georgia football TCU Quentin Johnson

Just about every Georgia fan saw why Ohio State wide receiver Marvin Harrison Jr. was so publicly discussed before the game. He finished with five receptions for 106 yards and two touchdowns. He very nearly had four and who knows what he would’ve done had he not suffered a concussion at the end of the third quarter.

Georgia found a way to get past Harrison and the talented Ohio State passing attack. But the final game doesn’t figure to be any easier, especially with TCU boasting star receiver Quentin Johnston.

While many scouts see Harrison as the top wide receiver in the 2024 NFL Draft cycle, Johnston has a real case at being the top-draft eligible wide receiver in this cycle. He took home offensive MVP honors with his play against Michigan and ESPN’s Jordan Reid has Johnston being taken by the Houston Texans with the No. 12 overall pick.

The 6-foot-4 junior has been on a tear in the past two games, catching 10 passes for 302 yards and a back-breaking touchdown against the Wolverines.

“Their size on the outside stands out a lot,” defensive back Javon Bullard said. “We know they’ve got some very large receivers, big catch radiuses and they can run. Anytime you have that size on the perimeter, whether it’s quick game or deep balls, it’s always a great matchup.”

The guy getting Johnston the ball is pretty special as well, with Max Duggan finishing second in Heisman Trophy voting. He’s a threat as both a passer — 32 touchdown passes — and as a runner — eight rushing touchdowns.

Duggan and Bennett got to hang out when both were in New York for the Heisman Trophy ceremony. The two likely weren’t trading secrets, especially given TCU was a touchdown underdog against Michigan, while GEorgia had Ohio State and C.J. Stroud to deal with.

TCU was able to have its way with Michigan thanks to its pace. Sonny Dykes has long been a proponent of the Air Raid, while offensive coordinator Garrett Riley won the Broyles Award as the nation’s top assistant coach.

“We started running more of a tempo offense and hurry-up,” Johnston said of the TCU offense against Michigan. “And it was like taking them a minute to get set. And a lot of them were tired and worn out early. I feel like overall that’s where we had the upper hand.”

After a strong display throughout the season, the Georgia defense has been gashed the last two games. The Bulldogs gave up 41 points to Ohio State and 30 to LSU. Both finished with over 450 yards of total offense, well over the season averages that Georgia has given up.

Georgia was dealing with some health issues in its defensive front, but the back end was healthy and able to finish the game against TCU.

If Georgia is able to do a better job of pressuring the quarterback, it finished with 4.0 sacks but Stroud escaped numerous pressures to create some big plays, it should help out on the back end. Duggan’s ability to scramble though will make that difficult, as he more of a creator than Stroud is with his legs.

“They throw the ball vertical down the field,” Georgia coach Kirby Smart said. “They have a lot of size outside so they can cover you up on the perimeter game and they can launch shots and they had a ton of good plays throughout the year.”

The Horned Frogs may lean more on the pass in the game in the event leading rusher Kendre Miller is unable to play. He left the game against Michigan with a knee injury and is questionable for Monday’s game. He rushed for 1,399 yards and 17 touchdowns on the season.

Georgia’s secondary will have one more challenge to conquer when it sees Johnston and the Horned Frogs on Monday in Los Angeles. The game is set for a 7:30 p.m. ET kickoff, with ESPN broadcasting the game.

Kirby Smart previews game against TCU

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