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.
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.
