What We Learned About Georgia vs Ohio State

The No. 1 ranked Georgia Bulldogs and the. No. 4 ranked Ohio State Buckeyes are set to face off in the Chic-Fil-A Peach Bowl for a chance to play for a national title in Los Angeles on January 9th. Though first, members from both teams, both coaches and players alike, have taken time to talk to the media.

We've spoken to both head coaches, half of the coordinators from both teams, and over a dozen players to date. So, what have we learned about the matchup?

Ohio State Comfortable with "Underdog" label

"I haven't put no thought to it. I feel like we're still Ohio State. We're still the Buckeyes. Georgia is Georgia for a reason. So I mean, I definitely think -- I mean, even talking to some of other guys on our team, it's been respect. I don't want to say that I feel like the underdog. I don't feel like -- I do feel like they are counting us out. That's fine." - CJ Stroud on being a 6.5 point underdog.

"I think overall, the team likes it a lot. At this point, we have nothing to lose. So we're just here for a reason. I think everybody counts us out, but at the same time, it's what you take on the Buckeye name for." - Chip Trayunum on being an underdog.

Georgia and Ohio State Dealing with Injuries

Georgia head coach Kirby Smart said that he's "hopeful" for the return of both Ladd McConkey and Warren McClendon, he told the media on Monday. Both players were banged up during the SEC Championship game. McConkey has been battling through a lingering knee issue and McClendon suffered a newer sprain against LSU.

Ohio State running back Miyan Williams is dealing with a leg injury though offensive coordinator Kevin Wilson didn't seem overly concerned, saying that they have multiple contributors ready to step in and play good football. The Buckeyes will obviously be without both Jaxon Smith-Njigba and Treyveon Henderson in the matchup as well.

These Two Programs are More Similar than Different

Sure, they might look different. They might win in different ways. One defensive power with an A- offense, one offensive power with an A- defense. But these two programs share far more in common than one would picture at first glance.

Look at the recruiting rankings. Georgia sits at No. 2 with a composite score of 93.37 per athlete only behind Alabama. Ohio State isn't far behind at 92.82 per player. There are only a handful of teams in the sport that stand in comparison to the levels of talent acquisition these two programs have sustained.

It's not just immense talent either. Listen to the way the players speak at the podium. The "we, not me" first approach, the stern avoidance of any shred of bulletin board material, and the "tremendous amount of respect" for the opponent that they show. It's clear that these are not just college football programs, they are professionally run organizations with professionals in them. I think coaches refer to this as "culture."

"We Do What We Do"

It was said in a variety of ways. Whether it was CJ Stroud saying that "that was good for LSU, but we gotta go play Buckeye football," when asked about comparing LSU's passing success to their potential success. Or even when Glenn Schumann said, "We're really focused on making sure that we bring our best, and regardless of who we're playing."

There will be adjustments made, but these teams play their brand of football. For Ohio State, that's attempting to score on every play, prioritizing the quarterback and wide receiver positions while stacking sizeable assets everywhere else. While at Georgia it will be a defensive first mentality predicated on physicality and balanced talent acquisition.

Two programs that may be strangers to one another, but they are certainly not strangers to success.

Ohio State Comfortable with "Underdog" label

Georgia and Ohio State Dealing with Injuries

These Two Programs are More Similar than Different

"We Do What We Do"

You May Also Like: