Staff Predictions: TCU vs Georgia in the College Football Playoff Championship
Cover photo: TCU head coach Sonny Dykes; photo credit Jayne Kamin-Oncea-USA TODAY Sports.
It’s the final game of the college football season. The TCU Horned Frogs will go up against the defending national champion Georgia Bulldogs for the 2022 national title.
The game will be played on ESPN at 7:30 inside of SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, Calif. Here are the predictions from the All Hurricanes staff:
Alex Donno
I believe TCU will continue their Cinderella run up until a certain point in this game. When I see Georgia favored by 12 and a half, I see an opportunity for TCU's side. TCU's receivers against UGA's defensive backs will be a matchup that can potentially decide this game. Can Quentin Johnston get going after his huge game against Michigan? Georgia's depth and talent will allow them to escape, but these teams will provide a classic. Georgia will become the first back-to-back champion in the College Football Playoff era.
Georgia 38 TCU 33
Brian Smith
TCU will battle Georgia well. The front seven for the Horned Frogs will scheme its way into creating some negative yardage plays that keep the Bulldogs off balance. It's still going to be the same guy from last season that does the trick for Georgia, though.
Few people, myself included, believed in Stetson Bennett. The quarterback led Georgia to the 2021 national title and he's primed to do it again. His clutch big passing plays will get him to 280 yards on the evening and lead Georgia to its second national title in a row.
Georgia 31 TCU 19
John Garcia, Jr.
We‘re all gonna pick UGA, huh? TCU has been underestimated all season long and with the defending champs on the horizon and some key injuries the process is happening all over again. Still, the more you dig into this game the more scenarios you end up considering in Georgia’s favor, unfortunately for the best story and turnaround in the sport.
After the semifinal shootouts, naturally many expect the natty to profile similarly. If that is the case, the balance Georgia can present offensively seems like it can keep up with Max Duggan and co., while the UGA defense is all but considered better across the board (though the TCU secondary may be better at the end of the day). If it becomes a defensive game, nobody will give the Horned Frogs a chance and an uneven ebb and flow could favor the Bulldogs as well.
So what gives? A TCU win is the same formula that has worked all year, Dugan doing his thing with an opportunistic defense on the other side. The problem for TCU is that UGA has actually won in more ways than the Big 12 program has in 2022, from shootouts to gritty low-scoring road comebacks. Throw in the experience and more talented overall roster and it just seems like Georgia is in line to go back-to-back under Kirby Smart.
Georgia 31 TCU 24
Liam Willerup
If you someone told you this matchup at the beginning of the season, you’d laugh at the fact that TCU and first year HC Sonny Dykes are playing at a chance for a national title. However TCU is legit, and same goes for Georgia who look to chase back to back titles. This game will come down to which of these quarterbacks can take their team over the edge. While Max Duggan and Stetson Bennett were both Heisman finalist, they have both seen their fair share of doubt. With both quarterbacks ending their collegiate careers after this game, they’ll have one final chance to quiet the naysayers.
When it comes to my prediction, I’m going to have to roll with the Georgia Bulldogs. I think this game will be far closer than Vegas odds have it at, but Georgia has such a high level of talent all across the board. Even after losing tons of stars last season, Georgia still managed to deliver another fantastic year. TCU might’ve got past Michigan, but I believe Bennett and the Bulldogs will prevail winners tonight.
Georgia 35 TCU 27
Rowdy Baribeau
Many may not know this, but after May, I'll be graduating from college. My college? Oklahoma State University. A Big 12 team that, as a matter of fact, blew a major lead to a team that's in the CFP: TCU.
Do I think the Big 12 has problems with being slightly disrespected? Maybe. Do I think that TCU has helped defy that narrative? Also, maybe. However, If TCU can pull out a National Championship victory... it would be not only a major deal for the Horned Frogs, but for the Big 12.
Trying to put what minimal Big 12 homerism I have to the side, I'm looking at a story. It's what we, as journalists, do. We tell stories. What story sounds better: "UGA wins its second-straight national title." Or, "a year after going 5-7, TCU is now National Champions."
I'm going with the latter. I'm also going with TCU to defeat the Georgia Bulldogs in SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, California. Again, looking at stories and narratives, a clear narrative for TCU this year is that they've seemingly been hungrier than all of their opponents.
I believe we will see TCU get hit in the mouth for two quarters, but in the second half, they're going to come out fast and aggressive and I think Quentin Johnston has another stellar performance, all but solidifying his first-round draft status.
TCU 38 UGA 34
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