We’re just a few days away from the Rose Bowl. Georgia Football will take on the Oklahoma Sooners in a game that many Dawg fans are in Pasadena for.
The long anticipation is almost over. We’re just a few days away from kick off and every UGA fan, including myself, is about to go crazy waiting for this game. #2 Oklahoma vs #3 Georgia in a National Semi-final in the Rose Bowl. How awesome does that sound? You have a lot of people talking about the UGA defense vs the Oklahoma offense, Baker Mayfield vs Roquan Smith, but I’m here to break down this a little further.
What Oklahoma must do to win
It’s hard to suggest that Oklahoma needs to do much on offense. That unit is so good and they score on pretty much everyone. It will be hard for Georgia to stop them from scoring so
Oklahoma is going to have to stop the UGA ground and pound. That’s just plain and simple. Force Jake Fromm into tough situations and keep long Georgia drives to a minimal. The more Baker Mayfield is on the field, the better chances Oklahoma has of winning. If Oklahoma slows down the Georgia offense and their offense flows, UGA will be in trouble.
What Georgia must do to win
Run the ball, chew the clock, keep Baker on the sideline. Georgia has the best backfield in the nation, no questions asked. They are deep, fast, and physical. So don’t try to be fancy, Dawgs, “let the main thing be the main thing.”
X-Factors
The X-Factors for this game is the battle in the trenches. Both front sevens vs the defensive lines.
For the Sooners, it’s going to be their front seven trying to get leverage and hit the Dawgs in the backfield. Their linebackers will have to be disciplined and shoot the gaps.
For the Dawgs, it’s all about the front seven running after Mayfield and not letting him make his Heisman plays. Georgia must pressure him and stay contained because we all know what damage he can do outside of the pocket.
Who wins?
This is the better of the two semi-finals. Two very different teams going at it. It’s going to be a war, but I think the physicality that Georgia brings will eventually wear down Oklahoma and the Dawgs will win a tough one. Georgia 31 -Oklahoma 27