2021 Orange Bowl (December)

Led by sixth-year head coach Kirby Smart, the fifth-ranked Bulldogs began their season with a matchup against No.

[4] The game, which hosted College GameDay earlier that morning,[5] played out to a low-scoring 10–3 Georgia win,[6] putting them in the No.

[14] The Bulldogs returned to neutral site play when they faced Florida following a bye week; they defeated the Gators 34–7, with their three touchdowns in just over three minutes at the end of the game's second quarter contributing to the win.

[15] This was also the week that Georgia clinched the SEC East's berth in the championship game, as a result of Kentucky's loss to Mississippi State.

[16] The Bulldogs finished their conference season in much the same style as the games before; they defeated Missouri 43–6,[17] and allowed a season-high 17 points to Tennessee, though still managed to win by three possessions.

25 in the AP Poll entering their third game,[27] a matchup with Northern Illinois, which they won handily.

[28] Michigan then claimed a close decision against Rutgers on homecoming,[29] improving the Wolverines to 4–0 and placing them into the top 15.

[33] After a back-and-forth game, the Spartans prevailed with a four-point win, handing Michigan their first loss of the season.

5 spot in the College Football Playoff poll entering their home finale against archrivals No.

[40] The Wolverines then defeated Iowa in the Big Ten Football Championship Game, and entered the Orange Bowl with a 12–1 record and ranked second in all major polls.

Kenny McIntosh returned Jake Moody's 59-yard kickoff for 20 yards to give Georgia the ball on their own 20-yard-line to start their first drive, which was finished with a nine-yard touchdown pass from Stetson Bennett to Brock Bowers.

Georgia capped off their next drive with a trick play touchdown, in which running back Kenny McIntosh threw an 18-yard pass to Adonai Mitchell.

After converting on third down, Robert Beal Jr. sacked Cade McNamara and Michigan was forced to punt later.