College Football Playoff 2022-23: Odds, Schedule and Predictions for Semifinals
The College Football Playoff always comes with a ton of intrigue, but the semifinals have not delivered on drama in recent years.
Only one of the last eight semifinal games was decided by one possession.
However, the Georgia Bulldogs and Michigan Wolverines could add to the list of blowouts at the Peach Bowl and Fiesta Bowl on New Years' Eve.
Georgia cruised to most of its victories this season, and it faces a vulnerable Ohio State Buckeyes defense in what is essentially a home game inside Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta.
Michigan took advantage of that Ohio State defense to land the No. 2 seed in the playoff field. The Wolverines have another chance to assert their dominance against the TCU Horned Frogs in the Fiesta Bowl.
TCU has been hard to put away all season, but it comes into Arizona with a disadvantage in playoff experience. Michigan could use the lessons learned from last year's loss to Georgia to help it deal with the challenges posed by TCU.
The two semifinal winners will face off inside Sofi Stadium in Los Angeles on January 9. The No. 1 and No. 3 seeds have faced each other in the last three National Championship Games.
Peach Bowl: No. 1 Georgia vs. No. 4 Ohio State
Spread: Georgia -6.5
Over/Under: 62.5
Money Line: Georgia (-260; bet $260 to win $100); Ohio State (+220; bet $100 to win $220)
Georgia has been a well-oiled championship-winning machine all season.
The reigning national champion won 12 of its 13 games by double digits. Georgia fended off any challenges it faced throughout SEC play, including the Tennessee Volunteers and LSU Tigers.
The Bulldogs' win over Tennessee on November 5 is the best example of how they can limit the production of a high-scoring offense.
Georgia contained Hendon Hooker and the Vols to 14 points. Tennessee was one of eight teams to be held under 20 points by the Bulldogs defense.
Georgia gives up 12.8 points and 292.1 yards per game. The Bulldogs can limit what CJ Stroud can do with his talented group of wide receivers, led by Marvin Harrison Jr.
Ohio State put up 30-40 points on a consistent basis, but it struggled against its toughest opponents.
The Buckeyes needed a 28-point fourth quarter to blow past the Penn State Nittany Lions. They were on the wrong end of a fourth-quarter blowout against Michigan in their final regular-season game.
Ohio State is better tuned to win a high-scoring game. Georgia proved it can win all types of contests during its 13-0 run.
The Bulldogs put up 50 points in the SEC Championship Game and also won by scoring 16 points on the road against the Kentucky Wildcats.
Georgia also has more playoff experience from its wins over Michigan and the Alabama Crimson Tide in last year's playoff.
Most of Ohio State's team from the title game two years ago is gone. Stroud and Co. are new to the playoff and its surroundings.
The Buckeyes are also playing a road game with the Peach Bowl taking place in Atlanta. Georgia is already 2-0 inside Mercedes-Benz Stadium this season.
Georgia's consistency combined with Ohio State's inconsistency from its two biggest games could pave the way for another semifinal blowout in the playoff.
Prediction: Georgia 31, Ohio State 17
Fiesta Bowl: No. 2 Michigan vs. No. 3 TCU
Spread: Michigan -8
Over/Under: 58.5
Money Line: Michigan (-305); TCU (+255)
Michigan is the bigger favorite in the playoff semifinal despite Georgia being the No. 1 overall seed and reigning champion.
That has more to do with the respect Ohio State has with the bookmakers and the disrespect TCU has had on the spread all season.
TCU has been a single-digit favorite, or an underdog, in most of its games. The Horned Frogs won five games by eight points or fewer. Two of those wins occurred in November against the Texas Longhorns and Baylor Bears.
The Horned Frogs were forced to scramble to force overtime in the Big 12 Championship Game before losing to the Kansas State Wildcats.
Michigan controlled a majority of its games. The Wolverines won 11 of their 13 games by double figures.
Michigan proved against Ohio State that it can run away from games behind quarterback J.J. McCarthy. He threw for 424 yards and six touchdowns in those contests.
The Wolverines' defensive domination combined with the improved play of McCarthy, making them a candidate to win by double figures yet again.
That follows the trend of recent playoff games, but TCU has not gone away in any of its contests this season.
The Horned Frogs have a knack for hanging out and making life incredibly difficult on opponents.
Quarterback Max Duggan willed the Horned Frogs into overtime against Kansas State. TCU can claw back into the contest through Duggan again, but it may not be enough this time to win a game.
Michigan played its best two games at the end of the regular season.
Michigan's recent form and its drive to reach the championship game after losing at this stage last year could be the extra motivation it needs to beat TCU.
TCU can hang around and potentially cover the spread, but Michigan has been too strong when it has mattered most to make a strong case against it right now.
Prediction: Michigan 34, TCU 26
Odds via DraftKings Sportsbook
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