Capital One Orange Bowl: 5 bold predictions for Michigan vs. Georgia

2. Aidan Hutchinson will secure the No. 1 overall pick with his bowl performance

No matter what the final score ends up being, there will be no doubt over what player will be taken No. 1 overall in the 2022 NFL Draft. Michigan superstar pass-rusher Aidan Hutchinson will do enough in this bowl game to propel past Oregon defensive lineman Kayvon Thibodeaux for the No. 1 spot. Dan Campbell and the Detroit Lions will kick themselves after winning too many games…

Hutchinson will have 2.5 sacks, a forced fumble and a defensive touchdown. Doing this against a dominant Georgia offensive line in the biggest game Michigan football has seen in years will only elevate his draft stock. He will either be the No. 1 overall pick by the Jacksonville Jaguars next spring or some teams like the Lions or the New York Jets will try to trade up and select him.

1. Georgia leans on Michigan in the fourth quarter to break the game wide open

As it is with most teams Georgia goes up against, gravity will eventually win. Since Michigan is not Alabama, the laws of physics will work out in the end. Barring any major COVID holdups, Georgia has a deeper roster and will eventually wear out the Michigan defense and offensive line. This why recruiting is the only thing that matters. Georgia has more good players than Michigan right now.

After struggling to get the ball rolling with the rushing attack through much of the game, James Cook, Zamir White and company will finally begin to pick up first down after first down to chew up some clock. Once Stetson Bennett IV finds behemoth tight end Darnell Washington at the back of the end zone for six late, Michigan will simply not have enough time left to keep pace with Georgia.

Prediction: Georgia 34, Michigan 20

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