Liberty Bowl 2016: Georgia vs. TCU TV Schedule, Time and Odds

The 2016 Liberty Bowl is the destination for college football fans who love defensive-minded battles, as it will feature a standoff between the Georgia Bulldogs and TCU Horned Frogs.

Georgia (7-5) prides itself on defense, which makes sense given the history of first-year head coach Kirby Smart, who orchestrated strong Alabama defenses for years as a defensive coordinator.

It's the same story for TCU (6-6), which has balanced itself over the years by pairing an explosive offense with a defense that can take over games on its own.

Friday sets up like a classic war of wills between the programs, with both seeking to put a strong foot forward and gain momentum for the future. A victory and a strong offseason could mean serious gains in 2017, so expect both teams to leave it all on the field.

Liberty Bowl 2016

Date: Friday

Time (ET): Noon

Location: Liberty Bowl Memorial Stadium, Memphis, Tennessee

Watch: ESPN

Live Stream: WatchESPN

Tickets: ScoreBig.com

Over/Under: 49

Spread: TCU (-1.5)

Team Injury Reports

Name	Pos	Status
Lorenzo Carter	LB	Questionable
Michael Chigbu	WR	Doubtful
Natrez Patrick	LB	Questionable
Jayson Stanley	WR	Probable
DaQuan Hawkins	DT	Questionable

Name	Pos	Status
Kenny Hill	QB	Probable
Bryson Henderson	DE	Out for season
Montrel Wilson	LB	Out indefinitely
Shaun Nixon	RB	Out for season
Jonathan Song	PK	Questionable

Injury reports courtesy of USA Today.

Out of the Comfort Zone

For Smart and the Bulldogs, there is a big difference between shuttering SEC offenses and holding a Big 12 passing attack in check. 

TCU spread defenses out and won isolation matchups to great effect this year, even if it didn't show in the overall record. For Smart, this game represents a new challenge to end the year.

"Our defense is going to have to go against some four- and five-receiver sets and that puts you in pass-rush mode," Smart said, according to Stats LLC (via ESPN.com). "The TCU offense presents some challenges that we're not used to seeing."

As the injury report shows, Georgia may have to deal with this unfamiliar approach without some of its best linebackers.

To counter, the Bulldogs will need a strong day from quarterback Jacob Eason, who threw 14 touchdowns against eight interceptions this year. The duo of Nick Chubb and Sony Michel has been effective on the ground as usual; the former sits on 988 yards and seven scores, while the latter comes in with 753 and three.

But Georgia might not have the luxury of riding a strong ground game if its defense can't keep the game close. So in more ways than one, the Bulldogs might have to leave their comfort zone to get a much-needed win.

Getting Back on Track

A 6-6 mark isn't the norm for TCU, which had double-digit wins in each of the past two seasons. But head coach Gary Patterson had a young roster this year in what turned out to be a transitional season.

Given the circumstances, it's easy to be impressed. The team came up just short in losses to Arkansas, Oklahoma and Texas Tech but was able to take down Texas and then-No. 17 Baylor in an unexpected 62-22 rout.

Kenny Hill captains the offense for the Horned Frogs and has thrown for 3,062 yards and 15 scores through the air while ranking second on the team in rushing with 537 yards and nine touchdowns on the ground.

In front of him on the rushing list is Kyle Hicks, who ran for 954 yards and 12 touchdowns, averaging 5.1 yards per carry. Call it a symbiotic, balanced relationship, as the team had 475 pass attempts to 449 rushes this season.

TCU will look to draw inspiration from the upset of Baylor, where Hicks rumbled for five rushing scores and the defense held Seth Russell to 22-of-42 passing with 282 yards, one touchdown and an interception.

Should TCU shut down Georgia's rushing attack and play its usual offense, Patterson's Horned Frogs might hit next year with experience and run toward another double-digit-win campaign.

Prediction

This looks like an even matchup on paper, though a few notable developments to close the season hint at the eventual winner. 

First, Hill popped up on the injury report. He sounds good to go, but keep in mind he closed the season with one passing score against three picks over his final three games.

Second, Georgia ended the season hot, winning three of four, including an upset of then-No. 9 Auburn.

When push comes to shove, Smart will have his defense ready to play against anyone. This will unfold Friday when Georgia's defense exploits a slumping Hill and the Bulldogs ground game takes over.

Prediction: Georgia 24, TCU 17

Statistics courtesy of ESPN.com unless otherwise specified. All betting information courtesy of OddsShark.

Follow Chris Roling (@Chris_Roling) on Twitter.