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Georgia-TCU National Championship: Palmer's Players to Watch

Palmber-Thombsby: Palmer Thombs01/07/23palmerthombs
Smael Mondon
Tony Walsh / UGA Sports Communications

LOS ANGELES — Georgia and TCU are getting closer and closer to kickoff by the day. The Bulldogs and Horned Frogs are set to square off at SoFi Stadium Monday night starting at 7:30 p.m. ET with ESPN having coverage of the game. In order for Georgia to come away with a second straight title, Kirby Smart is going to need all of his Bulldogs to play well. Here are three that I believe have to be at their tip top shape to give UGA the best chance of coming away victorious.

Brock Bowers

The biggest storyline coming into this game has been Georgia’s injury situation. Tight end Darnell Washington has been among the best tight end room in the country this season, and now he’s on the injury report at the most important time of the season. With that being said, his running mate who just so happens to be the best tight end in the country feels bound for a big game. Ohio State did a good job of taking Bowers out of it. Doing so opened things up for others in the offense. Without Washington though, it’s not like the tight end position completely disappears in Georgia’s playbook, meaning that offensive coordinator Todd Monken is going to have to find different ways to get the ball into the hands of those in that group. Bowers is always going to be a part of the plan, but it wouldn’t surprise me to see him take on the lead in some of the plays you would have pictured ending up with the ball in Washington’s hands.

Smael Mondon

TCU quarterback Max Duggan is talented; there’s no denying that. There’s a reason he finished second in Heisman Trophy voting. That kind of an honor doesn’t just happen. He’s capable of making plays both with his arms and legs too. So, in my mind the guy that takes on the role of limiting Duggan’s ability to do that is Mondon. If Georgia wants to spy the quarterback, he’s the most athletic option at linebacker. If they want to bring some pressure, he showed he was pretty good at that too with a sack in the Peach Bowl. There’s a reason he’s Georgia’s leading tackler on the season despite playing less snaps than some of the other contenders. Mondon is as talented as they come when you’re talking about linebackers in College Football, and I believe he’ll showcase that on the biggest of stages against TCU.

Stetson Bennett

This one is pretty easy: a Georgia legend is playing in his last game with another legacy-building opportunity on the table. Bennett can take the Bulldogs from not having won a national championship in 41 years to winning two in consecutive seasons. It’s pretty remarkable for anybody, but considering the position he plays and the start that his career had, it’s the kind of thing movies are made out of (and we’re in Hollywood, right?!). Bennett has loved the University of Georgia since the day he was born and will love it to the day that he dies. Monday night gives him one last chance to suit up in the red and black, and I’d bet he makes it count.

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