Five things to know before Georgia, TCU, plays for the national championship at SoFi Stadium – Orange County Register

So you finalized your plans in late November to make sure you can see USC in the College Football Playoff Championship on Monday, January 9th at SoFi Stadium.

And then quarterback Caleb Williams got injured, USC lost to Utah, and the Trojans missed the playoffs entirely. (What happened next in the Cotton Bowl is another story entirely.)

Well, what’s a fan supposed to do with — let’s check — Georgia and Texas Christian in town to play for a national championship?

Well, if you want to see the game, or even visit it — the cheapest tickets were $315 plus fees late Friday at the resale market — here are five things you should know:

Two Heisman finalist quarterbacks will be on the field

USC’s Williams easily won the Heisman Trophy in December, but he conceded that the other three finalists had all earned a playoff spot.

“I might be up here today, but you all get to go to the college football playoffs,” he said. “I guess you can’t win them all.”

Georgia’s Stetson Bennett once played behind JT Daniels, the former USC quarterback who moved to Georgia but won the job last season and led the Bulldogs to a national championship. On December 31, he spearheaded Georgia’s comeback over Ohio State in a 42-41 win to earn another title game.

TCU’s Max Duggan wasn’t even the Horned Frogs’ starter to enter the season, but that quickly changed and he became Heisman’s runner-up to Williams. He also had heart surgery in his sophomore year — and then emergency surgery for a blood clot.

Adversity doesn’t seem to bother him.

No drive-up allowed

Showers are forecast for Monday in Inglewood, but that won’t stop Georgia and TCU fans from staying close. Game officials do.

Driving into the parking lot of the SoFi Stadium is not permitted during the game. This apparently serves to park everyone, but it probably doesn’t bode well for fans who value this part of the game day as much as the action on the pitch…or more.

Game organizers have a free gathering area where they say fans can hang out, but it’s not the same as grilling ribs in the back of a truck loaded with buckets from SweetWater 420 and Athens, Georgia’s REM blast.

That might make for some not-so-shiny and unlucky people.

Alumni Showdown

Southern California fans love former TCU running back LaDainian Tomlinson, the Chargers Hall of Famer, and there are other notable athletes who have spent time in Fort Worth: football players Sammy Baugh, Andy Dalton and Davey O’Brien spring to mind.

Aside from the athletes, notable alumni include Broadway star Betty Buckley, American Pie actor Chris Klein and best-selling author Dan Jenkins. TCU also gets credit for its fictional alumni – Russell Johnson, The Professor from Gilligan’s Island.

Georgia’s former athletes include Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford, former Rams running back Todd Gurley, and basketball greats Teresa Edwards and Dominique Wilkins.

Members of the B-52 and the aforementioned REM visited Georgia, and Academy Award winner Kim Basinger is a graduate student.

Mascot Matchup

If you’re a lifelong football fan whose Texas-born father used to ask you about Southwest Conference mascots (may he rest in peace) — a little too specific? – You might be shocked to learn that TCU’s Horned Frogs really should be called horned lizards.

Apparently they are commonly known just as horned toads or frogs.

Perplexed.

Georgia’s adorable live bulldog mascot, Uga X, didn’t really need help in this competition, but he got some anyway. Unfortunately, the family who own Uga X thought the trip would be too adventurous for the 9-year-old bulldog, who will be watching the game from home.