The National Championship game between TCU and Georgia is expected to be a coronation for the Bulldogs. Kirby Smart's team is the defending national champion, and the Bulldogs are coming off a stirring victory in the CFP semifinal game against a powerful Ohio State team, so the thought of the Horned Frogs pulling off another upset does not seem likely to the experts.

TCU is a 12.5-point underdog to Georgia, but that suits the Horned Frogs. Remember, TCU was not supposed to be the best team in the Big 12, and they certainly weren't supposed to beat Michigan either. But this is a team that ignores expectations. Sonny Dykes has a shockingly talented team that plays with confidence.

Nearly all opponents have found out that the Horned Frogs have the ability to get the best of any opponent that takes them likely. They can also take advantage of the smallest breaks to gain an advantage.

The Horned Frogs are double-digit underdogs in this game at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, but they have a number of strengths that could lead to the upset victory.

Big-Play Ability

The TCU offense has the ability to deliver big plays that can change the game at any moment. Looking back at the College Football Playoff win over Michigan, it was clear that the Wolverines were not prepared to handle the Horned Frogs explosiveness.

Bud Clark started the big-play bonanza with a 41-yard interception return for a score in the first quarter. Linebacker Dee Winters added a 29-yard interception return for a score in the second half. After that, quarterback Max Duggan threw a 76-yard touchdown pass to Quentin Johnston in the 4th quarter. That play gave TCU a 48-38 lead, and the Horned Frogs would not relinquish that advantage.

Throughout the season, Duggan was never afraid to stretch the defense. He completed 48 percent of his downfield throws of at least 20 yards, beating the national average by 10 percent.

Johnston is one of the key weapons for Duggan. He has 1,066 receiving yards and 6 touchdowns this season. He has the ability to make the catch and evade tacklers with his speed. He will be challenged by Georgia cornerback Kelee Ringo.

Solid running game

The Horned Frogs have a diversified offense that can get the job done with it's ground game. Kendre Miller is a dynamic runner who gained 1,399 yards and scored 17 touchdowns. Miller went down with a lower body injury in the win over Michigan, and he is questionable for the title game.

However, if Miller can't play, backup Emari Demercado is a capable backup. He burned the Wolverines with 150 rushing yards.

And then there's Duggan, who is both an effective and a gutsy runner. Duggan can scramble away from pressure and also get the job done on designed running plays. Duggan ran for 461 yards and 8 touchdowns throughout the year, and that included 2 rushing touchdowns against Michigan.

Sharp and opportunistic defense

The Horned Frogs do an excellent job of keeping their opponents from converting on 3rd and 4th downs. They stopped Michigan on 12 of 15 conversion attempts in their CFP victory.

Williams is extremely dependable and comes up with game-changing plays for Dykes. He has recorded 14.5 TFLs and 7.5 sacks this season.

In addition to his interception return for a score against Michigan, he also was involved in six negative plays that helped end the Michigan season.

Conclusion

The Bulldogs are a great team and they are deserving of their status as favorites in the title game. But TCU is not just an opponent who is preparing to serve as cannon fodder for Georgia.

The Horned Frogs have the talent, strength and maturity to come up with the upset victory. Look for TCU to come from behind and register a 31-30 victory.