The Orange Bowl may not be as big of a David vs. Goliath-type matchup as the Cotton Bowl between Alabama vs. Cincinnati, but there aren’t many people outside of Ann Arbor giving the Wolverines much of a fighter’s chance.
Michigan closed the regular season with a bang while Georgia was handled by Alabama in the SEC Championship. Let’s take a by-the-numbers look at how the teams stack up for the matchup in Miami:
Offense
Quarterbacks
Michigan – Junior QB, Cade McNamara
Season Stats: 64.6 completion percentage, 2,470 passing yards, 15 touchdowns, four interceptions
Cade McNamara dropped this in the 🪣#CFB
— PFF College (@PFF_College) November 27, 2021
Georgia – Senior QB, Stetson Bennett
Season Stats: 64.1 completion percentage, 2,375 passing yards, 24 touchdowns, seven interceptions
Stetson Bennett: Highest graded QB in two minute drill situations this season (94.9) pic.twitter.com/P5iafeJdck
— PFF College (@PFF_College) December 1, 2021
Advantage: Draw
Running Backs
Photo courtesy of Michigan Athletics
Michigan – Hassan Haskins, Blake Corum
Senior RB, Hassan Haskins – Season Stats: 261 carries, 1,288 rushing yards, 20 touchdowns, 4.9 yards per carry
Hassan Haskins has been a hurdling MACHINE 😳@UMichFootball looks for their first B1G Championship this weekend👀pic.twitter.com/7DHc2EDH1J
— PFF College (@PFF_College) December 3, 2021
Sophomore RB, Blake Corum – Season Stats: 141 carries, 939 yards, 11 touchdowns, 6.7 yards per carry
Georgia – Zamir White, James Cook
Junior RB, Zamir White – Season Stats: 135 carries, 718 yards, 10 touchdowns, 5.3 yards per carry
Zamir White is not the dynamic dual-threat RB as his teammate James Cook. That being said, he is a powerful downhill runner.
He showcases good footwork, ankle flexibility, and movement skills between the tackles. pic.twitter.com/6DcJSXeFpS
— Full-Time Dame 💰 (@DP_NFL) December 20, 2021
Senior RB, James Cook – Season Stats: 101 carries, 619 yards, seven touchdowns, 6.1 yards per carry
Advantage: Michigan
Wide Receivers
Photo courtesy of Georgia Athletics
Michigan – Cornelius Johnson, Roman Wilson, Mike Sainristil
Junior WR, Cornelius Johnson – Season Stats: 38 receptions, 609 yards, three touchdowns, 16 yards per catch
https://twitter.com/BarstoolUofM/status/1439279280991711237?s=20
Sophomore WR, Roman Wilson – Season Stats: 24 receptions, 378 yards, three touchdowns, 15.8 yards per catch
Junior WR, Mike Sainristil – Season Stats: 20 receptions, 295 yards, two touchdowns, 14.8 yards per catch
Georgia – Ladd McConkey, Jermaine Burton, Adonai Mitchell
Freshman WR, Ladd McConkey – Season Stats: 28 receptions, 430 yards, five touchdowns, 15.4 yards per catch
Sophomore WR, Jermaine Burton – Season Stats: 23 receptions, 412 yards, four touchdowns, 17.9 yards per catch
➖ 8 Rec
➖ 197 Rec Yds
➖ 2 TDsJermaine Burton is ballin' 🐶 pic.twitter.com/kJxoZxb3Vv
— SEC Network (@SECNetwork) November 22, 2020
Freshman WR, Adonai Mitchell – Season Stats: 25 receptions, 342 yards, two touchdowns, 13.7 yards per catch
Advantage: Draw. This position is not a strength for either school.
Tight Ends
Photo courtesy of Michigan Athletics
Michigan – Erick All, Luke Schoonmaker
Junior TE, Erick All – Season Stats: 34 receptions, 374 yards, two touchdowns, 11 yards per catch
Shoutout to Erick All for turning on the jets here and saving our season pic.twitter.com/RJLJwSgvrO
— Josh Augdahl 〽️ (@UMFanAugdahl) December 18, 2021
Senior TE, Luke Shoonmaker – Season Stats: 17 receptions, 165 yards, three touchdowns, 9.7 yards per catch
Georgia – Brock Bowers, Darnell Washington
Freshman TE, Brock Bowers – Season Stats: 47 receptions, 791 yards, 11 touchdowns, 16.8 yards per catch
Sophomore TE, Darnell Washington – Season Stats: Nine receptions, 145 yards, touchdown, 16.1 yards per catch
Two DOMINANT dawgs 💥@GeorgiaFootball pic.twitter.com/flcAguAdWD
— PFF College (@PFF_College) December 21, 2021
Advantage: Georgia
Overall Offensive Numbers
Team Stats |
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Points Per Game | 39.4 | 37.7 |
Total Yards | 442.8 | 451.9 |
Yards Passing | 247.9 | 228.1 |
Yards Rushing | 194.9 | 223.8 |
Advantage: Michigan
Defense
Defensive Line
Michigan – Aidan Hutchinson, Mazi Smith, Christopher Hinton
Senior DE, Aidan Hutchinson – Season Stats: 58 tackles, 14 sacks, two forced fumbles, fumble recovery
https://twitter.com/YardmarkIG/status/1472860782069051392?s=20
Junior DL, Mazi Smith – Season Stats: 35 tackles, three passes defended
Junior DL, Christopher Hilton – Season Stats: 30 tackles, sack, two fumble recoveries, two passes defended
Georgia – Devonte Wyatt, Travon Walker, Jordan Davis, Jalen Carter
Senior DL, Devonte Wyatt – Season Stats: 34 tackles, 2.5 sacks, two forced fumbles
Junior DL, Travon Walker – Season Stats: 32 tackles, four sacks, fumble recovery, two passes defended
Senior DL, Jordan Davis – Season Stats: 28 tackles, two sacks
If I were Georgia's DC I would have Jordan Davis 6-gap and just keep everyone else out of the fit in coverage because I can. pic.twitter.com/FGllI5AGVc
— Max Toscano (@maxtoscano1) December 17, 2021
Sophomore DL, Jalen Carter – Season Stats: 31 tackles, three sacks
Advantage: Georgia (Very close)
Linebackers
Michigan – Josh Ross, Junior Colson, Nikhai Hill-Green, David Ojabo
Senior LB, Josh Ross – Season Stats: 95 tackles, 0.5 sacks, two passes defended
Freshman LB, Junior Colson – Season Stats: 56 tackles, 0.5 sacks, fumble recovery, two passes defended
Sophomore LB, Nikhai Hill-Green – Season Stats: 46 tackles, pass defended
Junior LB, David Ojabo – Season Stats: 35 tackles, 11 sacks, five forced fumbles, fumble recovery
Finished up David Ojabo's film today, left as impressed as I expected. Has the full arsenal of pass rush moves & sets up OTs so well. Great example of jab step (after some inside rushes) before bending the edge for a sack.
Solid first round grade on him, bet on traits at EDGE! pic.twitter.com/QqNzxIY0zh
— Luke Carr (@LukeCarrFB) December 20, 2021
Georgia – Nakobe Dean, Channing Tindall, Quay Walker, Nolan Smith
Junior LB, Nakobe Dean – Season Stats: 61 tackles, five sacks, forced fumble, two interceptions, touchdown, five passes defended
Senior LB, Channing Tindall – Season Stats: 58 tackles, 4.5 sacks, forced fumble
Channing Tindall’s closing speed 🔥 pic.twitter.com/8jfsXgMKbJ
— Top Ranked Georgia! (@AxDawg27) September 5, 2021
Senior LB, Quay Walker – Season Stats: 49 tackles, 1.5 sacks, pass defended
Junior LB, Nolan Smith – Season Stats: 40 tackles, two forced fumbles, fumble recovery, interception
Advantage: Michigan (Slim)
Secondary
Photo courtesy of Michigan Athletics
Michigan – Daxton Hill, Brad Hawkins, Vincent Gray, DJ Turner
Junior DB, Daxton Hill – Season Stats: 65 tackles, 0.5 sacks, fumble recovery, two interceptions, seven passes defended
Mike Macdonald paying tribute to his old bosses in Baltimore on that last call of Michigan's win over Nebraska.
Terrific play by Daxton Hill to seal it. pic.twitter.com/msm3hK4Kj5
— Nick Baumgardner (@nickbaumgardner) October 11, 2021
Senior DB, Brad Hawkins – Season Stats: 54 tackles, two forced fumbles, fumble recovery, four passes defended
Senior DB, Vincent Gray – Season Stats: 41 tackles, sack, forced fumble, seven passes defended
Junior DB, DJ Turner – Season Stats: 29 tackles, two interceptions, seven passes defended
Georgia – Derion Kendrick, Christopher Smith, Kelee Ringo, Lewis Cine
Senior DB, Derion Kendrick – Season Stats: 33 tackles, two interceptions, three passes defended
Senior DB, Christopher Smith – Season Stats: 26 tackles, two interceptions, touchdown
Freshman DB, Kelee Ringo – Season Stats: 27 tackles, sack, interception, seven passes defended
First pick of the Kelee Ringo era pic.twitter.com/JSXnz3YG3V
— blakejmorgan (@blakejmorgan) September 11, 2021
Junior DB, Lewis Cine – Season Stats: 61 tackles, interception, eight passes defended
Advantage: Georgia
Overall Defensive Numbers
Team Stats |
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---|---|---|
Points Allowed Per Game | 9.5 | 16.1 |
Yards Allowed | 253.9 | 316.2 |
Pass Yards Allowed | 172.2 | 194.7 |
Rush Yards Allowed | 81.7 | 121.5 |
Advantage: Georgia
Conclusion: Bet the under and expect a defensive brawl.
Coming soon. #GoBlue pic.twitter.com/obadYTgnvB
— Michigan Football (@UMichFootball) December 18, 2021