The Georgia Bulldogs rode an SEC Championship-winning season to the College Football Playoff, but if they want to make it to the national title game, they’ll have to get through Oklahoma in the Rose Bowl.

That won’t be easy, as Sooners QB Baker Mayfield won the Heisman Trophy and is having a dominant season. While leading the Sooners to the Big 12 title, Mayfield threw for 4,340 yards, 41 touchdowns and just 5 interceptions — numbers that easily distanced him from his Heisman competitors.

Keeping Mayfield as contained as possible will be the biggest key to the game for the Bulldogs, so they’ll need to figure out ways to make him uncomfortable.

Here are five ways the Bulldogs can slow down the Heisman winner on New Year’s Day in Pasadena:

Keep the ball away from him

The best way to keep Mayfield from beating you is just to keep him on the sideline.

Georgia’s offense is built to do just that, as the Bulldogs’ backfield can pound teams into submission on the ground.

The Bulldogs finished second in the SEC in time of possession, averaging more than 32 minutes per game. Oklahoma led the Big 12 in TOP at 31:44. As pass-happy as analysts like to suggest the Sooners are, they also led the Big 12 in rushing yards, averaging more than 215 per game. It’s a balanced attack.

If Nick Chubb, Sony Michel, D’Andre Swift and company can keep the Heisman winner on the sideline, they’ll have a chance to limit the damage Oklahoma’s offense can do.

Stop the running game

Even if Mayfield puts up big numbers, stopping RB Rodney Anderson can make things more difficult on the Oklahoma quarterback.

Anderson has been hot in recent weeks, but Georgia’s defense most recently shut down Auburn RB Kerryon Johnson (although Johnson wasn’t 100 percent) and has been stout against the run all year long.

OU topped 175 yards rushing 10 times this season (Georgia did it 12 times).

If Georgia can keep Oklahoma’s offense somewhat one-dimensional, Mayfield will find it harder to torch the Bulldogs through the air.

Grab an early interception

Mayfield threw 41 touchdowns and only 5 interceptions this season, so the Bulldogs won’t find it easy to win the turnover battle. That +36 easily leads the country. (Drew Lock was the only other QB to finish above +30; Lock was +31.)

Mayfield hasn’t thrown a pick since his tossing two against Oklahoma State on Nov. 4, and he’s had 9 games this season in which he wasn’t intercepted once.

However, the senior quarterback isn’t perfect, so Mel Tucker’s defense will need to take advantage of the rare mistake he makes. That’s not necessarily Georgia’s strength, however. After a slow start, the Dawgs finished with 10 interceptions — seventh in the SEC — but picked off two against three SEC opponents.

If they get one early Monday, it could set the tone for the rest of the game.

Defend the deep ball first

Mayfield is one of the best when it comes to hitting passes down the field. In fact, Mayfield leads the nation with 75 completions of 75+ yards and is tied for the lead with 23 passes of 40+ yards.

Not all of that is “air yards,” obviously. OU’s receivers are fast and elusive. Eight Sooners have caught at least one TD pass of 43 or more yards. That includes massive tight end Mark Andrews (6-5, 254), who leads the Sooners in catches (58) and touchdown catches (8).

Credit: Kevin Jairaj-USA TODAY Sports

Therefore, open field tackling and keeping safeties over the top will be crucial to limiting Mayfield’s effectiveness. Yes, he’s also dangerous passing the ball 0-20 yards, but the more Mayfield has to throw the ball, the more opportunities Georgia will have to force a turnover.

Force him to play catch up

The Sooners only lost one game this year, and Iowa State had to come back from a 24-10 deficit to win in Norman, but that’s not an ideal way to beat Oklahoma.

Georgia would be better suited to take an early lead and force Mayfield to play from behind.

Oklahoma’s defense is vulnerable to talented offenses like Georgia’s, so the Bulldogs will have to make the most of their possessions, especially the ones they get in the first quarter.