Georgia football should feel confident for their Orange Bowl appearance against Michigan on Dec. 31, not only because they’re prepared but because, as history shows us, the playoffs aren’t always the most kind to BIG10 schools.
Outside Ohio State’s national championship in the first year of the playoffs, the BIG10 has struggled.
The Buckeyes got close last year, but Alabama beat the breaks off Ohio State in the title game 52-24.
History is on the Georgia football side as BIG 10 hasn’t had the best luck in the playoffs.
BIG10 schools are 2-3 in semifinal games and 1-1 in national championship games since the College Football Playoff began.
Ohio State and Michigan State have been the only two representatives from the BIG10 until this season, with Michigan making their first appearance.
Michigan State got shut out by Alabama in 2016 38-0 as the Tide went on to beat Clemson 45-40 in the national championship. Ohio State got shut out the following year by Clemson 31-0 as the Tigers beat Alabama 35-31 in the national championship.
The College Football Playoffs have been great because the No.4 team can win a national championship if they play their best two games.
How College Football ranked teams played
- No.1 ranked teams are 5-2 in semifinals and 2-3 in national titles.
- No.2 ranked teams are 4-3 in semifinals and 3-1 in national titles.
- No.3 ranked teams are 3-4 in semifinals and 0-3 in national titles.
- No.4 ranked teams are 2-5 in semifinals and 2-0 in national titles.
BIG10 schools have never been No.1, but they were No. 4 when they won the national championship in 2015. In the five playoff appearances, the BIG10 is usually No. 3, with three appearances at that ranking.
As for Georgia, the Dawgs have made it to the playoffs once and ranked No. 3 when they beat No. 2 Oklahoma in the 54-48 double-overtime victory. Of course, we all know the Dawgs are 0-1 in national championship games, losing to Alabama 26-23 in overtime.
However, with them being in the SEC, it gives them a statistically better chance. All seven playoffs have featured an SEC team, and this year will be the second time two SEC programs made it.
The SEC is 7-1 in semifinal meetings and 4-3 in national championships. Alabama, of course, holds reign here, but hey, the Dawgs could change that this season.
Granted, it is college football, and on any given day, any given team could win. Still, the Dawgs have a better shot at winning the semifinal and making it to Indianapolis than the Wolverines do. Even though the Dawgs are No.3, which seems to be the worst ranking, they advanced the last time they were there.
Michigan hasn’t been on a stage this big since 1997 when they won their last national championship, so the jitters could be there. Georgia has been here before, and thankfully we’re on the east coast this time and not dealing with the time change.
Anything could happen on Dec. 31, and Cincinnati could beat Alabama, so the Dawgs need to keep their head down and play their game. If Georgia can find the spark they had all season, it could prove to be a long day for the Wolverines.