By: Robert Craft

TheSouthernSportsEdition.com news services

Georgia has been the most dominant team in college football in 2021 and on December 31st the Dawgs have one more team to tackle to reach the College Football Championship Game.

We all know what Georgia has to do to win this game, but what does Michigan have to do?

Pretty simple, smother the Bulldogs offense. This is arguably the best defense Georgia will face. Statistically, Clemson is better, but half the ACC offenses are hot garbage, and the other half are mostly gimmicky like Wake Forest, so less impressive than SEC and Big Ten defenses.

1. Holding Georgia to 20-24 points should give Michigan ample opportunity to win, and I don’t think it’s out of the question that they keep them to well less than that.
2. Efficient start on offense. This is my biggest concern, because Michigan tends to start a bit slower. It’s gotten better, no doubt about it, but it’s still not consistently coming out swinging. The first two drives against PSU were 3-and-out’s, the first two drives against Wisconsin produced 37 yards on 14 plays.
3. If they come out and start like they did against Ohio State and put a touchdown on the board, you can get Georgia away from their strength (running the ball) and make them put the game in Stetson Bennett’s hands, which is how you beat them.

Michigan doesn’t need to run for 297 yards like it did against OSU, but they do need to average above 4.0 ypc, and throw the ball fairly well.

4. No big mistakes. No interceptions, no turnovers, no shanked punts, etc. A defensive slugfest = field position and possession. Be clean with the football and don’t give Georgia anything they can’t earn themselves. Do the little things right and you can make it happen.

Prediction: You know, I’m very torn. Spread here is about a touchdown in Georgia’s favor depending on where you look.

I think it’s much closer to a toss-up than a no-brainer. I think Georgia has more talent and speed, but I think this Michigan team is as gritty and tough as they come, and Georgia has not dealt with much competition this season.

When Alabama punched UGA in the mouth, they faltered and fell behind. Can Michigan do the same?

Additionally, Michigan’s thrived with the chip on their shoulder, everyone’s doubting them this year. The Wolverines have heard non-stop about how they can’t match up with Georgia’s front seven, while Georgia comes in with a lot of questions and uncertainty.

Obviously, no one really is looking ahead in the playoffs, but Georgia’s probably got more reason to forecast than Michigan.

I think the intangibles favor Michigan, and the talent favors Georgia. The other major factor is coaching, and again, think we’re pretty split here.

Defensive Coordinators Lanning and MacDonald could be identical twins in terms of coaching profiles.

Michigan offensively, however, has been more creative than Todd Monken’s group, though to his defense, he simply hasn’t needed to be. I think that one is a slight edge to Michigan.

I’ll add this. Michigan is an underdog here. Do not flip out because some people may be less confident than you are.

Yes, Michigan has defied expectations and reversed some narratives, but that does not mean you always ride them if you don’t think they’ll win. It’s totally fine if you think Michigan loses. It’s totally fine if you think Michigan wins.

None of us are as prophetic as we like to think we are. The only opinions that matter are those of the two hundred or so coaches and players on the sideline that New Year’s Eve.

Not yours, not anyone’s here. I have had a perfect string predicting these games this season, and that includes a bunch of people flipping out because I picked Alabama to win earlier this year.

We all have wrong takes, it doesn’t matter. Win or lose, this season was a major success for the Michigan Wolverines and the Georgia Bulldogs.

Now, enough stalling….Can I see Michigan winning it? Yup!

Can I see Georgia winning it? You bet!

Can I see Georgia running away with it? Probably more likely than vice versa. But I think there’s enough to go with the Dawgs, and that’s what I’m going to do:

Final Score: Georgia 31 Michigan 13.