Gameplan: How Georgia Will Score On Michigan

Georgia's offense coasted through a regular-season slate that saw them demolishing opponents by more than 30 points per game. It was a regular season with one fourth-quarter football game at the start of the season against Clemson, followed by 11 games there were decided and in hand by the start of the fourth quarter.

That was until the SEC Championship game, when for the first time all season, Georgia's offense was in catchup mode.

The first time Georgia's defense failed to live up to the historic standards, Georgia's offense put together their worst performance since that opening game against Clemson, scoring just 24 points in a football game that took 42 to beat Alabama.

So, how do they bounce back against a Michigan defense that statistically speaking, is even better than that Alabama squad?

Be Comfortable with 9 for 75.

Bend but don't break.

That's what Michigan's defense is all about. They will allow you to move the football, they will even allow you to score once you eventually get in the redzone — allowing points on 80% of redzone drives. What they won't let you do is score quickly.

So, offensive coordinator Todd Monken and quarterback Stetson Bennett have got to remain comfortable with scoring drives that take 9 or 10 plays to matriculate down the field.

Michigan's success defensively comes from banking on the fact that over a 10 play drive, you're either going to give up a sack, have a penalty, fail to execute or turn it over. That's their bet, and it's an ideology that's led to a top-5 scoring defense.

Stetson's Legs

With a football team like Michigan that plays this much man-to-man coverage against spread concepts, Georgia could have an advantage when it comes to Stetson Bennett's legs. Defenders will have their backs turned to the quarterback in coverage on Friday, can Bennett's legs extend drives for Georgia? And will Monken put into play a quarterback draw package with how aggressive Michigan's pass rushers can tend to be?

Vary The Pace/Snap Count

People know the stat line of Aidan Hutchinson. The 14.0 sacks, the 15.5 TFLs, the trip to New York for the Heisman Trophy Ceremony. Though what they might not know is how he's gone about that level of production, and it starts with his get-off. His ability to time the snap count, get off the football and rush the pasher is what has set him apart.

The teams that can impact that with snap count manipulation have had a significant advantage. Additionally, Michigan has experienced issues in the past responding to pace. After explosive plays, quickly get back on the football and run a play. Don't allow them time to think or disguise coverage, because they will.

Survive 97 & 55

Georgia has seen elite pass rushers this season, but they haven't seen two of them the caliber of Aidan Hutchinson and David Ojabo on the same field at once. It's a special blend of talent that Michigan possesses and it's inevitable the two of them will have an impact on this game.

However, when Aidan Hutchinson sacks you on Friday, when David Ojabo gets immediate pressure on Friday, it's vital that those plays do not become turnover worthy or swing the momentum of the football game.

When Will Anderson pressured Stetson Bennett immediately off of a play-action look in the SEC Championship Game, it resulted in an interception in the redzone. Those mistakes cannot happen.

Bunch

There's going to come a time in the football game where you need to find an open receiver, and do some immediately. With how much man coverage Michigan has shown in weeks past, and the willingness to play a tremendous amount of press, Georgia will need to utilize bunch formations, as they have all year.

This is Monken's way of hiding a guy like Brock Bowers and naturally creating space for him based on formation and alignment.

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