Skip to main content

Why Georgia Will Win the CFP National Championship: Bulldogs Enter as Nearly 2-Touchdown Favorites

Philip Wood

Last Updated: January 9, 2023 4:51 AM EST • 2 min 61 sec read.

Head coach Kirby Smart of the Georgia Bulldogs gets ready as we look at the best SEC championship odds.
Head coach Kirby Smart of the Georgia Bulldogs gets ready to lead his team prior to a game against the Missouri Tigers. Photo by Jay Biggerstaff/Getty Images via AFP.

The Georgia Bulldogs erased a 14-point deficit to defeat the Ohio State Buckeyes in the Peach Bowl and advance to the CFP National Championship against the TCU Horned Frogs. Here is why Georgia will win the 2023 CFP National Championship.

Georgia's semifinal win over the Buckeyes wasn’t pretty, but the Bulldogs persevered and managed to escape the Peach Bowl with a 42-41 victory. The game was the first in which the Bulldogs had given up more than 40 points since they lost the 2021 SEC Championship Game to the Alabama Crimson Tide.

Despite the narrow escape, the Bulldogs are huge favorites over TCU in the national championship game. However, what was once a 14-point spread is now as low as 13 at some of the major sportsbooks.

Here is our look at Georgia and why it’ll win the 2023 CFP National Championship (odds via BetMGM; pick confidence based on a 1-to-5-star scale).

Check out our TCU-Georgia expert picks, best bet, prop picks, best odds, and trends to know.

Georgia Year in Review

The Bulldogs came into the season consistently ranked as one of the top three favorites to win the national title along with Alabama and Ohio State. In the Preseason AP Poll, they were ranked No. 3, but they immediately proved just how good they were going to be this year when they defeated the No. 11 Oregon Ducks 49-3 in their first game of the season.

That game began a trend of the Bulldogs rolling over their competition. They won 11 of their 12 regular-season games by at least two scores, then defeated the LSU Tigers by 20 in a lopsided SEC Championship Game.

The Bulldogs did get a scare from the Missouri Tigers early in the year, but they outscored their opponent 14-3 in the final quarter to secure the win. It was their only one-score game of the season until their 42-41 win over the Buckeyes in the Peach Bowl.

After discussions that he was actually a burden for the Bulldogs in 2021, quarterback Stetson Bennett put together a phenomenal season, throwing for 3,823 yards and 23 touchdowns. For his work on the field, he was named a Heisman Trophy finalist.

Editor's note: Hey Ohio! Welcome to legal sports betting. Check out the best sites for Ohio sports betting and the best Ohio sportsbook promos!  

Georgia Betting Results

Against the spread: 7-7
Over/Under: 6-8
Opening National Championship odds: +350
Odds to win the 2023 National Championship: -500

Georgia Top Performers

Leading passer: Stetson Bennett, 3,823 yards, 23 touchdowns, seven interceptions
Leading rusher: Kenny McIntosh, 779 yards, 10 touchdowns
Leading receiver: Brock Bowers, 790 yards, six touchdowns
Top defenders: Smael Mondon Jr., 71 tackles
Jamon Dumas-Johnson four sacks
Christopher Smith, three interceptions

Best Bet for Georgia in the 2023 National Championship

Georgia Moneyline + both teams score 30-plus (+375) ⭐⭐⭐

With TCU upsetting the Michigan Wolverines, many believe we are about to see Georgia crowned national champions for the second year in a row. The Bulldogs haven’t lost a game since the 2021 SEC Championship Game, and they have looked dominant in all but two contests this year.

Their semifinal performance against Ohio State left a lot to be desired, but the way that they battled back - scoring 18 points in the final quarter - was incredibly impressive. The defense, which was lackluster all game, gave up just three points in the final 15 minutes.

Though the Bulldogs are rightful favorites, there is absolutely no value in taking their Moneyline, and this spread is very large. Therefore, finding value takes a bit of looking. One of the most enticing bets is for the Bulldogs to win and for both teams to score 30 or more points.

This may seem like a lot, especially since the Bulldogs have allowed 30 points or more only twice all season, but those two occurrences were in their last two games against who many would argue were the best two teams they’ve faced.

What TCU did against a fantastic Michigan defense was incredible. The Wolverines had not allowed 30 points in any game this season, and the Horned Frogs scored 51.

The Bulldogs’ offense is going to be what wins them this game, not their defense.

When did Georgia Last Win the National Championship?

The Bulldogs defeated Alabama 33-18 in the 2021 national title game. If they were to win on Jan. 9, they would become the first team in the College Football Playoff era to win back-to-back titles, and the first back-to-back champions since the USC Trojans won consecutive titles in 2003 and 2004.

Here are our top-rated sportsbooks:

* Bonuses not applicable in Ontario.

Related Pages

Best Online Sportsbooks | Best U.S. Sportsbook Promos

Written By:
Philip Wood
Phil is a Sports Betting Analyst for Sportsbook Review and BettingPros.com, specializing in NFL and college football. He previously covered college football and college basketball for CanesInsight.com, where he also hosted the College Football Pick 'Em podcast. Phil is always looking for value, especially on lines that just seem too good to be true. His belief is if a line doesn't make sense, just assume that Vegas knows something you don't. An alumnus of The U, Phil always holds out hope that the next head coach will be the one who turns the football program around. Some would call him a frontrunner for his love of the Yankees and the Celtics, but he's also a diehard Detroit Lions fan and will never forgive the refs for the blown pass interference call against the Cowboys in 2015.