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SEC Football: Previewing the New Year’s Day SEC bowl games

By Abbey Giese

TAMPA, FL - JANUARY 09: Head coach Nick Saban of the Alabama Crimson Tide talks with head coach Dabo Swinney of the Clemson Tigers after the Tigers defeated the Crimson Tide 35-31 in the 2017 College Football Playoff National Championship Game at Raymond James Stadium on January 9, 2017 in Tampa, Florida. (Photo by Streeter Lecka/Getty Images)
TAMPA, FL - JANUARY 09: Head coach Nick Saban of the Alabama Crimson Tide talks with head coach Dabo Swinney of the Clemson Tigers after the Tigers defeated the Crimson Tide 35-31 in the 2017 College Football Playoff National Championship Game at Raymond James Stadium on January 9, 2017 in Tampa, Florida. (Photo by Streeter Lecka/Getty Images) /
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Georgia football Kirby Smart
Georgia football ATLANTA, GA – DECEMBER 02: Head coach Kirby Smart of the Georgia Bulldogs reacts to a play during the second half against the Auburn Tigers in the SEC Championship at Mercedes-Benz Stadium on December 2, 2017 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Jamie Squire/Getty Images) /

Rose Bowl

The No. 3 Georgia Bulldogs (12-1, 8-1 SEC) will face the No. 2 Oklahoma Sooners (12-1, 9-1 Big 12) in the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, Calif. This is one of the College Football Playoff semifinal games, and the winner will play for the national title.

This is Georgia’s first appearance in the playoff semifinal. The Bulldogs are also the first team from the SEC to earn a playoff berth other than Alabama. Oklahoma is in the playoff semifinal for the second time, but the Sooners lost to Clemson in the semifinal game in 2015.

The Georgia defense will have to face this year’s Heisman winner, Baker Mayfield. The Oklahoma quarterback has over 4,000 yards and 41 touchdowns this season. The Sooners are No. 4 in the FBS for points per game with an average of 44.9 points. However, Mayfield and the Oklahoma’s offense will be up against one of the best defenses in the country.

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The Bulldogs are No. 4 in the FBS for opponent points per game with an average of just 13.2 points allowed. Georgia held five of their opponents to less than two scores this season. Auburn was the only team to score more than 30 points on the Bulldogs in the regular season meeting. However, Georgia held Auburn to just one touchdown in the SEC Championship game.

One of the best offenses in college football vs. one of the best defenses in the nation will make for the semifinal matchup that most fans dream of. Many experts predict that this will be a close game. Unlike last season, this year’s semifinal games seem to be between evenly matched teams. No matter who wins, we can expect this game to be an exciting one.

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