College Football

College Football Playoff preview: Top 10 players to watch

Updated Dec. 29, 2022 8:20 p.m. ET

Get your popcorn ready, college football fans.

All eyes will be on the College Football Playoff semifinals Saturday, as Michigan takes on TCU in the Vrbo Fiesta Bowl (4 p.m. ET), while Georgia battles Ohio State in the Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl (8 p.m. ET).

Both matchups are loaded with talent. Three of the four starting quarterbacks were Heisman finalists, while the other, Michigan’s J.J. McCarthy, is expected to be among the favorites to take home college football’s most prestigious individual award next season.

While quarterbacks garner the most attention, there are plenty of other standout players who will likely have a big impact on the semifinals.

Here are 10 players to keep an eye on in the College Football Playoff.

Stetson Bennett, QB, Georgia

Bennett wasn’t a prized recruit like McCarthy or a projected first-round draft pick like C.J. Stroud, but the Georgia senior simply knows how to win. He will look to be the first quarterback to lead his team to back-to-back national championships since former Alabama QB A.J. McCarron did it in 2011-12. Bennett consistently plays his best on the biggest stage, as he was outstanding in three wins over ranked opponents this season. Ohio State’s defense has been up and down in 2022, which means Bennett could be in for a big game against the Buckeyes.

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Brock Bowers, TE, Georgia

Georgia has a balanced offensive attack, but when it comes to the top playmakers on this unit, no one is better in the big moment than Bowers. Standing 6-foot-4 and 230 pounds, Bowers has the size of a prototypical tight end, but moves like a wide receiver. He has excellent hands and is an exceptional route runner. Ohio State held Notre Dame's All-American tight end Michael Mayer to just five catches for 32 yards earlier this season. It will be interesting to see if Bowers can find open passing lanes against this OSU defense.

Jalen Carter, DT, Georgia

The stats don’t jump off the page — 29 tackles and three sacks — but there isn’t a more dominant defensive presence in the CFP than Carter. The 6-foot-3, 300-pound lineman was injured for a large portion of the first half of the 2022 season. Since returning to action against Florida on Oct. 29, Carter has been an unstoppable force on one of the top defensive units in the country. His ability to generate pressure and wreak havoc on Ohio State’s high-powered offense will be fascinating to watch.

Max Duggan, QB, TCU

There isn’t a single player in the CFP who is more important to his team’s success than Duggan. He is the straw that stirs the drink for the Horned Frogs. In addition to throwing for more than 3,300 yards and 30 touchdowns, Duggan also added 404 yards and six scores on the ground. He was responsible for 58% of TCU’s offensive touchdowns this season. Duggan faces a very tough test against a Michigan defense that has been outstanding all season, ranking third among FBS teams in yards allowed per game (277.1) and fifth in points allowed (13.4).

TCU's Max Duggan wins Davey O'Brien Award

Marvin Harrison Jr., WR, Ohio Sate

One of the top wide receivers in college football will get a chance to show off his big-play ability against the vaunted Georgia defense. Harrison has been nothing short of outstanding this season, hauling in 72 catches for 1,157 yards and 12 touchdowns. He will likely be matched up against Georgia’s lockdown corner, Kelee Ringo, which could ultimately decide who advances to the national title game.

J.J. McCarthy, QB, Michigan

McCarthy is one of the most efficient quarterbacks in the nation, and much of that is due to his conservative style of play. The sophomore signal-caller threw for 2,376 yards and 20 touchdowns with only three interceptions this season. McCarthy is an elite-level athlete who will be asked to use his athleticism to make plays as the Wolverines try to keep pace with a high-powered TCU offense that averages 40.3 points per game (sixth in FBS). Fortunately for the Wolverines, McCarthy is playing his best football of late. He has combined for 424 yards and seven total touchdowns in his last two games, which included a win over rival Ohio State in the team’s regular-season finale and a victory over Purdue in the Big Ten Championship Game.

What's at stake for Michigan and TCU?

Olusegun Oluwatimi, OL, Michigan

You wouldn’t expect an offensive lineman to be on this list, but Oluwatimi is an exception. A transfer from Virginia, Oluwaitimi is outstanding at both run and pass blocking. He was named the winner of the Rimington Trophy, which is given to the best center in college football, as well as the Outland Trophy, which goes to the best interior lineman. With Blake Corum unable to play due to injury, the Wolverines will count on Oluwatimi to open some running gaps for Donovan Edwards, who has combined to rush for 401 yards and three touchdowns in the Wolverines’ last two games.

Kelee Ringo, CB, Georgia

There are very few cornerbacks across college football who possess both the speed and physical stature to match up with Harrison Jr. Ringo, a 6-foot-2, 210-pound corner with 4.3 speed, is one of them. All eyes will be on this matchup as Ringo will be tasked with slowing down Harrison and the Buckeyes’ explosive offense. The talented sophomore had a memorable 79-yard pick-six in last year’s national title game that sealed the victory over SEC foe Alabama. Can history repeat itself?

C.J. Stroud, QB, Ohio State

Stroud might not have a win over Michigan or a Big Ten title as a starting QB on his résumé, but he does have the chance to become the first Ohio State quarterback since 2014 to lead the Buckeyes to a national title. Standing in his way will be a nasty Georgia defense that has held opposing offenses to just 12.8 points per game this season, which ranks second among FBS teams. Stroud is as good as anyone in college football when it comes to making big plays with his arm. He is averaging 9.4 yards per completion, which ranks third in the nation, and has 37 touchdown passes, which is tied for fourth. After squeaking into the CFP following USC’s loss to Utah in the Pac-12 title game, this is a shot at redemption for Stroud and the Buckeyes, and a chance to prove they belong among college football’s elite.

Georgia and Ohio State face off in Peach Bowl

Tre’Vius Hodges-Tomlinson, CB, TCU

Winner of the Jim Thorpe Award as the nation's top defensive back, Hodges-Tomlinson will have the task of shutting down a Michigan passing attack that torched the Buckeyes for 263 yards and three scores on Nov. 26. Hodges-Tomlinson isn’t a big corner by any means — listed at 5-foot-9, 177 pounds — but he has plenty of big-play ability and a knack for shutting down opposing team’s top receivers.

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