While the last two games looked like the playoffs, this one is actually the College Football Playoff.
Georgia had a strong expectation of being the No. 1 seed on Dec. 31, but a funny thing happened on their way to CFP – as usual, the Bulldogs couldn’t get past Alabama. Suddenly, the unbeatable defense showed a little vulnerability.
Ultimately, as Michigan and Georgia football watch each other via stats, it’s in many ways the Spider-Man meme, with two teams pointing fingers at each other with similar identities. While the Dawgs might boast a stronger defense and better passing offense, Michigan has a better offense on the run. But, for the most part, both teams play the same, and it could very well end up being a battle over who performs better and who wants more.
Here’s how the Capital One Orange Bowl teams compete statistically.
Offense
| Rank (metric) | Rank (metric) | ||
| Michigan scoring the offense | 13th (37.7 points per game) | 1st (9.5 ppg) | Georgia goal defense |
| Michigan rushed attack | 9th (223.85 ypg) | 3rd (81.69 YPGA) | Georgia rushes in defense |
| Michigan passing offense | 67th (228.1 PGJ) | 3rd (171.5 ypga) | Georgia passing defense |
| Michigan Total Offense | 19th (451.9 ypg) | 2nd (253.2 ypga) | Georgia total defense |
| Michigan yards per set | 21st (6.48 ypp) | 1st (4.01 ypga) | Georgia yards per play allowed |
| Michigan first downs | 40th (22.2 pages) | 2nd (14.2 apg) | Georgia opp. first stockings |
| Michigan third down conv. | 20th (45.40%) | 15th (32.84%) | Georgia opp. third low conv. |
| Michigan fourth down conv. | 47th (58.33%) | 41st (46.43%) | Georgia opp. fourth down conv. |
| Conv. Michigan red zone | 7th (92.19%) | 1st (60%) | Georgia opp. red zone conv. |
| Michigan bags are allowed | 2nd (0.77 sapg) | 6th (3.15 spg) | Georgia sacked |
| Michigan TFL licensed | 1st (2.08 tfla / g) | 29th (6.54 tfl / g) | Georgia TFL |
| Michigan long scrum plays | 68th (173 plays over 10 yards) | 2nd (109 games over 10 meters) | Georgia long games allowed |
| Michigan Penalties | 19th (42.4 yd / g) | 67th (52.1 yards / g) | Georgia opp. penalties |
| Upper Michigan | 19 (31: 48.00) | 48th (30: 24.92) | Georgia TOP |
Defense
| Rank (metric) | Rank (metric) | ||
| Michigan scoring defense | 4th (16.1 points per game) | 7th (39.4 points per game) | Georgia scoring the offense |
| Michigan fast defensive | 21st (121.54 ypga) | 28th (195.08 ypg) | Georgia hasty attack |
| Michigan passes the defense | 22nd (194.7 ypga) | 52nd (247.9 ypg) | Georgia passing offense |
| Michigan Total Defense | 12th (316.2 ypga) | 26th (443 ypg) | Georgia total offense |
| Michigan yards per play allowed | 9th (4.71 yppa) | 5th (6.94 years) | Georgia yards per set |
| Michigan opp. first stockings | 11th (16.8 apg) | 30th (22.9 pages) | Georgia first tests |
| Michigan opp. third low conv. | 13th (32.34%) | 31st (44.06%) | Georgia third down conv. |
| Michigan opp. fourth down conv. | 49th (48.39%) | 63rd (53.85%) | Georgia fourth down conv. |
| Michigan opp. red zone conv. | 46th (80%) | 40th (88.89%) | Georgia red zone conv. |
| michigan ransack | 32nd (2.62 s / g) | 6th (0.85 sa / g) | Georgia dismissal authorized |
| Michigan TFL | 72nd (5.31 tfl / g) | 5th (3.31 tfla / g) | Georgia TFL licensed |
| Michigan long scrums are allowed | 31st (146 games over 10 meters) | 14th (205 games over 10 meters) | Georgia plays long |
| Michigan opp. penalties | 109th (44.5 yd / g) | 10th (38.3 yd / g) | Georgia penalties |
| Michigan Revenue Margin | 38th (+ 0.38 / g) | 64th (0 / g) | Georgia revenue margin |
Special teams
| Rank (metric) | Rank (metric) | ||
| Michigan Kickoff | 38th (63.06 yards) | 53rd (60.92 yards) | Georgia opp. to start up |
| Michigan kick off return | 87th (18.81 yards / ret) | 3rd (13 yds / ret) | Georgia kick-off return cleared |
| Michigan by boat | 15th (46.42 m / p) | 60th (42.05 yd / p) | Georgia opp. small boat |
| Michigan punt return | 42nd (9.94 yards / ret) | 106th (10.6 yards / ret) | Georgia kick return allowed |
| Michigan goals | 9th (91.7%) | 11th (60%) | Georgia opp. field goals |
| Michigan PAT | 1st (100%) | 11th (92.9%) | Georgia opp. TAP |
| Michigan opp. to start up | 25th (59.67 meters) | 21st (63.59 yds) | Georgia kicks off |
| Michigan kick-off return cleared | 1st (12.08 yds / ret) | 82nd (19.07 yd / ret) | Georgia kick off return |
| Michigan opp. small boat | 107th (44.07 yds / p) | 11th (47.08 yds / p) | Georgia by boat |
| Michigan kick return allowed | 22nd (3.89 yards / ret) | 46th (9.79 yards / ret) | Georgia Kick Return |
| Michigan opp. field goals | 26th (66.7%) | 32nd (81.8%) | Georgia goals |
| Michigan opp. TAP | 88th (100%) | 57th (98.5%) | Georgia PAT |
| Blocked punts / kicks in Michigan | 8th (4) | 8th (4) | Georgia blocked punts / kicks |
Players to know
| Player | Statistics to know | |
| Strategist | Stetson Bennett IV
JT Daniels |
148/231 (64.1%), 2325 yards, 24 TD, 7 INT
68/94 (72.3%), 722 yards, 7 TD, 3 INT |
| To recover | Zamir White
James cook |
135 cars, 718 yds (5.32 ypc), 10 TDs (55.23 ypg)
101 cars, 619 yds (6.13 ypc), 7 TDs (47.62 ypg) |
| Wide receivers | Brock Bowers (TE)
Laddd McConkey Jermaine burton George Pickens (inj.) |
47 catches, 791 yards (16.83 ypc), 11 touchdowns
28 captures, 430 yds (15.36 ypc), 5 TDs 23 catches, 412 yards (17.91 ypc), 4 touchdowns 3 catches, 46 yards (15.33 ypc) in 2 g |
| Leading attackers | S Lewis Cine
LB Nakobe Dean LB Channing Tindall |
61 tackles
61 tackles 58 tackles |
| Leaders Bags | LB Nakobe Dean
LB Adam Anderson LB Robert Beal Jr. LB Channing Tindall DL Travon Walker |
5 bags, 43 meters
5 bags, 18 meters 4.5 bags, 45 meters 4.5 bags, 36 yards 4 bags, 28 meters |
| TFL leaders | LB Nakobe Dean
DL Jalen Carter DL Devonte Wyatt LB Nolan Smith LB Channing Tindall LB Robert Beal Jr. DL Travon Walker LB Adam Anderson LB Quay Walker |
8.5 TFL, 55 meters
8.5 TFL, 35 meters 7 TFL, 29 meters 7 TFL 25 meters 6 TFL, 39 meters 5.5 TFL, 49 meters 5.5 TFL, 33 meters 5.5 TFL, 18 meters 4.5 TFL, 28 meters |
| Most passes are interrupted | CB Latavious Brini
CB Kelee Ringo |
8 PBU
7 SEB |
| Chiefs of interception | DB Christopher Smith
LB Nakobe Dean DB Derion Kendrick |
2 INT, 94 yards, 1 TD
2 INT, 50 yards, 1 TD 2 INT, 22 meters |
| Field goals | K Jack Podlesny | 18/22 FG attempts |
| small boat | P Jake Camarda | 47.08 yds / punt |
| Punt returns | Kearis jackson | 22 ret, 189 yards (8.59 average) |
| Kick returns | Kenny mcintosh
Kearis jackson |
6 ret, 113 yards (18.83 average)
5 ret, 105 yards (21 avg) 9 |
