Ricky Dimon
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The College Football Playoff National Championship is an interesting matchup of quarterbacks who can probably relate to one another – and not just because they were Heisman Trophy finalists this season. Stetson Bennett is already a national title winner, but he began his Georgia career as a walk-on. TCU’s Max Duggan wasn’t even the starter when this season began. Who will have the upper hand and lead his team to the trophy?
Let’s take a look at the best prop bets to be made for Monday’s National Championship.
Max Duggan, QB, TCU over 240.5 passing yards (-114)
This has all the makings of a back-and-forth shootout similar to what both these teams played in the semifinals. If that is the case, the Horned Frogs are going to play their part by having a lot of success through the air with Duggan. They are +12.5 underdogs, so it would not surprise anyone if they are playing from behind pretty much the whole way. If that’s the case, Duggan will be airing it out early and often. In fact, he might as well do that anyway since Georgia’s pass defense has looked extremely vulnerable over the last 2 games. In the Bulldogs’ 50-30 SEC Championship defeat of LSU, they allowed 502 passing yards. In the Peach Bowl, Ohio State’s C.J. Stroud passed for 348 yards during a 42-41 loss. UGA boasts the #1 rushing defense in the entire nation and TCU running back Kendre Miller is questionable for Monday, giving all the more reason for Duggan to hit the airwaves.
Be sure to check out our full TCU vs Georgia predictions and best bets for the National Championship game
Quentin Johnson, WR, TCU over 83.5 receiving yards (-114)
This play correlates nicely with the over on Duggan’s passing yards. I expect a whole host of offensive stars on both teams to have big nights at the office, and Johnson is certainly no exception. It is true that Georgia’s defense is loaded with talent, but in its last 2 outings it has surrendered 30 points to LSU and 41 to Ohio State. In the SEC Championship two Tigers pass-catchers soared past the 100-yard mark. Two Buckeyes did the same in the Peach Bowl, and Marvin Harrison Jr. probably would have gone well over 150 if he had not been forced out by a concussion. Johnson is coming off a 139-yard effort in the Big 12 Championship loss to Kansas State and a 163-yard explosion at Michigan’s expense in the Fiesta Bowl. Georgia’s secondary is looking shaky, so Johnson should be up to those same tricks.
Stetson Bennett, QB, UGA over 15.5 rushing yards (-114)
There is probably only one way Georgia loses this game: by Bennett making mistakes. And he knows it, too. So he probably won’t. Bennett has a ton of experience; he is a senior, a National Championship winner, a Heisman Trophy finalist and he is 25 years old. That’s right; he’s older than a whole host of NFL starters – including Lamar Jackson. Bennett isn’t going to let the Dawgs beat themselves. Count on him tucking it and running whenever he is under pressure instead of forcing ill-advised throws. The Blackshear, Georgia native has exceeded the 20-yard mark in 2 of the last 4 games, so getting to 16 on Monday should not be too much to ask. Negative yardage from sacks is a minor concern, but TCU has a modest 26 this season – not a huge number. Michigan’s J.J. McCarthy scrambled for 52 yards in the semis, which inspires even more confidence is Bennett getting outside the pocket and exploiting the Horned Frogs with his legs.
Lock in our TCU vs Georgia Same Game Parlay at +1682 odds!
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