No. 1 Georgia will take on No. 3 TCU in the 2023 College Football Playoff championship game.
Game time is set for 8 p.m. ET on Jan. 9 at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, Cailf. The game will be televised on ESPN.
Georgia (14-0) beat No. 4 Ohio State 42-41 in the CFP semifinals at the Peach Bowl. Bulldogs QB Stetson Bennett bolstered his big-game reputation with a fourth-quarter comeback.
The Bulldogs now have a chance to win back-to-back national championships under coach Kirby Smart and become the first repeat champions of the CFP era. Their loaded roster is full of All-Americans led by defensive tackle Jalen Carter.
MORE: Watch the College Football Playoff national title game live with fuboTV (free trial)
TCU (13-1) beat No. 2 Michigan 51-45 in the CFP semifinal at the Fiesta Bowl. The Horned Frogs had 200-1 odds to reach the playoff before the season. They now have a chance to become the first Big 12 school to win a national championship since 2000.
MORE: Has TCU ever won a national championship? History of Horned Frogs' best seasons
First-year coach Sonny Dykes has worked wonders with an offense led by quarterback Max Duggan. TCU averages 41.1 points per game. Thorpe Award winner TreVius Hodges-Tomlinson leads the defense.
MORE: Is Tre'Vius Hodges-Tomlinson related to LaDainian Tomlinson?
Georgia is 4-0 in the all-time series against TCU. That record includes a Bulldogs win in the Liberty Bowl in 2016, Smart’s first season. The stakes are much higher this time.
MORE: Georgia football championships history: How many national titles have the Bulldogs won?
Here is everything you need to know to bet on Georgia vs. TCU:
Georgia vs. TCU odds
- Spread: Georgia -13
- Over/under: 63
- Moneyline: Georgia -600, TCU +430
This is the largest championship game line in the nine-year history of the College Football Playoff. Four of Georgia’s last six games have hit the over. Four of TCU’s last six games have hit the under. Monitor how that line fluctuates leading up to kickoff.
Three trends to know
— Georgia is 5-0 ATS this season when favored by 20 points or fewer and they 3-1 ATS against ranked opponents. Georgia averaged 42 points per game in those ranked games, including the shootout with Ohio State in the Peach Bowl.
— TCU is 3-0 S/U as an underdog this season, with the victories over marquee programs Oklahoma, Texas and Michigan. The Horned Frogs also 6-1 in games decided by eight points or fewer, with the lone loss coming to Kansas State, 31-28 in overtime, in the Big 12 championship game.
— Georgia is 7-1 S/U and 6-2 ATS in neutral-site games the last two seasons.
Three things to watch
— Veteran quarterbacks. Bennett and Duggan were Heisman Trophy finalists this season, and both delivered in the CFP semifinals. Bennett has been on point against ranked teams, and he added to that trend with 398 yards and three touchdowns against Ohio State. In three CFP games, Bennett has averaged 311.7 passing yards with thrown eight TDs to one interception. How will he attack a TCU secondary led by Hodges-Tomlinson? The Horned Frogs are opportunistic but also prone to giving up big plays. Duggan, meanwhile, is a do-it-all-wonder, and he’s working with Quentin Johnston. Can TCU’s offensive line hold up long enough to give him time against a Georgia secondary that has allowed 450 yards per game the past two games?
— Georgia vs. the 3-3-5. TCU's run defense stood up against Michigan, and Dee Winters was a factor. The Bulldogs have a methodical rushing attack with Daijuan Edwards, Kenny McIntosh and Kendall Milton, but they had to get away from it after being forced into catch-up mode against the Buckeyes. If that running game is working, then Georgia will be content to control the clock and set up play-action with Bennett. Will the Horned Frogs counter with run blitzes under Joe Gillespie? TCU cannot let Georgia bully it on the ground.
— Is Cinderella a Horned Frog? Georgia is the heavy favorite in this game, but TCU has been comfortable playing close games all season. Kendre Miller left the Michigan game, but backup running back Emari Demercado rushed for 150 yards in his place. TCU must have a running game to complement the passing attack; expect Duggan to get more carries in this game. If the Horned Frogs make this a four-quarter game, then that means TCU succeeded in turning it into a Big 12-type shootout and took Georgia out of its comfort zone.
MORE: What is a horned frog? Explaining TCU's nickname & mascot
Stat that matters
The Horned Frogs scored every time they reached the red zone against the Wolverines, and they have to score TDs against the Bulldogs. Georgia's offense led the FBS with a .972 red-zone scoring percentage coming into the semifinals, and coordinator Todd Monken is an excellent play-caller inside the 20. Georgia is going to move the ball; can TCU force field goals, especially in the first half?
In the eight years of the CFP championship, the winning team has averaged 39.8 points per game. The loser has averaged 22.1 points. Which team will get to 40 points first in this year's game?
TCU vs. Georgia prediction
After the high-scoring semifinals, any over looks easy, right? Look for TCU to let loose early, but the pressure will be on TCU offensive coordinator Garrett Riley to protect Duggan from what is sure to be an aggressive Georgia pass rush. Can TCU win that battle consistently? The extra week between games will allow Ladd McConkey and Darnell Washington to heal from injuries. Look for Bennett to spread the wealth. Arian Smith broke out with three catches for 129 yards and a touchdown in the semifinals. He and Brock Bowers will catch TDs, the Bulldogs will jump out to an early lead in the first half, and the running game will wear on the Horned Frogs in the second half. Georgia captures a second straight championship and starts off 2023 in the No. 1 spot looking for a three-peat.
Final score: Georgia 41, TCU 27
