College Football Playoff: Michigan-TCU, Ohio State-Georgia top New Year's Eve bowl games

Dec. 30 (UPI) -- Michigan will take on TCU in the first of two College Football Playoff semifinal matchups, highlighting a four-game slate on New Year's Eve. Top-ranked Georgia will meet Ohio State in the second semifinal Saturday night.

No. 2 Michigan is a 7.5-point favorite to beat No. 3 TCU in the Fiesta Bowl, which will kick off at 4 p.m. EST at State Farm Stadium in Glendale, Ariz. No. 1 Georgia is a 6.5-point favorite to top No. 4 Ohio State in the Peach Bowl, which will kick off at 8 p.m. at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta.

Both games will air on ESPN. The winners will advance to the College Football Playoff finale Jan. 9 in Inglewood, Calif.

"It's going to be a fun challenge and I know our guys are excited about it," TCU quarterback Max Duggan told reporters Wednesday, when asked about facing Michigan.

"It's a big challenge for us, but it's going to be fun."

Two noon games will launch Saturday's college football schedule. Alabama will take on Kansas State in the Sugar Bowl. Kentucky will meet Iowa in the Music City Bowl.

But the No. 2 Wolverines' matchup with the No. 3 Horned Frogs in the Fiesta Bowl will be the first major matchup of the day. The Wolverines (13-0) will attempt to impose their stellar rushing offense on the Horned Frogs (12-1) to clinch a spot in the title game and attempt to claim a 10th national championship.

The Wolverines are in the College Football Playoff for a second time, while the Horned Frogs will make their first appearance.

Duggan, a Heisman Trophy finalist, will lead the Horned Frogs against the Wolverines. Running back Kendre Miller, cornerback Tre'Vius Hodges-Tomlinson, offensive lineman Steve Avila and wide receiver Quintin Johnston are among the other Horned Frogs players to watch.

Running back Donovan Edwards, quarterback J.J. McCarthy, offensive lineman Olusegun Oluwatimi and defensive lineman Mazi Smith and Mike Morris are among the Wolverines' top players.

"This is the best of the best, playing against the best," Wolverines coach Jim Harbaugh told reporters this week. "Our team is ready to have at it."

Ohio State quarterback C.J. Stroud, another Heisman Trophy finalist, will be among the top players to watch in Saturday's nightcap, which will feature several 2023 NFL Draft prospects.

Stroud will be throwing to star wide receiver Marvin Harrison Jr., one of the best playmakers in the country. Offensive lineman Paris Johnson, linebacker Tommy Eichenberg and defensive end J.T. Tuimoloau are among the Buckeyes' other top players.

"I'm very confident in the talent we have on offense," Buckeyes wide receiver Emeka Egbuka told reporters. "When it comes to us playing any team in the nation, I feel confident with our guys and our ability to sling the rock.

"We are going to do all it takes to win. ... We are going to look to exploit them and make big plays whenever we can."

Quarterback Stetson Bennett, another Heisman Trophy finalist, will lead the Bulldogs against the Buckeyes. Tight end Brock Bowers, defensive lineman Jalen Carter and defensive backs Christopher Smith and Kelee Ringo will be among the other Bulldogs to watch in the Peach Bowl.

"Being in close games has made us better and closer as a team," Bowers said. "At this point, every defense is going to be juiced to play. ... I'm just excited to see what happens out there Saturday."

Styles clash

Each team in the College Football Playoff thrives on a respective offensive and defensive style and varied construction.

The No. 1 Bulldogs are arguably the most-balanced offense in the field, with the No 17 rush offense and No. 18 pass offense. But the Bulldogs' best strength is their defense, which ranks No. 1 against the run, allowing just 77 rushing yards per game.

The Bulldogs also allowed teams to covert just 26% of their third-down opportunities, which ranked third nationally.

The reigning national champions are great in the red zone on both sides of the ball, with the top offense and defense in the country when they get inside the 20-yard line.

The Buckeyes, who will make their fifth appearance in the College Football Playoff, own the No. 2 scoring offense and No. 13 scoring defense. Stroud leads the No. 14 passing offense in the country, while the Buckeyes own the No. 28 rushing offense.

The Buckeyes defense ranks No. 15 against the pass and No. 25 against the run.

In the early game, the Horned Frogs will face the tough task of slowing the Wolverines' No. 5 rushing offense. The Wolverines also ranked No. 4 in scoring defense and time of possession. They own the No. 5 red zone offense and No. 3 rushing defense.

The Horned Frogs own the No. 6 scoring offense and have the best turnover margin of any team in the field. They own the No. 25 rushing offense and passing offense, but rank 80th in red zone offense

Their defense ranks 84th against the pass and 67th against the run.

About 80,000 fans are expected at the Peach Bowl, with a crowd that could favor Georgia due to the Athens-based school's proximity to Atlanta. More than 50,000 are expected to attend the Fiesta Bowl in Glendale.