Steve Starr
- No. 1 Georgia (14-0) is a massive 13-point favorite over No. 3 TCU (13-1) on Monday night
- Heisman Trophy finalist Max Duggan squares off with senior quarterback Stetson Bennett and the defending-champion Bulldogs
- The CFP National Championship on ESPN will kick off from SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, California on January 9 at 7:30 pm E.T.
After the most entertaining and highly-rated semifinals in College Football Playoff history, No. 1 Georgia will take on No. 3 TCU in the national title game this Monday. The Bulldogs could become the first repeat champion of the CFP era while the Horned Frogs are looking to score another upset after toppling No. 2 Michigan in the Fiesta Bowl.
Let’s check the odds for the big game. Here’s also where your can find the latest NCAAF betting opportunities and our guide to betting on the 2022 NCAAF National Championship.
Georgia (1) vs TCU (3)
 | Spread | Money Line | Total Points |
| TCU | +13.0 (-115) | +380 | Ov 62.5 (-105) |
| Georgia | -13.0 (-105) | -470 | Un 62.5 (-115) |
National Championship Game
Georgia overcame a 14-point deficit to defeat Ohio State 42-41 in the Peach Bowl to keep its perfect record alive. Stetson Bennett led his team on touchdown drives of 62, 76 and 72 yards in the fourth quarter. And the Bulldogs benefitted from a shanked 50-yard field-goal in the final seconds to down the Buckeyes.
In the other semifinal, TCU became the largest underdog (7.5 points) to ever win a CFP game with a thrilling 51-45 victory over the Wolverines. Coming off a 5-7 season, the Horned Frogs were 200-1 longshots to even make the Playoff when the year began.
Stetson Bennett's 190 pass yards are the most by any player in the 4th quarter of a playoff game. pic.twitter.com/01MIfHYgfc
— ESPN Stats & Info (@ESPNStatsInfo) January 1, 2023
Bulldogs vs Horned Frogs
Georgia is a whopping 13-point favorite over Cinderella TCU and the over-under is set at 62.5 points. After ending a 41-year national title drought last season, Kirby Smart’s club could become the first team to win back-to-back championships since Alabama in 2011-12.
Somewhat surprisingly, TCU previously won the national championship in 1935 and 1938 before college football integrated. With another upset win, the Horned Frogs would become the first Big 12 school to ever win the national title.
Could TCU score the upset?
The Bulldogs defense allowed CJ Stroud to rack up 348 yards in the air on New Year’s Eve. They also permitted 502 passing yards to LSU in the SEC championship game. That could make them vulnerable to Max Duggan, who threw for 3,546 yards, 32 TDs just six interceptions this season. Despite completing just 14-of-29 passes with two TDs and two INTs against Michigan, the Heisman finalist still led his offense to 51 points.
Duggan connected with Quentin Johnston six times for 163 yards and a touchdown in the Fiesta Bowl. The junior wide receiver could be a problem for Georgia’s secondary, which was just torched by Ohio State’s Marvin Harrison Jr. for 106 yards and two scores.
MAX DUGGAN ARE YOU SERIOUS?
TCU with ANOTHER touchdown to take a commanding 20-3 lead in the first half 🐸 pic.twitter.com/ObkYQhsQYW
— ESPN (@espn) December 31, 2022
Key Injuries
Georgia’s behemoth tight end Darnell Washington injured his left ankle last Saturday while TCU’s star RB Kendre Miller left his semifinal game with a knee injury. The Bulldogs still have All-American tight end Brock Bowers. And the Horned Frogs could turn to backup Emari Demercado, who put up 150 rushing yards in relief duty.
Best Bet
TCU’s Sonny Dykes became the first college football coach to ever reach the title game in his first year with the program. However, this is where the music stops for the Horned Frogs. Georgia is simply bigger and better on both sides of the ball. Kirby Smart’s team has won 16 consecutive games and 30 of their last 31.
While the Horned Frogs average 41.2 points per game (No. 3 in the nation), we expect defensive tackle Jalen Carter and the Bulldogs to dominate the trenches on Monday night and cover the 13-point spread.
Final Score Prediction: Georgia 38, TCU 23
See below the top sportsbooks where you can wager online and choose the best one for you:
