Georgia and Texas Christian play for the college football national championship Monday. It’s a meeting of two schools and football programs that don’t have much in common, other than excellent teams this season. In the old-school format of a boxing tale of the tape, Sports Illustrated put together a 50-item chart that compares and contrasts the two College Football Playoff finalists.
College Football Playoff Title Preview
TCU’s Max Duggan and Georgia’s Stetson Bennett face off in a battle of Heisman Trophy finalists.
Kirby Lee/USA TODAY Sports (Duggan); Brett Davis/USA TODAY Sports (Bennett)
| Georgia | TCU | |
|---|---|---|
|
Record |
14–0 |
13–1 |
|
Points Per Game |
39.4 |
41.1 |
|
Points Allowed |
14.8 |
26.4 |
|
Preseason Ranking |
No. 3 |
Unranked |
|
All-Time Record |
867-428-54 |
679-567-57 |
|
Winning Percentage |
.663 |
.543 |
|
Head-to-Head Record |
4–0 |
0–4 |
|
Claimed National Titles |
Three |
One |
|
Last Title |
2021 |
1938 |
|
Heisman Trophies |
Two (1942, ’82) |
One (‘38) |
|
2022 Heisman Finalist |
Stetson Bennett |
Max Duggan |
|
Stadium Capacity |
92,746 |
45,000 |
|
Conference Affiliation |
SEC |
Big 12 |
|
Conferences in Last 30 Years |
One |
Six* (*Includes reneged commitment to Big East) |
|
Head Coach |
Kirby Smart, son of H.S. coach |
Sonny Dykes, son of college coach |
|
Coach’s Mentor |
Nick Saban |
Mike Leach |
|
Coach’s Forte |
Defense |
Offense |
|
Historic Nemesis |
Alabama |
Texas |
|
League Rival |
Auburn |
Baylor |
|
Non-League Rival |
Georgia Tech |
SMU |
|
Program Patriarch |
Wally Butts |
Dutch Meyer |
|
Best Coach |
Vince Dooley |
Gary Patterson |
|
Heyday |
Now |
1930s |
|
Low Ebb |
1950s |
Most of the ‘60s, ‘70s, ‘80s and ‘90s |
|
Stadium Namesake |
Steadman V. Sanford |
Amon G. Carter |
|
Stadium Nickname |
Between The Hedges |
Hell’s Half Acre |
|
Rallying Cry |
Hunker down |
Fight ‘em until Hell freezes over, then fight ‘em on the ice |
|
One-Name RB Hero |
Herschel |
LaDainian |
|
Famed Player Nicknames |
Champ and Boss |
Slingin’ Sammy and Red Rifle |
|
Beloved Short QB |
Stetson Bennett |
Davey O’Brien |
|
Don’t Mention |
Second-and-26 |
2014 CFP selection committee |
|
Do Mention |
Kelee RIngo pick-six |
Tank Carder batted pass |
|
Favorite Field Goal |
Noah Ruggles’ miss |
“Bazooka Kick” vs. Baylor |
|
Weird Fan Cheer |
Barking. |
Riff, Ram, Bah, Zoo |
|
Iconic Pants |
Silver britches |
Gary Patterson hiking up his khakis |
|
Undergrad Enrollment |
30,166 |
10,523 |
|
U.S. News National Rank |
49th |
89th |
|
Mascot |
Live bulldog |
Human dressed as a horned frog |
|
Mascot Excretion |
Slobbers at the mouth |
Shoots blood from the eyes |
|
Spellbinding Leader |
Kirby Smart |
Hypnotoad |
|
Wisecracking Wordsmith |
Lewis Grizzard |
Dan Jenkins |
|
Actor |
Kim Basinger |
Rev. Timothy Lovejoy |
|
Famous Homeboys |
REM |
The Fort Worth Five outlaw gang |
|
News Anchor Alum |
Deborah Norville |
Bob Schieffer |
|
Location |
Athens |
Fort Worth |
|
Town Built On |
Cotton |
Cows |
|
Town Famous for |
Live music |
Live rodeo |
|
Town Overshadowed by |
Atlanta |
Dallas |
|
Music Venue |
40-Watt Club |
Ridgelea Theater |
|
Campus Landmark |
The Arch |
Frog Fountain |
