2021 concludes with the Orange Bowl between Number 2 Georgia Bulldogs (12-1) and Number 3 Michigan Wolverines (12-1), at the Hard Rock Stadium in Miami, Florida.
Two dominant defences will be on display on New Year’s Eve with the Bulldogs looking to bounce back from their heavy SEC Championship defeat to the Alabama Crimson Tide.
Jim Harbaugh’s Wolverines weren’t even in the top 25 pre-season but victory over rivals Ohio State Buckeyes on their way to a 12-1 season earned them their spot in the playoffs for the first time since FBS post-season was revamped in 2015.
Michigan even come into the National Championship semi-finals as the higher-ranked team on the AP poll, but Georgia rightfully the favourites in our mind.
The Bulldogs were dominant pre-conference championship weekend, a game they also headed into as favourites being being blown out by the Alabama Crimson Tide. They’ve had 4 weeks to get over that and prepare for the Wolverines and we think they will play with a chip on their shoulder on Friday.
Michigan simply don’t have the offence that Nick Saban had at his mercy and the likes of Nakobi Dean and the front 4 could shut out the underdogs for large periods of this game.
Prediction: Georgia 24-10 Michigan
Betting tip: Georgia -7.5 (10/11)
