time of it against the Horned Frogs defense. TCU blitzed and stunted its way to 14 tackles for loss against an offensive line that was considered the best in America.
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DawgsHQ’s Take: It won’t be easy and TCU is going to have some success. It has good players and those guys know the scheme. They believe in the scheme. They play with their hair on fire. Michigan had some success running it right at the Horned Frogs. Pass protection will be key. UGA’s communication has to be on point.
Georgia quarterback Stetson Bennett vs. TCU’s risk/reward secondary
Bennett had a bad turnover against Ohio State but that wasn’t because he was confused with the coverage. It was because he just made a bad decision with a little pressure. He has been good at taking care of the ball the second half of the season.
With that said, TCU has some really talented guys in the secondary. It has guys who move around a lot and make plays at different levels. Tre’Vius Hodges-Tomlinson might be the best cornerback the Bulldogs have faced this year and every guy in that group runs extremely well.
Dawgs HQ’s Take: Georgia will almost certainly win this game if it doesn’t turn the ball over. TCU’s defense needs to create negative plays to get stops. That includes picking passes off. The Horned Frogs thrive on havoc. Bennett has to be smart with the football and he has to make TCU pay when it takes risks.
