Orange Bowl Game Day Hub: Game Preview, Odds, How to Watch + More for No. 2 Michigan vs. No. 3 Georgia
No. 2 Michigan (12-1, 8-1 Big Ten) and No. 3 Georgia (12-1, 8-0 SEC) will try to keep national title dreams alive when they face off in the College Football Playoff semifinal on New Years Eve. The winner of Friday's game will move on to play the winner of the Cotton Bowl, which includes No. 1 Alabama and No. 4 Cincinnati.
About the Capital One Orange Bowl
The Orange Bowl first kicked off in 1935. Though the bowl game didn't originally have specific tie-ins, it has featured teams from the ACC since 1999 and from the SEC and Big Ten (plus Notre Dame) since 2015. The Orange Bowl has served as one of six bowls in the College Football PLayoff since 2014.
The Bulldogs are 2-1 all-time in the Orange Bowl, last appearing in 1960. The Wolverines have gone 1-2 all-time in the Orange Bowl and last took the field in 2016.
How to Watch: No. 2 Michigan vs. No. 3 Georgia
Date: Friday, Dec. 31
Time: 7:30 p.m. ET
Location: Hard Rock Stadium; Miami Gardens, Fla.
TV: ESPN
Stream: FuboTV
Follow @SIWildcatsDaily on Twitter for live game updates and exclusive content throughout game day.
Betting Odds + Information
Spread: Georgia -7.5
Over/Under Total: 45
How to Bet: Find the latest odds and place your bets on the Orange Bowl at SISportsbook.
Game Preview
When Michigan has the ball:
Michigan features one of the most explosive offenses in the Big Ten, boasting a balanced attack capable of scoring in bunches. The Wolverines were second in the Big Ten in both scoring offense and total yards per game this season, averaging 37.7 points per game and 451.9 yards per game respectively. On the ground the Wolverines put up 223.8 yards per game which was the most in the Big Ten, led by running back Hassan Haskins, who ran for 1,288 yards and 20 touchdowns on the season. The Michigan passing attack, which was 7th in the Big Ten at an average of 228.1 yards per game through the air, was orchestrated by quarterback Cade McNamara, as he threw for 2,470 yards and 15 touchdowns.
When Georgia has the ball:
Georgia's offense is not as high powered as Michigan's, as the Bulldogs lean on their defense at times, but they are still able to produce on offense enough to win games. They featured the SEC's 7th best rushing attack, averaging 194.9 yards per game as they love to control the line of scrimmage and dominate in the trenches. The Bulldogs feature a dynamic duo of running backs in the backfield, as Zamir White and James Cook combined for 1,337 yards and 17 touchdowns on the season to lead the Georgia offense. Georgia's passing attack was, for the most part, not world beaters but did enough to get the job done and win games, averaging 247.9 yards per game. While they are capable of airing the ball out at times, look for the Georgia offense to slow the game down and win the trenches to grind out a victory.
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