Georgia football: Keys to win over Ohio State in College Football Playoff

The Georgia football team has done all it can to prepare for the Ohio State Buckeyes in the College Football Playoff Semifinal, so what are the keys to victory?

If you’re a Georgia football fan, you’ve probably heard all the noise before. Georgia is a mirage. Stetson Bennett isn’t elite. The Bulldogs haven’t played anybody, and their weaknesses will be exploited against equal talent.

And if you’re a Georgia football fan, you’ve probably had a similar reaction to all those narratives…rolling your eyes out of frustration.

The truth of the matter is, both Georgia and Ohio State are playing in the College Football Playoff for good reason — they’re both damn good teams who can beat you in multiple ways. Yeah, Georgia struggled to a win or two this season, and Ohio State got smoked by rival Michigan, but the overall body of work for both squads is beyond reproach.

So assuming both teams actually belong here (which they do) what will the Bulldogs need to do in order to come out of the 2022 Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl with a win?

The stars like Stetson Bennett, Jalen Carter, Brock Bowers, and Kenny McIntosh know what to do and will have their moments to shine, but there are some areas where the Bulldogs need to pay close attention.

Georgia football: No. 3 key to win over Ohio State – Limit mistakes

When you have two very good, very evenly-matched teams in terms of talent meeting on the field, mistakes can make all the difference in the world.

Georgia has done a good job of limiting mistakes and bad plays all season, and that will become even more important in this game. Giving Ohio State extra possessions via turnovers will only lead to disaster, and mental mistakes or unforced errors on the field will become even more problematic.

Drive-crushing penalties or mistakes that give extra chances to the Buckeyes could become tick-marks that decide this game.

Special teams will be highly visible in a game like this, and allowing big punt or kickoff returns or missing potential scoring chances on makable field goals is a quick way to put yourself into a hole you can’t dig out of.

Georgia football No. 2 key to win over Ohio State – Limit explosive pass plays on defense

The Georgia defense has been playing lights out this season, but a lot of people are pointing to LSU’s 502 passing yards against the Bulldogs in the SEC Championship Game as an indicator of how Ohio State and CJ Stroud can carve up the Georgia secondary.

In truth, there’s very little difference in the number of explosive passing plays these teams have both given up during the season. Georgia has surrendered 38 passing plays of over 20 yards in 2022, while Ohio State has given up 34.

But to secure a win, Georgia not only has to limit the number of big passing plays by Ohio State, but they need to keep them in check during the most crucial moments. Getting the Buckeyes off the field on third down and not allowing guys like Marvin Harrison Jr. to get behind the secondary when playing man-to-man coverage is of paramount importance.

Ohio State will probably make some plays in the passing game, but Georgia has to keep them contained to situations that won’t change momentum or the score.

Georgia football No. 1 key to win over Ohio State – Just be Georgia

A lot has been made of how Georgia won some games this year. The popular narrative is that the Bulldogs “start slow” and then find ways to win in the end.

It’s not really so much starting slow as it is strategy. Just like a well-coached boxer uses body blows, jabs and the clinches to wear down an opponent, Georgia plays a similar game on the football field.

They are a physical team, and will beat up an opponent on both sides of the ball. The running plays that only net 3-4 yards in the early going of a game suddenly become 15-20 yard chunk plays in the late stages. Pass rushes that inconvenience a quarterback and cause him to scramble or work to avoid a sack turn into vicious tackles behind the line of scrimmage by the fourth quarter.

Georgia shouldn’t change their identity simply because they’re going up against an unfamiliar opponent. If they play Georgia-brand football, the Buckeyes will worn down and out of gas when they could possibly need the most energy of the night.