Rose Bowl 2018: Examining Key Stats, Matchups for Georgia vs. Oklahoma

Georgia and Oklahoma are two diametrically different teams. 

The Bulldogs are coached by Nick Saban protege Kirby Smart and follow the old Saban blueprint: play great defense, pound the ground with elite running backs and find a quarterback who doesn't make mistakes.

The three-headed monster of Nick Chubb, Sony Michel and D'Andre Swift is arguably the best in the nation. Chubb and Michel are surefire pros as they finish up their collegiate career among the most decorated backs in school history. Chubb has rushed for at least 1,000 yards in three of his four years, the lone exception being an injury-plagued 2015, while Michel has been with him every step of the way.

"We had a vision first and after that you kind of have to work at it and reach those goals and that's kind of what we did," Chubb told The Associated Press. "We came here and we worked hard, we worked very hard in the offseason to get to where we are."

Swift is now the true change-of-pace back in Athens. The 5'9" freshman has at least one carry of 20 or more yards in eight games and is averaging 8.2 yards per pop this season. Some of those runs have come in garbage time during blowouts, but Swift hit a 64-yard home run in the SEC Championship Game against Auburn that all but sealed the deal.

"Those two guys—I can't say enough about them," Swift said of the two older backs, per David Paschall of the Times Free Press. "They're amazing role models and big-brother figures. They told me to be patient and to seize every opportunity. They tell me all the time that I'm next up, and that's how I work."

Georgia also throttles opponents with its fierce defense. Aside from a one-game blip against Auburn in the regular season, the Bulldogs have nearly been impenetrable. Seven opponents have been held to 10 or fewer points. Only Auburn and Missouri have topped the 20-point mark. 

The team is eighth in the nation in passing yards allowed, a fact that very well may come in handy against the Baker Mayfield-led Sooners.

Oklahoma goes as does its Heisman-winning quarterback. And, if you are unfamiliar with what "Heisman-winning" means, the Sooners have been going pretty good. Mayfield threw for 4,340 yards and 41 touchdowns against five interceptions, and he has at least three scores through the air in each of Oklahoma's last six games. He finished the regular season with 13 touchdowns without a pick in his last four games. 

"The best thing they do is make explosive plays," Smart said, per Steve Hummer of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. "So, you look at them and they'll go, three (yards), three, three, three, BANG, three, three, BANG. They'll get those explosive plays. You've got to prevent the bang.

"You've got to prevent the big play from happening. Hopefully, you'll get the turnover. You've got to stop them in the red area, get turnovers. You do have to affect (Mayfield), and you've got to be smart because he's seen it all. It's not like this guy hasn't seen a pressure that we might be running. You're not going to reinvent something that he's never seen before."

Mayfield has a bevy of weapons at his disposal. The Sooners' top five wide receivers all average at least 15 yards per reception.

Stats Matchup

PPG: Oklahoma (44.9), Georgia (34.9)

YPG: Oklahoma (583), Georgia (434)

Points Allowed: Georgia (13.2), Oklahoma (25.0)

Yards Allowed: Georgia (271), Oklahoma (385)

S&P Offense (Football Outsiders): Oklahoma (47.5), Georgia (35.5)

S&P Defense: Georgia (17.9), Oklahoma (31.5)

S&P Differential: Georgia (18.4), Oklahoma (16.1)

Spread (Oddsshark): Georgia -1.5