Rose Bowl 2018: Key Storylines and Predictions for Georgia vs. Oklahoma

The 2018 Rose Bowl storylines are almost too good to be true. The Heisman Trophy winner Baker Mayfield versus the SEC Champions is sure to be a classic showdown. 

This battle between Oklahoma and Georgia is arguably the most anticipated matchup the College Football Playoff committee has provided fans in the four-year history of the playoff. 

According to OddsShark.com, Oklahoma, led by Mayfield, is a two-point underdog to Georgia—a fact that could serve as motivation for the excitable quarterback and his squad. 

We still have a few weeks to dive deep into the matchup, but here's an early look at some key storylines and a prediction for the 2018 Rose Bowl winner.

Kirby Smart's Defensive Game Plan

John Bazemore/Associated Press

Georgia head coach Kirby Smart is in his second season with the Bulldogs, but he previously spent nine seasons sharing the sidelines with Nick Saban at Alabama, so he's no stranger to the big stage. 

During his time as Alabama's defensive coordinator, Smart coached in plenty of games with the national championship on the line. 

Alabama's defense wasn't flawless in those games—most notably Cardale Jones and Ohio State hung 42 points on the Tide the 2015 Sugar Bowl—but Smart did generate an impressive track record of developing a creative game plan to shut down the opposing offense.

Smart helped construct the defense that shutout LSU in the 2012 BCS title game, and he then helped lead another shutout of Michigan State in the 2015 Cotton Bowl. 

Smart and defensive coordinator Mel Tucker will have their hands full developing a game plan for Baker Mayfield, but this is one of the few coaching staffs in the country with the potential to pull it off. 

Georgia's defense is loaded with versatile talent for Smart and Tucker to play with, most notably linebacker Roquan Smith, who led the team in tackles and sacks this season. 

If Oklahoma and Georgia met in the regular season, the advantage might go to the Oklahoma offense. However, with weeks to prepare, Smart and Tucker will be able to put together some defensive looks that Mayfield hasn't seen before, and it could give Georgia's defense the upper hand. 

Oklahoma's Defense vs. Georgia's Running Game

John Amis/Associated Press

The Sooners enter bowl season with the 40th-ranked rushing defense in the nation, a respectable but possibly over-inflated ranking.

Oklahoma faced just three teams from Power Five conferences that ranked in the top 50 in rushing offense—Ohio State, Oklahoma State and Kansas State. Georgia, boasting the 11th-ranked rushing offense in the nation, will be the Sooners' toughest test yet.

It's worth pointing out that the Sooners won all three of those matchups against the quality rushing offenses they faced, but none of them were easy wins. In those three games alone, the Oklahoma defense surrendered a combined 648 yards on the ground. 

Georgia enters this game with three players—Nick Chubb, Sony Michel and D'Andre Swift—already over 500 rushing yards on the season and each averaging over six yards per carry. 

This is arguably the most lopsided matchup in the game, and if Georgia is able to grab an early lead, they may be able to wear down the Oklahoma defense and control the game on the ground throughout the day.

Final Prediction

Even though many of the matchups in this game appear to favor Georgia, there's no question that the Sooners hold a potential trump card in Baker Mayfield. 

Mayfield has proved there is no stage too big for his act, and he will undoubtedly show up with some heroics in the Rose Bowl. 

If this were the NFL, it would be smart to side with the better quarterback, but in the college game the edge often goes to the better defense. It should be a classic Rose Bowl, and no one should count out Mayfield, but Georgia's defense and dominant rushing attack may prove to be too much for him to overcome. 

Prediction: Georgia 31, Oklahoma 28