Orange peel
Michigan versus Georgia; Hard Rock Stadium, Miami Gardens, Florida (Click to stream: 7:30 p.m. ET on ESPN)
From the AP:
The semi-finals of the college football playoffs at the Orange Bowl will face aspiring Michigan against a Georgia team that went undefeated in the regular season before suffering a modest loss to the reigning national champions.
Defense was the calling card for both of them.
The December 31 matchup at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens, Florida was scheduled when the Wolverines were second and the Bulldogs third on the CFP final rankings published on Sunday.
Michigan (12-1) and Georgia (12-1) are two of the most traditional programs in college football, but they have only faced each other twice so far. They split the two meetings, one in 1957 and the other in 1965.
The Wolverines got going after their only loss, 37-33 in Michigan State on October 30th. 2 Ohio State and scored a 42-3 beatdown against Iowa in the Big Ten championship game on Saturday night.
“Just a few people who wanted to do their best and then feel good about what they achieved,” Michigan’s manager Jim Harbaugh told ESPN. “You have achieved a lot with a lot of work. People who just work and don’t worry. “
Georgia, which was the country’s most dominant defense in their first 12 games, started the season with high expectations. The Bulldogs were No. 5 preseason and No. 2 for Alabama in the first five regular season polls. They took the top spot after Alabama lost to Texas A&M on October 9, and stayed there until they dropped to 3rd in the AP poll on Sunday.
The Bulldogs went into the championship game of the Southeastern Conference as a touchdown favorite against Alabama. But their offense went flat and resulted in two turns, one with an interception for a touchdown, and they only turned 3 out of 12 third downs. Alabama’s Bryce Young tossed for 421 yards and three touchdowns and the Bulldogs lost 41-24.
“At a time like this, you have to be brutally honest with yourself,” said Georgia coach Kirby Smart. “You need to be able to go through it and say, ‘Well who are we? What are we doing? Well, maybe we are not as good as we thought we are in some areas, and where can we improve that? ‘ And sometimes you see it through a loss. “
Defense is the identity for both teams. The Wolverines have two of the best defensive ends in the country with Aidan Hutchinson and David Ojabo who collectively raised 25 sacks, and Georgia has the best defensive tackle in Outland Trophy finalist Jordan Davis.
This year’s other semifinals No. 1 Alabama (12-1) against No. 4 Cincinnati (13-0) in the Cotton Bowl. The winners will play for the national championship on January 10th in Indianapolis.
A WHOLE ASCENT
Michigan become the first team to reach the playoffs after not counting in the preseason. The Wolverines, who were 2-4 in the 2020 season shortened by the pandemic, only cracked the AP Top 25 after their second game, a 31-10 win over Washington on September 11th.
FAMILY EDITION
Harbaugh will again train against the school where his brother-in-law Tom Crean is the men’s basketball coach.
Harbaugh took office from Michigan in 2015, and Crean was the head coach of fellow Big Ten Indiana for the first two years. Crean is in his fourth season with Georgia. Crean is married to Harbaugh’s sister, Joani.
GEORGIA WOLVERINES
There are seven Georgia residents on Michigan’s list. Three of them are starters: cornerback DJ Turner (Suwanee), defensive lineman Christopher Hinton (Johns Creek) and long snapper William Wagner (Alpharetta). The Bulldogs have no Michigan players.
NO QB CONTROVERSE
Smart questions about the Bulldogs quarterback situation. Stetson Bennett threw 340 yards and three touchdowns but was intercepted twice, with one returning for a touchdown that gave Alabama a 21-point lead in the fourth quarter.
JT Daniels was the starter of the season but had injury issues. Bennett took over as a starter in October. Smart said there was no discussion of playing Daniels against Alabama and there were plans to fight Bennett for the Orange Bowl.
THE LAST TIME
The last time the teams met, Georgia defeated the No. 7 Wolverines on October 2, 1965 15-7 in what was billed as the bar game for Vince Dooley’s undersized but 10th-place Bulldogs .
Georgia climbed to fourth place that year but lost four out of six to end the season. It wasn’t a year for the Wolverines either. They started the season in 4th place but finished 4-6 under Bump Elliott.
Georgia (12-1, SEC, No. 3 CFP) vs. Michigan (12-1, Big Ten, No. 2 CFP) December 31, 7:30 p.m. ET
LOCATION: Miami Gardens, Florida
TOP PLAYER
Georgia: TE Brock Bowers, 47 catches, 791 yards, 11 TDs.
Michigan: DE Aidan Hutchinson, 14 sacks, 15.5 TFL, 58 tackles, 12 QB hurries.
REMARKABLE
Georgia: The Bulldogs are in the playoff for the second time and for the first time since 2017-18. They’re also making their 25th straight bowl appearance, the longest active streak in the country.
Michigan: The Wolverines won their first Big Ten championship since 2004 and are the first unranked preseason team to reach the playoffs.
LAST TIME
Georgia 15, Michigan 7 (October 2, 1965)
BOWL HISTORY
Georgia: Fourth Orange Bowl appearance, first since 1960 (14-0 win over Missouri) and 58th overall bowl appearance.
Michigan: Fourth Orange Bowl appearance, for the first time since 2016 (33-32 loss to Florida State) and 49th overall bowl appearance.
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