College Football Championship Preview: TCU vs Georgia Predictions and Betting Odds

Rodney Dangerfield would love these TCU Horned Frogs. It’s hard to remember the last time a team got so little respect as these Big 12 champs, who entered the college football championship game against Georgia as massive underdogs.

The Bulldogs enter as 13-point favorites, a whopping spread for a contest between the two best teams in college football. 

TCU is 13-1 on the season and 10-3-1 ATS, while Georgia is undefeated but only .500 ATS. The O/U for this one has been set at 62.5, which feels low, considering both squads just came off two semifinal games in which both teams cleared 40.

College Football National Championship Betting Odds & Spread

• Spread Georgia -13: (-110)
• Spread TCU +13: (-110)
• Moneyline Georgia: (-470)
• Moneyline TCU: (+380)
• O/U 62.5: (-110)

Important: The College Football National Championship odds on this page are subject to change. Therefore, they might slightly differ at the time you are reading the article.

We’ll be honest: it’s hard to see any way in which TCU wins this one. Georgia just feels too good, and they’re not going to overlook another opponent after barely scraping past Ohio State in their last game…right?

That’s what everyone thought when TCU played Michigan, though, and the Horned Frogs definitely showed they were the better team in that matchup. Do they have another shocker in them? Or will this be the snoozefest that Vegas expects?

Let’s see what experts think about this game.

College Football National Championship Game Info

• Teams: Georgia Bulldogs (SEC Champs, 14-0) vs. TCU Horned Frogs (Big 12 Champs, 13-1)
• Game Date: Monday, January 9
• Time: 7:30 p.m. EST
• Location: SoFi Stadium, Los Angeles, CA
• Channel: ESPN

Where to Bet on the College Football National Championship Game (2023): TCU Horned Frogs vs Georgia Bulldogs

If you can’t resist putting a few dollars into the 2023 CFP National Championship Game, we’d recommend avoiding many of the smaller online sportsbooks and sticking to major players like BetOnline and Bovada. 

They’ve been around for a long time and have proven to be safe and reputable.

Large sportsbooks like BetOnline can also provide you with:

• Dozens of betting markets: Once the college football playoffs are over, you can still find action on any number of sports, ranging from major events to the Super Bowl to obscure Turkish soccer games. There’s always something happening somewhere worth betting on.
• Competitive odds: No matter what you choose to bet on — whether it’s the Super Bowl or your favorite college football team — sites like BetOnline have competitive odds that are updated constantly – and this is especially true when it comes to this year’s College Football Championship betting odds.
• Player-friendly rewards: There’s nothing like playing with extra money, and sites like Bovada and BetOnline let you do just that with their generous deposit bonuses. You can get a big boost on your first deposit (and sometimes your subsequent ones as well) if you sign up with them.

Other great online sportsbooks to bet on the 2023 College Football Championship are:

Claim a Bonus to Bet On the College Football Championship in 2023 (TCU vs Georgia)

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A minimum deposit of $55 is required, and you’ll also have to complete a 10x wagering requirement within 30 days.

This deal is a great way to get some bonus action on your initial deposit — which will come in handy if you decide to bet on more than just the College Football Championship game.

College National Championship Game History

An official college football national championship game was a long time coming.

For decades, the NCAA used an archaic bowl game system that relied heavily on conference affiliations; while this was great for tradition, it did little to ensure that the best two teams actually played each other in the end.

As a result, the national champion was decided by a vote at the end of the season. Sometimes, the vote was a formality — there was one undefeated team that was clearly the true champion. Other times, it got messy, with multiple teams having legitimate claims to the crown.

That all changed with the arrival of the Bowl Championship Series (BCS) in 1998. The BCS used a complex formula to decide the two best teams in the country, who would then meet in a de facto national title game. 

While the BCS was definitely an upgrade on the old system, it still had flaws. Many times, a deserving third team was left out in the cold, or fans were upset with the two teams that the formula picked to win.

Enter the College Football Playoff (CFP), a four-team tournament that replaced the BCS in 2014. While still not perfect, the CFP is the best way to determine a true champion that we’ve tried yet. It forces teams to earn a spot in the title game while still allowing for the occasional bit of college football wildness.

And whoo boy, do we have some wildness this year. Everyone thought TCU would just be happy to be here — until they whipped Michigan in the semifinals. Ohio State wasn’t thought to be deserving of a spot in the CFP — until they darn near took down Goliath.

That Goliath, the Georgia Bulldogs, is no stranger to the CFP Championship Game. They’ve been here twice before, splitting games with the Alabama Crimson Tide. Will they make it back-to-back titles this year, or will Goliath be unable to escape two Davids in a row?

We don’t know — but we can’t say we’re not entertained.

TCU Horned Frogs vs Georgia Bulldogs Predictions (College Football Championship 2023)

It’s hard to pinpoint keys to the game in a contest like this one. On the one hand, it would seem like all Georgia has to do is show up in order to win. 

However, if things go south for the Bulldogs, then just about anything can happen — regardless of whether anyone expected it or not.

Georgia Will Win the 2023 College Football Championship If:

• Talent Matters: There’s no way around it: Georgia has the most talented team in college football. The Bulldogs have an incredible 15 5-star recruits on their roster, along with 52 4-star players.

TCU has a single 5-star player on their roster — and he doesn’t even play.

Of course, games aren’t played on paper, and this TCU team has had a rabbit’s foot in its pocket all season long. If they can come up with some more magic from QB Max Duggan and the rest of this plucky squad, they may just pull off a stunner.

If talent rules the day, though, it’s hard to see how this one stays close.

• Stetson Bennett Keeps Being Stetson Bennett: Georgia has a 5-star QB and a pair of 4-stars on its roster — and yet 2-star Stetson Bennett IV has held a stranglehold on the starting job since taking the Bulldogs to the national championship last season. 

The unheralded Bennett has had a circuitous route to becoming a Heisman finalist and national champion for the Bulldogs, starting off as a walk-on before transferring out and back into the program. 

Today he’s a 25-year old college QB — but he’s also cool, calm, and collected, seemingly able to guide the Bulldogs to a score anytime they need one (see: the 4th quarter of the Peach Bowl).

Bennett won’t be a highly-drafted QB, and his stats and film will never garner tons of oohs and ahhs. If he keeps being himself, though, he might just be the first two-time national champion QB in Georgia football history.

• They Play Mistake-Free Football: Without taking anything away from the Horned Frogs, they were the beneficiaries of quite a bit of good luck in the Fiesta Bowl — much like they’ve been all season long.

Most notably, TCU had two pick-sixes in that game, which was more than enough to break it open. 

If Stetson Bennett plays his usual steady-if-unspectacular game, then it’s hard to see how Georgia will give TCU the opportunities for big plays and free points they need to come out on top in this one.

TCU Will Win the 2023 College Football Championship If:

• Max Duggan Makes Big Plays: By now, TCU QB Max Duggan’s football rags-to-riches story is well-known: the man wasn’t even supposed to be the starter this season, and yet here he is, a Heisman finalist leading his team to the cusp of immortality.

Like his counterpart on the Georgia sideline, Duggan isn’t a highly-ranked prospect, and he likely doesn’t have any NFL MVPs in his future. However, what Duggan does offer is the ability to make big plays, both with his arm and his feet.

Duggan scored 4 TDs in the Horned Frogs’ upset of Michigan in the Fiesta Bowl, and he’ll likely need to at least match that for TCU to have a chance in this one. He’ll also need to protect the football, as the two INTs he had against the Wolverines would be backbreakers against the unforgiving Bulldogs defense.

• The Defense Plays Mistake-Free Football: TCU has a collection of solid-but-not-spectacular players on the defensive side of the ball, and they came up with some huge plays in the Fiesta Bowl, including a pair of pick-sixes.

They also made several key mistakes, including multiple huge pass interference penalties, and they almost gave the game away down the stretch, barely withstanding a frenetic Michigan comeback.

Still, this unit was salty when it mattered, especially in the red zone. If it can replicate that performance against Georgia — but without the mental errors — they might just give their offense enough room to pull off another miracle. 

• They Force Stetson Bennett to Be a Hero: As we mentioned above, Georgia has four- and five-star talent all over their team — except at QB. 

Yes, Stetson Bennett has proven to be a winner, and yes, he was a Heisman finalist, too, but the Bulldogs’ entire game plan revolves around not asking him to do too much. Is he capable of putting the team on his back and carrying them on the biggest stage of all?

Honestly, there’s a good chance the answer to that is yes as well. But in a matchup like this, there aren’t a lot of good options for TCU — so being the latest in a long line of Stetson Bennett doubters is as good a plan as any.

Guide to Betting on the 2023 College Football National Championship Game (TCU vs Georgia)

The biggest game of the college football season is here…so why not put a little action on it? Below, we’ve highlighted a few of the juiciest wagers on the 2023 CFP National Championship Game.

We know, we know — it’s a lot of points to lay. And yes, TCU has been a Cinderella team all year, pulling out last-second miracles in game after game during the regular season.

There was one key exception, though: against Kansas State in the Big 12 Conference Championship Game. In that one, a physical Wildcats team ground the Horned Frogs down, dominating the line of scrimmage.

And, no offense to Kansas State, but the Wildcats didn’t have the kind of defensive linemen that Georgia brings to this one. TCU might be able to slow the likes of Jalen Carter and Jordan Davis down for a quarter or two, but the bet here is that the Bulldogs put TCU in the pressure cooker down the stretch, pulling away for a sizable victory.

It’s hard to picture any scenario in which this doesn’t become a high-scoring game. Even if Georgia runs away with it, you figure they’ll put at least 40 on the board and that TCU will add some last-minute scores to make the score respectable.

On the other hand, if TCU makes a game of this, the total could easily hit 80+. As the semifinal games showed, these two teams love to trade haymakers.

TCU to Win Outright @ BetOnline (+380)

We’re not usually fans of hedging our bets, but this is a great price if you still believe that TCU is this season’s team of destiny. We think if Georgia wins, they’ll win big, which is why we laid the points — but placing a little money on TCU outright may not be a bad idea here.

Why Bet on the College Football National Championship Game?

In any regular year, the CFP National Championship Game will garner tons of attention and will be the only thing sports fans are talking about for days before and after it’s played.

This is no regular year. It’s hard to remember the last time we’ve had a title matchup as fun and intriguing as this, so expect it to dominate the news and conversation for quite a while — and maybe even longer than that, if the Horned Frogs can do the unthinkable.

Beyond not feeling left out, here are a few reasons why you might want to drop a few bucks on the game:

• Betting on sports has never been easier: you don’t need to leave your home to make a bet on the big game — heck, you don’t even have to get off your couch and go to your PC. All of these sites are mobile-optimized, and making a bet is as easy as pressing a button on your phone.
• Likely to be one of the most bet-upon CFB games ever: nothing brings out the action like a great underdog story, and this one is likely to have a massive betting handle by the time it’s all said and done. That means you should see great lines, incredible bonus offers, and a whole lot more.
• TCU is a true wild card: let’s face it – nobody knows what TCU is likely to do in this one, not even Vegas. That presents a great opportunity for sharps who are willing to take a little bit of a risk.

College Football National Championship – FAQ

Who is Playing in the 2023 College Football National Championship Game?

The 2023 College Football National Championship Game is between the SEC Champion Georgia Bulldogs and the Big 12 Champion TCU Horned Frogs. It’s a true David vs. Goliath story and one that’s expected to draw eyeballs — and wagers — from around the world. 

Which Team is Favored to Win the 2023 College Football Championship?

Georgia is favored big in this one by a whopping 13 points. As we said, this is David vs. Goliath — and Goliath is positively stacked with NFL talent. The David in this matchup has already taken down their fair share of giants, though, so don’t count TCU out just yet.

Where Will the Game Between TCU and Georgia Be Played?

The game will be played in SoFi Stadium in Los Angeles, CA. This is interesting because Georgia rarely travels more than a few hours from home, so this will be their biggest road game in years. 

Has Either of These Teams Ever Won a National Championship Before?

Yes, both teams have won national championships before. Georgia is actually the defending champ. You have to go a bit farther back to find TCU’s last title, as they won in 1935 and 1938.

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Ready to Bet On the College Football National Championship Game Between TCU and Georgia (2023)?

The College Football Playoff has felt like a chalk-fest in recent years, so having a wild card like TCU show up to crash the party is a breath of fresh air. 

Will they actually be able to topple the best team in college football, or will Georgia slowly squeeze the life out of them?

Our heads tell us that Georgia has too much talent to lose, which is why we’d lay the points here at -110 at BetOnline. However, the moneyline of +380 on TCU is so good — and it would be such an incredible story if they won — that we can’t help but hedge with a bet on the Horned Frogs.

How do you see this one shaking out? Will the College Football National Championship finally have a Hollywood ending, or will the Bulldog dynasty keep marching on? Tune in to find out.

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