Georgia vs. Oklahoma: Date, time, TV, predictions for Rose Bowl semifinal

Bill Bender

Georgia vs. Oklahoma: Date, time, TV, predictions for Rose Bowl semifinal image

No. 2 Oklahoma (12-1) and No. 3 Georgia (12-1) meet in the Rose Bowl Game, a matchup of traditional rivals from the Big 12 and SEC. 

Here's everything you need to know to watch the Rose Bowl semifinal matchup between the Sooners and Bulldogs:

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What

Rose Bowl Game (College Football Playoff) 

Where

Rose Bowl Stadium (Pasadena, Calif.) 

When

Monday, Jan. 1, 5 p.m. 

How to watch

ESPN, live-steam at WatchESPN

Line

Georgia -1.5 

Last meeting

This is the first meeting between the schools.

BOWLS: Rankings | Picks 

Keys to victory 

Baker Mayfield's game 

Mayfield is the heavy favorite to win the Heisman Trophy, and the last time the College Football Playoff semifinal was played in Pasadena, two Heisman winners in Jameis Winston and Marcus Mariota took the stage. Winston flopped while Mariota led a blowout. How will Mayfield handle the big stage against an SEC opponent in one of college football's most-fabled venues? That's the headline, win or lose.

Georgia's halftime adjustments 

Only two schools scored more than 20 points on the Bulldogs this season, and one was Missouri in a 53-28 shootout on Oct. 14. Georgia limited that high-flying offense to just seven points in the second half. Once the Bulldogs' defense — led by linebacker Roquan Smith — gets a look at Mayfield, it will be interesting to see how it adjusts with defensive coordinator Mel Tucker. For what it's worth, the Bulldogs rushed for 370 yards in that win against the Tigers. Which leads us to … 

Who wins the ground game? 

While the tandem of Nick Chubb and Sony Michel will get the most attention leading up to the game, Oklahoma has two productive running backs in Rodney Anderson and Trey Sermon. Anderson's status will be a storyline considered he was named in a protective order in an Oklahoma court on Dec. 4. The teams have two different rushing attacks, but whoever wins this battle will likely win the game, and coaches Kirby Smart and Lincoln Riley know that.

MORE: College Football Playoff odds: Who's the favorite?

Bold prediction

Mayfield throws two interceptions in the first half but heats up in the second half to bring the Sooners back. 

Early pick

Oklahoma 31-28. Mayfield delivers in the fourth quarter and heads to Atlanta, hoping to lead the Sooners to their first national championship since 2000.

Bill Bender

Bill Bender Photo

Bill Bender graduated from Ohio University in 2002 and started at The Sporting News as a fantasy football writer in 2007. He has covered the College Football Playoff, NBA Finals and World Series for SN. Bender enjoys story-telling, awesomely-bad 80s movies and coaching youth sports.