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While the last two games had playoff-type feels, this one is actually the College Football Playoff.
Georgia highly expected to be the No. 1 seed come Dec. 31, but a funny thing happened on the way to the CFP — as usual, the Bulldogs couldn’t get past Alabama. Suddenly, the unbeatable defense showed a bit of vulnerability.
Ultimately, as Michigan football and Georgia take a look at each other via the stats, in many ways it’s the Spider-Man meme, two teams pointing at each other with similar identities. While the Dawgs might boast a stouter defense, and a better passing offense, Michigan has a better run offense. But, for the most part, the two teams play the same way, and it very well could end up being a battle of who executes better and who wants it more.
Here is how the Capital One Orange Bowl teams match up against each other statistically.
Offense
| Rank (metric) | Rank (metric) | ||
| Michigan scoring offense | 13th (37.7 ppg) | 1st (9.5 ppg) | Georgia scoring defense |
| Michigan rushing offense | 9th (223.85 ypg) | 3rd (81.69 ypga) | Georgia rushing defense |
| Michigan passing offense | 67th (228.1 ypg) | 3rd (171.5 ypga) | Georgia passing defense |
| Michigan total offense | 19th (451.9 ypg) | 2nd (253.2 ypga) | Georgia total defense |
| Michigan yards per play | 21st (6.48 ypp) | 1st (4.01 ypga) | Georgia yards per play allowed |
| Michigan first downs | 40th (22.2 pg) | 2nd (14.2 apg) | Georgia opp. first downs |
| Michigan third down conv. | 20th (45.40%) | 15th (32.84%) | Georgia opp. third down conv. |
| Michigan fourth down conv. | 47th (58.33%) | 41st (46.43%) | Georgia opp. fourth down conv. |
| Michigan red zone conv. | 7th (92.19%) | 1st (60%) | Georgia opp. red zone conv. |
| Michigan sacks allowed | 2nd (0.77 sapg) | 6th (3.15 spg) | Georgia sacks |
| Michigan TFL allowed | 1st (2.08 tfla/gm) | 29th (6.54 tfl/gm) | Georgia TFL |
| Michigan long scrimmage plays | 68th (173 10+ yd plays) | 2nd (109 10+ yd plays) | Georgia long plays allowed |
| Michigan penalties | 19th (42.4 yds/gm) | 67th (52.1 yds/gm) | Georgia opp. penalties |
| Michigan TOP | 19th (31:48.00) | 48th (30:24.92) | Georgia TOP |
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Defense
| Rank (metric) | Rank (metric) | ||
| Michigan scoring defense | 4th (16.1 ppg) | 7th (39.4 ppg) | Georgia scoring offense |
| Michigan rushing defense | 21st (121.54 ypga) | 28th (195.08 ypg) | Georgia rushing offense |
| Michigan passing 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 ypp) | Georgia yards per play |
| Michigan opp. first downs | 11th (16.8 apg) | 30th (22.9 pg) | Georgia first downs |
| Michigan opp. third down 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 sacks | 32nd (2.62 s/gm) | 6th (0.85 sa/gm) | Georgia sacks allowed |
| Michigan TFL | 72nd (5.31 tfl/gm) | 5th (3.31 tfla/gm) | Georgia TFL allowed |
| Michigan long scrimmage plays allowed | 31st (146 10+ yd plays) | 14th (205 10+ yd plays) | Georgia long plays |
| Michigan opp. penalties | 109th (44.5 yd/gm) | 10th (38.3 yd/gm) | Georgia penalties |
| Michigan turnover margin | 38th (+0.38/gm) | 64th (0/gm) | Georgia turnover margin |
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Special teams
| Rank (metric) | Rank (metric) | ||
| Michigan kickoff | 38th (63.06 yds) | 53rd (60.92 yds) | Georgia opp. kickoff |
| Michigan kickoff return | 87th (18.81 yds/ret) | 3rd (13 yds/ret) | Georgia kickoff return allowed |
| Michigan punting | 15th (46.42 yds/p) | 60th (42.05 yds/p) | Georgia opp. punting |
| Michigan punt return | 42nd (9.94 yds/ret) | 106th (10.6 yds/ret) | Georgia punt return allowed |
| Michigan field goals | 9th (91.7%) | 11th (60%) | Georgia opp. field goals |
| Michigan PAT | 1st (100%) | 11th (92.9%) | Georgia opp. PAT |
| Michigan opp. kickoff | 25th (59.67 yds) | 21st (63.59 yds) | Georgia kickoff |
| Michigan kickoff return allowed | 1st (12.08 yds/ret) | 82nd (19.07 yds/ret) | Georgia kickoff return |
| Michigan opp. punting | 107th (44.07 yds/p) | 11th (47.08 yds/p) | Georgia punting |
| Michigan punt return allowed | 22nd (3.89 yds/ret) | 46th (9.79 yds/ret) | Georgia punt return |
| Michigan opp. field goals | 26th (66.7%) | 32nd (81.8%) | Georgia field goals |
| Michigan opp. PAT | 88th (100%) | 57th (98.5%) | Georgia PAT |
| Mich. blocked punts/kicks | 8th (4) | 8th (4) | Georgia blocked punts/kicks |
Players to know
| Player | Stats to Know | |
| Quarterback | Stetson Bennett IV
JT Daniels |
148/231 (64.1%), 2,325 yds, 24 TDs, 7 INTs
68/94 (72.3%), 722 yds, 7 TDs, 3 INTs |
| Running Back | Zamir White
James Cook |
135 car, 718 yds (5.32 ypc), 10 TDs (55.23 ypg)
101 car, 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 yds (16.83 ypc), 11 TDs
28 catches, 430 yds (15.36 ypc), 5 TDs 23 catches, 412 yds (17.91 ypc), 4 TDs 3 catches, 46 yds (15.33 ypc) in 2 gms |
| Leading Tacklers | S Lewis Cine
LB Nakobe Dean LB Channing Tindall |
61 tackles
61 tackles 58 tackles |
| Sacks Leaders | LB Nakobe Dean
LB Adam Anderson LB Robert Beal Jr. LB Channing Tindall DL Travon Walker |
5 sacks, 43 yds
5 sacks, 18 yds 4.5 sacks, 45 yds 4.5 sacks, 36 yds 4 sacks, 28 yds |
| 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 yds
8.5 TFL, 35 yds 7 TFL, 29 yds 7 TFL 25 yds 6 TFL, 39 yds 5.5 TFL, 49 yds 5.5 TFL, 33 yds 5.5 TFL, 18 yds 4.5 TFL, 28 yds |
| Most passes broken up | CB Latavious Brini
CB Kelee Ringo |
8 PBU
7 PBU |
| Interception Leaders | DB Christopher Smith
LB Nakobe Dean DB Derion Kendrick |
2 INT, 94 yds, 1 TD
2 INT, 50 yds, 1 TD 2 INT, 22 yds |
| Field Goals | K Jack Podlesny | 18/22 FG attempts |
| Punting | P Jake Camarda | 47.08 yds/punt |
| Punt Returns | Kearis Jackson | 22 ret, 189 yds (8.59 avg) |
| Kick Returns | Kenny McIntosh
Kearis Jackson |
6 ret, 113 yds (18.83 avg)
5 ret, 105 yds (21 avg)9 |
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