Georgia opens as solid favorite over Ohio State, ESPN experts cite Atlanta stadium advantage
DawgNation Staff
ATHENS — Georgia has opened as a 7-point favorite over Ohio State in the CFP Peach Bowl Semifinal and will have a bit of a home-field edge.
The Bulldogs (13-0) bring the No. 1-ranking into the matchup with the No. 4-ranked Buckeyes (11-1) leading to their opportunity to play some 70 miles away from the UGA campus in Mercedes-Benz Stadium.
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“Kirby Smart can say seedings don’t matter, but they’re playing in that building for the third time,” said Chris Fowler, an ESPN analyst and ABC play-by-play man who’s expected to call the game along with Kirk Herbstreit at 8 p.m. on Dec. 31.
“Game One and Game 13 they scored, what, 99 points combined against Oregon and LSU? Slight edge, seeding does matter in that game.”
Fowler pointed out this is only the second time Georgia and Ohio State have met, the first meeting coming after the 1992 season when a Bulldogs’ team featuring Eric Zeier and Garrison Hearst beat a Buckeyes team quarterbacked by Herbstreit that had Robert Smith in the backfield by a 21-14 count.
“They will have to do what a lot of Buckeyes’ fans thirst to do, go into SEC territory and prove a point,” Herbstreit said.
“Playing Georgia in Atlanta, you talk about energy in a building, if you want to get redemption there’s no better way than to stand up to Kirby Smart in that building.”
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It’s Georgia’s 26th consecutive bowl appearance, which marks the longest active streak in the nation.
Michigan (13-0) is a 9 1/2-point favorite over TCU (12-1) in the CFP Fiesta Bowl Semifinal at 4 p.m. on Dec. 31 in Glendale, Ariz.
Alabama finished No. 5 in the CFP rankings and will play Kansas State in the Sugar Bowl, while Tennessee was No. 6 and will meet Clemson in the Orange Bowl.
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Here’s a look at how the four CFP teams compare in major statistical categories:
Scoring offense
No. 2 Ohio State (44.5 ppg.)
No. 6 TCU (40.3)
No. 7 Michigan (40.1)
No. 11 Georgia (39.2)
Total offense
No. 6 Ohio State (492.7)
No. 7 Georgia (491.9)
No. 16 TCU (473.0)
No. 27 Michigan (453.5)
Rushing offense
No. 6 Michigan (243 ypg)
No. 18 Georgia (207.0)
No. 25 TCU (200.0)
No. 28 Ohio State (198.5)
Pass efficiency offense
No. 2 Ohio State (175.78)
No. 4 TCU (163.29)
No. 16 Georgia (156.12)
No. 24 Michigan (152.66)
Scoring defense
No. 2 Georgia (12.77)
No. 5 Michigan (13.38)
No. 13 Ohio State (19.25)
No. 57 TCU (25.00)
Total defense
No. 3 Michigan (277.1)
No. 9 Georgia (292.1)
No. 12 Ohio State (303.9)
No. 74 TCU (385.1)
Rushing defense
No. 1. Georgia (77.0)
No. 3 Michigan (85.2)
No. 23 Ohio State (119.9)
No. 66 TCU (149.5)
Pass efficiency defense
No. 3 Michigan (106.57)
No. 11 Georgia (111.93)
No. 25 TCU (118.62)
No. 41 Ohio State (124.93)
LSU QB ankle injury could factor into Georgia betting line increase …