TCU vs Georgia CFP National Championship Game Odds, Injuries, & Last Minute News

Today is the day. We're mere hours away from the 2023 CFP National Championship Game and it's hardly the matchup that preseason previews expected.

Despite opening up on our preseason National Championship odds board with consensus odds of +20,000, the TCU Horned Frogs have found their way into the title game against a much more likely opponent: the defending champion Georgia Bulldogs. 

Covers has extensive coverage, featuring a full game breakdown in our TCU vs. Georgia picks, a full lineup of National Championship prop picks, as well as some potential X-factors to watch in tonight's action. 

However, there's a ton of activity leading up to kick-off. We break it all down in our National Championship Game odds, injuries, and last-minute news below.

National Championship Game odds

Yes, you read that right: a double-digit spread in a national title game. College football odds opened this line at -12.5 and it's actually risen to as high as -13.5, while never reaching that key two-touchdown mark of -14. So long as this line stays above -12, it'll go down as the largest spread in a national title game going back to the beginning of the BCS system in 1998.

Meanwhile, the total hit the board at 62 and has ticked up a shade to 62.5 at the time of writing. TCU's semifinal saw 96 points while Georgia's saw 83, so it's not shocking to see a number in the 60s... it may continue to rise as the day goes on.

National Championship Game news

The college football universe has dropped down in SoCal for the biggest showdown the sport has to offer and with Heisman finalist quarterbacks and a plethora of top-end talent on both sides, fireworks should be expected.

With that said, these two programs have very different pieces of history at stake. Kirby Smart's Bulldogs are looking to become the first repeat champion since Alabama in 2011/2012, while a win for the Horned Frogs makes them the most unlikely winner in modern college football history.

Auburn won back in 2010 with preseason odds of 50/1 — TCU held consensus preseason odds of 200/1 with highs of 500/1 and 1,000/1 available at certain points last summer. No one saw this coming.

National Championship Game injuries

The only game-changing injury worth monitoring ahead of kick-off is that of Darnell Washington. The Georgia tight end left in the second quarter of the Peach Bowl with an ankle injury.

He hauled in 27 catches for 426 yards and two scores this season, but it's the 6-foot-7, 270-pound frame that's so valuable to the Bulldogs' offense. He's a strong blocker in the run game and a matchup nightmare in the passing game, one that draws defensive attention away from Brock Bowers and others. 

He's listed as questionable as of Monday afternoon, but there's some optimism that he may be able to suit up for the Bulldogs in a limited role.

There’s optimism from Georgia about star tight end Darnell Washington’s ability to play and impact the CFP title game tonight. The Bulldogs will be “intentional” about how they use him, per a source. Expect him to factor into UGA’s run game and 12 personnel packages. pic.twitter.com/dmotx2r3kH

— Pete Thamel (@PeteThamel) January 9, 2023

National Championship Game weather

It will be far from a picture-perfect California night in Inglewood Monday evening — as the forecast is expecting a cloudy night with rain mixed in — but fans and players alike will be protected from the elements thanks to SoFi Stadium's transparent roof. 

However, the stadium has openings on its sides, meaning temperature and wind could play a role. The forecast is expecting temperatures around 60 degrees with a southeast wind of 15 mph and gusts up to 24 mph.

National Championship Game consensus

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