ATLANTA (Dec. 4, 2022) – The No. 4 Ohio State Buckeyes and the No. 1 Georgia Bulldogs are set to meet in the 2022 College Football Playoff Semifinal at the Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl.
 
The 55th annual Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl will be held at 8 p.m. ET on New Year's Eve in Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta and will be nationally televised by ESPN. The winner of the game will advance to play for the College Football Playoff National Championship at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, California on Jan. 9.
 
"We're thrilled to have such a compelling matchup in this year's Semifinal featuring a perennial Big Ten power with The Ohio State Buckeyes vs. the reigning CFP National Champion and SEC Champion Georgia Bulldogs," said Gary Stokan, Peach Bowl, Inc. CEO and president. "We look forward to welcoming two of college football's most storied programs to the Capital of College Football for their first matchup in nearly three decades."
 
Ohio State will be making its fifth College Football Playoff Semifinal appearance, while Georgia will play in its second consecutive Semifinal and third overall after winning the College Football Playoff National Championship last season.
 
"It's an honor to welcome Ohio State to our game for the first time and to have Georgia return as the Bulldogs look to defend their title," said Bob Schuler, Peach Bowl, Inc. chairman. "Both of these teams have had outstanding seasons and we're expecting fireworks on New Year's Eve when they both clash in Mercedes-Benz Stadium."
 
The Buckeyes will make their first trip to the Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl, while the Bulldogs are set to make their seventh appearance, which is now tied for the second most appearances of any team in the Bowl's history. The Bulldogs currently hold a 4-2 record to date in the game, with their most recent appearance coming against Cincinnati in 2020. This year's matchup also represents only the fifth Big Ten vs. SEC matchup in the Bowl's 55-year history, and the first since 2018 when No. 10 Florida defeated No. 7 Michigan.

This will mark only the second time Ohio State and Georgia have faced off and the first time in 29 years when the Bulldogs defeated the Buckeyes 21-14 in the 1993 Florida Citrus Bowl.  
 
Georgia (13-0) enters the game ranked No. 1 after winning its 14th SEC Championship in program history and first since the 2017 season against No. 14 LSU on Saturday. Under head coach Kirby Smart, Georgia brings a stout defense that ranks first in the nation in red zone defense (60.7 percent) and second in scoring defense (12.8 points allowed per game). The Bulldogs defensive unit is allowing 292.1 yards per game, the ninth lowest mark in the country. On offense, the team features an efficient and high-scoring group that ranks first in the country in red zone offense, scoring on 69 of 71 opportunities (97 percent: 48 touchdowns and 21 field goals) and has averaged 39.2 points per game, the 11th highest total in the FBS this season. Georgia is tied for third nationally with 37 team rushing touchdowns, with eight different players having scored on the ground in 2022. Quarterback Stetson Bennett was named a semifinalist for the Davey O'Brien Award and the Walter Camp National Player of the Year after leading the Bulldogs to an undefeated record in his senior season, recording 3,425 passing yards and 20 touchdowns, with an additional seven rushing touchdowns. Bennett's success can be attributed to the Georgia offensive line, which has held opposing teams to seven sacks this season, which ranks tied for second in the country.
 
Ohio State (11-1) ranks fourth in the College Football Playoff after another successful year under head coach Ryan Day. The Buckeyes feature a high scoring offense that is second in the FBS in scoring (44.5 points per game) and sixth in yards per game (492.7). Ohio State also features a stout defense that is allowing only 19.2 points per game, which is the 13th lowest in the country. Offensively, Big Ten Quarterback and Offensive Player of the Year C.J. Stroud has exploded with his top receiver and Biletnikoff Award finalist Marvin Harrison Jr. The potential Heisman candidate Stroud leads the country in passing efficiency (176.2) and passing touchdowns (37) and has thrown for 3,340 yards, while Harrison is tied for fourth in receiving touchdowns (12) and eighth in yards (1,157). The team's red zone offense has been steady, scoring on 94.8 percent of its opportunities this season, the fourth highest rate in the country. Ohio State's defensive unit, led by First Team All-Big Ten linebacker Tommy Eihenberg, has held opponents to only 173 first downs, the fourth best in college football and the seventh lowest conversion rate on fourth down (33.3 percent). Eichenberg, a finalist for the Chuck Bednarik and Butkus Awards, is tied for third in the country and first in the Big Ten in solo tackles with 72.
 
This year's initial ticket inventory for the College Football Playoff Semifinal at the Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl is already sold out, marking the 23rd time the Bowl has sold out in its last 26 games, dating back to 1997. Fans wishing to attend this year's game still have a few remaining ticket options:
 
Secondary Market Tickets Through Ticketmaster
Fans interested in locating tickets in the secondary ticket market can visit the Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl's official ticket exchange on Ticketmaster.  It is common for secondary market prices to exceed face value.  Visit www.cfapb.com/resale to view tickets for resale on the exchange.
 
Official Travel Packages
Limited availability remains for Official Travel Packages through On Location, the Official Travel Provider of the 2022 College Football Playoff Semifinal at the Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl. An experience from On Location will put you at the epicenter of football, fanfare and fun with premium club-level seating, deluxe local accommodations and exclusive experiences to make the most of your time in Atlanta. Visit www.OnLocationExp.com/PeachBowl to learn more and secure your access today.
 
The Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl last hosted a Semifinal in 2019 when eventual CFP National Champion No. 1 LSU defeated No. 4 Oklahoma 63-28. That game's attendance of 78,347 set new Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl and Mercedes-Benz Stadium records, surpassing the number of fans who attended Super Bowl LIII, the 2018 CFP National Championship and the SEC Championship in the same venue.