by Chuck Sommers
Thursday, Dec 29, 2022College Football Playoff Semifinal: Peach Bowl
Time: 8 p.m. ET
Venue: Mercedes-Benz Stadium, Atlanta, GA
Where to watch: ESPN
Opening Odds at USA Sportsbooks
DraftKings: Georgia -6.5; Georgia -265, Ohio State +225; O/U 62.5
FanDuel: Georgia -6.5; Georgia -265, Ohio State +215; O/U 62.5
BetMGM: Georgia -6.5; Georgia -275, Ohio State +220; O/U 62.5
Caesars: Georgia -6.5; Georgia -270, Ohio State +215; O/U 62
Season record
No. 4 Ohio State: 11-1
No. 1 Georgia: 13-0
Bowl season is here! There are 42 games that are going to be determining how this season ends. We appreciate you for hanging with us during this college football season, and you know it’s not over yet. We’re going to keep on rolling and giving your our best picks over the course of the next month. All the way up until the College Football Playoff, which is going to have some incredible games. Do you have the right idea when you head to the books for these important games? Our champion handicappers surely have you covered. Will Rogers is running an impressive 24-11-0 in the last month. Al McMordie has also been cashing in heavily with a 40-29-1 mark in college football over the last 30 days. Our guys here have you ready to go for what should be an exciting week. Be tuned to bigal.com for everything!
Ohio State - Georgia preview, analysis and prediction
Ohio State analysis
The last time we saw the Ohio State Buckeyes, things imploded. Ohio State was competing with Michigan for the top spot in the Big Ten with the winner needing some help to get to College Football Playoff. They got that with TCU losing the Big 12 title game and opening up a chance. So the Buckeyes get the last possible spot and are at No. 4. Their grand prize is taking on the defending national champs and the best defense in the country. If there was a time for C.J. Stroud to show why he deserves to be the No. 1 pick in the NFL Draft this spring, this would be the game to do it. Stroud is coming off throwing for 349 yards, two touchdowns and two interceptions in the shocking loss to Michigan in the regular season finale. There were many times this year when Ohio State looked on the verge of losing, about to lose in a shocking fashion by one score. Never did anyone think that they would be giving up over 200 rushing yards to Donovan Edwards.
"It definitely pissed us off the way that game ended, because of how well we played in the first half," Ohio State defensive end Jack Sawyer said. "In the second half, to give up a bunch of big plays, the rushing numbers were off the charts. So, our defense is a little ticked off, and we're ready to go out there and put our feet back on the turf and give it another shot."
Ohio State has been given a second chance at life in this College Football Playoff and you would like to think that they would not take it for granted. Ohio State is getting 6.5 against Georgia with the consensus total set at 62. If the Buckeyes want to hit that, they’re going to need to play their best offensive game against the Bulldogs. That’s easier said than done.
Georgia analysis
The defending national champions will have the opportunity to put a cap on what has been a tremendous season for them and at the same time silence any doubters that there might be regarding the overall makeup of this team. Georgia went undefeated and won the SEC championship to give them this opportunity to play Ohio State in the Peach bowl for the right to go to the national championship. Everything we know about Georgia is true especially with its defense. That defense has been good all year long is coming in with a ridiculous dominance the likes of which we haven't seen in a while. Georgia has covered in three of the last five with the only two losses having been favored by 36.5 and 22.5. If that’s the only thing Georgia has to worry about, the Bulldogs are in a good spot. Heisman finalist Steston Bennett threw for 274 yards and four touchdowns against LSU in the SEC championship game, one of the rare efficient, dominant performances from the maligned Georgia quarterback. The Heisman Trophy finalist is likely not to be drafted this spring. He needs to have a prove-it run of two games to show he can be worthy of being an NFL quarterback. That might be too much to ask from that standpoint, but at least he’s going to give it a chance.
Prediction
Georgia has gone 8-2 against the spread in their last 10 bowl games while Ohio State is 0-3-1 in its last four against a team with a winning record. This is the kind of game that plays right into Ohio State’s trap, and should be a comfortable win for the defending champs. Georgia 31, Ohio State 20
Betting trends
Ohio State is 21-8 ATS as an underdog between 3.5 and 10 points since 1992.
Ohio State is 76-48 ATS on the road after playing at home since 1992.
Georgia is 21-9 ATS in bowl games since 1992.
Georgia is 39-14 ATS on the road in non-conference games since 1992.
Statistical leaders
Ohio State:
Passing: C.J. Stroud – 3,340 yards, 37 TD, 6 INT
Rushing: Miyan Williams – 817 yards, 13 TD
Receiving: Marvin Harrison Jr. – 1,157 yards, 12 TD
Georgia:
Passing: Stetson Bennett – 3,425 yards, 20 TD, 6 INT
Rushing: Kenny McIntosh – 709 yards, 10 TD
Receiving: Brock Bowers – 726 yards, 6 TD
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Chuck Sommers
About the Author:
Chuck Sommers has camped outside of sportsbooks since he can remember, learning the tricks and nuances of the trade. He still has nightmares of betting $5,000 on the Raiders in the Tuck Rule game but has since turned that to 25 years of veteran handicapping greatness. You can find him mostly in the shadows at the Red Rock or Aliante casinos wondering if the over is cashing on any given Sunday.
