ORANGE BOWL GLANCE
RECORDS: No. 2Michigan (12-1, Big Ten) vs. No. 3Georgia (12-1, SEC)
TV: Friday, 7:30p.m., ESPN
LINE: Georgia by 7½, according to FanDuel Sportsbook.
SERIES: Tied, 1-1
WHAT’S AT STAKE?: Wolverines and Bulldogs have taken different paths. Georgia has been ranked in the top five all season, and was the unanimous No, 1team in the country for about two months. In a breakthrough season for coach Jim Harbaugh, Michigan became the first team to start a season unranked and reach the playoff. KEY MATCHUP: Georgia’s interior defensive line vs. Michigan’s interior offensive line. Massive NG Jordan Davis (6-foot-6, 340 pounds) anchors the line and gets a lot of help from DTs Devonte Wyatt and Jalen Carter. The Bulldogs allow just 2.61yards per rush and have given up only three rushing touchdowns, fewest in the nation. Michigan won the Joe Moore Award, given to the top offensive line in the nation. The group, led by C Andrew Vastardis, has been better than the sum of the parts, paving the way for Michigan to run for 223yards per game and 39 touchdowns.
PLAYERS TO WATCH Georgia: TE Brock Bowers. The freshman has become the Bulldogs’ most dynamic receiver, leading the team in catches (47), yards receiving (791) and touchdowns (11).
Michigan: DE Aidan Hutchinson. The Heisman Trophy runner-up has been a game-wrecker with 14 sacks.
FACTS & FIGURES: Former walkon Stetson Bennett is still Georgia ‘s starting QB despite a rough outing in SEC title game loss to Alabama. Bennett took over early in the season after JT Daniels was injured and never relinquished the job, throwing 24TD passes and seven interceptions . ... Michigan has used two QBs all season. Cade McNamara takes the vast majority of the snaps, but highly touted freshman J.J. McCarthy gets used a few times per game, often to take advantage of his mobility . ... Georgia is making its second playoff appearance under coach Kirby Smart. The Bulldogs won a semifinal at the Rose Bowl in overtime before losing the 2017national title game in OT to Alabama . ... Michigan is making its first playoff appearance after winning the Big Ten for the first time since 2004 . ... Georgia is No. 1in the country in scoring defense at 9.5points allowed per game. Michigan is fourth at 16.1.