When No. 1 Georgia and No. 3 TCU battle Monday night in the College Football Playoff National Championship, the Bulldogs will be looking to become the first back-to-back national champions since Alabama in 2011-12. Georgia has enjoyed one of the most remarkable seasons in recent memory, finishing the regular season undefeated for the second straight year and winning the SEC championship for the first time since 2017.
Outside of the Missouri game on Oct. 1, the Bulldogs were never really challenged until last weekend in the dramatic Peach Bowl semifinal win over No. 4 Ohio State. Their offense is fourth in the nation in yards per play (7.09) and their defense chimes in at No. 18 in yards per play given up (4.95). Simply put, this is not only the most consistent team in the country but perhaps in the storied history of Georgia football.
It won't matter all that much if they can't finish things off with a win over TCU, however. So what needs to happen at SoFi Stadium in Los Angeles? Let's break down the five keys for Georgia to repeat as national champions.
1. Contain the wide receivers
Quentin Johnston is the leader of the TCU receiving corps, and he's coming into this game as hot as a firecracker. The 6-foot-4, 215-pound wide receiver has emerged as one of the most dynamic playmakers in the country. He had 163 yards and a touchdown in the win over Michigan, which brought his season total to 1,066 yards receiving and six touchdowns. It isn't just Johnston, though. Taye Barber, Derius Davis and Savion Williams have all showed moments of brilliance this year, and are capable of taking control if teams focus too much on Johnston.
"Their size on the outside stands out a lot," Georgia defensive back Javon Bullard said this week. "We know they've got some very large receivers, big catch radiuses and they can run. Anytime you have that size on the perimeter, whether it's quick game or deep balls, it's always a great matchup."
Georgia's defense has been stellar over the last two seasons, but TCU is riding high. The best way to neutralize the Horned Frogs is to make them one-dimensional, and Georgia's secondary is going to have to step it up based on its struggles over the last two games.
2. Spread the ball around
Georgia tight end Brock Bowers only had one catch while Ladd McConkey only had two catches for -1 yard through three quarters of the Peach Bowl. That can't happen. Luckily for Georgia, Bennett found Adonai Mitchell for the game-winning touchdown, Arian Smith for a critical fourth-quarter touchdown and Marcus Rosemy-Jacksaint and Kearis Jackson had big catches in key situations. This versatility in the passing game is a new development for Georgia.
"We've had a musical chairs, and most people do because people have injuries at wide receiver positions, but between AD, Marcus, there's been a lot there," coach Kirby Smart said this week. "And I think [WR coach] Bryan McClendon and [offensive coordinator Todd] Monken have done a tremendous job of slicing and dicing those roles."
The status of McConkey and tight end Darnell Washington is in doubt, so Bennett will need to use all of his weapons to attack this Horned Frogs defense.
3. Slow down Max Duggan
The star quarterback of the Horned Frogs leads Big 12 signal callers in rushing plays of 10 or more yards (21), and is second among quarterbacks in overall rushing yards (461). He'll be going up against a Georgia defense that is currently second in the nation in stopping runs of 10 or more yards (30), one behind James Madison ... which has played three fewer games than the Bulldogs.
It's simple to point that a team has to prevent big plays, but Duggan is one of those quarterbacks who not only has the size and speed of a star but the underrated ability to make the right decision to hand the ball off or pull it on zone reads almost every time. TCU stretches defenses not only north and south but also east and west. Duggan is the reason for that. Georgia can't let him get cooking.
4. Don't let special teams hurt
Georgia kicker Jack Podlesny missed two field goals against the Buckeyes and his only attempt vs. LSU in the SEC Championship Game. That's a stark contrast from the rest of the season when he didn't miss a single field goal in 10 of Georgia's 12 regular-season games, which includes two games that didn't include attempts. That can come back to haunt teams in big games, and this is the worst time for Podlesny to find himself in a little slump.
TCU's Derius Davis finished third in the nation in punt return average at 14.89 and was one of five players who tallied a nation's best two punt returns for touchdowns. Georgia actually finished last in the SEC in opponent punt return average after it gave up 18.33 yards per return. However, punter Brett Thorson only had six of his 33 punts returned, which means that the true identity of Georgia's punt coverage team is still a bit of a mystery.
5. Don't underestimate the Horned Frogs
TCU has won games in just about every way imaginable. It dug itself out of holes, blew teams out, won with offense, won with defense and relied on special teams. You name it, the Horned Fogs have done it. Yet, they are still being branded as "Cinderella." That's dangerous for defending national champion Georgia, which was rarely tested until last week vs. the Buckeyes.
"I think the Cinderella label probably started to wear off a little bit after the three-game gauntlet where we had to play three or four on the road, West Virginia, Texas and Baylor," TCU coach Sonny Dykes said earlier this week. "I think at that point our guys started to believe, okay, we're a real football team and we're a battle-hardened team and we've had to overcome some adversity. And you know what? We have a chance to make a run."
Complacency hasn't been a problem for Georgia this year. In fact, leading up to the national semifinal, its players said that they have treated the entire season as if they're the hunter, not the hunted. That can't change on Monday.
