The college football playoff lineup is set! Both games take place December 31, 2021, with Georgia playing Michigan and Alabama taking on Cincinnati. Alabama and Cincy both have electric offenses, while Georgia and Michigan's offenses are more old-school smash-mouth systems. Here are the top offensive threats for each team.
Alabama Quarterback, Bryce Young.
Last Saturday December 10, Bryce Young won the Heisman award and it was well-deserved; Young has been spectacular all season long. He's surpassed 4,00 passing yards and threw for 43 touchdowns to only four interceptions. Young's late heroics against Auburn saved Bama's season, while his performance against Georgia's top-ranked defense in the SEC Championship game showed how lethal he truly is. Against the Bulldogs, Young threw for over 400 yards, three touchdown passes and added another on the ground. Cincy's defense is tough and their secondary has been good all season, but expect Young to have another solid performance as he tries to propel the Tide to another national championship appearance.
Cincy Running back, Jerome Ford.
Although quarterback Desmond Ridder is probably the bigger star and better player, running back Jerome Ford is equally intriguing, having transferred from Alabama to Cincy before the 2020 season. While was good for Cincy last year, he has been stellar this season, rushing for 1,238 yards, 6.2 yards per carry and 19 touchdowns. Ford has been one of the most dependable players on the team this season. He erupted in the teams' last game against Houston going for 18 carries 187 yards and two touchdowns. Fortunately, Bama's run defense hasn't been stout all season, so Ford has a chance to have a huge game against his former team.
UGA Running back, James Cook.
Georgia running back James Cook is a big play waiting to happen. He's as versatile as they come, able line up in the backfield, in the slot and out wide. Cook is averaging 6.1 yards per carry this season and he has seven touchdowns on the ground. While his rushing numbers are relatively modest, he's deadly in the passing game; this season he already has three receiving touchdowns on only 21 catches. Look for him to get 10+ touches against Michigan, since the Wolverine linebackers and safeties will have their hands full defending Cook.
Michigan Running back, Hassan Haskins
Hassan Haskins has been a gift from above for Michigan. He's put together some really big games including a 28 carries, 169 yards and five touchdown game against rival Ohio State. Haskins is a workhorse and has scored 20 touchdowns on the season, averages 4.9 yards per carry and rushed for 1,288 yards on the season. Michigan will need to lean heavily on Haskins while going against that fierce Georgia front. Haskins running the ball will be a major factor in the game and could be the deciding one.
