Georgia vs. Michigan Playoff Prediction
The Michigan Wolverines are a 7.5-point underdog against Georgia in the Capital One Orange Bowl at 7:30 p.m. ET on New Year’s Eve. Will the Bulldogs cover that number or is there a better play on the board when it comes to this College Football Playoff semifinals matchup?
Game Snapshot
269 Georgia Bulldogs (-7.5) vs. 270 Michigan Wolverines (+7.5); o/u 45.5
7:30 p.m. ET, Friday, December 31, 2021
Hard Rock Stadium, Miami Gardens, FL
TV: ESPN
Georgia Bulldogs Game Notes
Georgia redshirt junior QB Stetson Bennett has been named as the team’s starter for the Orange Bowl. There was some speculation that Georgia would opt to start JT Daniels over Bennett following Bennett’s underwhelming performance against Alabama in the SEC Championship game. Even if that option was legitimately on the table for the Bulldogs, Daniels has been in and out of COVID protocols recently, with his health leading up to Friday’s game still being in question. This season, Bennett has thrown for 2,324 yards, 24 touchdowns and seven interceptions while completing 63.6% of his passes. Bennett wasn’t asked to do a whole lot this season playing behind a defense that was allowing under a touchdown per game prior to the SEC Championship game, but when tasked with throwing the ball a season-high 48 times against Alabama in the blowout loss, Bennett looked less than impressive, taking three sacks while throwing two interceptions. Bennett could be in for a difficult matchup against Michigan for a shot at playing for the national championship.
Michigan Wolverines Game Notes
Michigan’s offensive line was named as the winners of the Joe Moore Award, which is awarded annually to the nation’s top offensive line. Michigan’s offensive line has been a key part to their 2021 success, that has so far resulted in a win over Ohio State, a Big Ten championship and a college football playoff berth. Per Pro Football Focus, the Wolverines received a pass blocking grade of 70.9, allowing a total of six sacks this season, and a run blocking grade of 70.4, as they led an offense that ranked 10th in the nation in rushing yards per game (223.8). Michigan’s award winning offensive line will be put to the test on New Year’s Eve, when they face off against Georgia’s top-ranked defense in the Orange Bowl, for a shot at playing for a national championship.
Georgia vs. Michigan Playoffs Betting Prediction
The Bulldogs are 6-2 against the spread in their last eight bowl games, are 5-2 against the number in their last seven non-conference games and are 11-5 at the betting window in their last 16 neutral site games. Georgia is also 20-7 against the spread in their last 27 games following an ATS loss. The Wolverines, meanwhile, have dropped four of their last five neutral site games as an underdog, are 1-4 against the spread in their last five games in December and are 0-4 at the betting window in their last four bowl games.
CAPITAL ONE ORANGE BOWL BETTING PREDICTION: GEORIGA BULLDOGS -7.5