Georgia-Texas SEC championship: Players to know, predictions and more
No. 2 Texas heads to Atlanta on Saturday to face the No. 5 Georgia Bulldogs for the second time this season.
Georgia won the first meeting this season, 30-15, in Austin and remains the Longhorns’ only loss on the season. If Texas gets revenge at Mercedes-Benz Stadium, the Longhorns will be crowned SEC champions, and — more importantly — lock up a first-round bye in the College Football Playoff.
Texas and Georgia are almost certainly headed to the 12-team playoff regardless of the outcome on Saturday, but the Longhorns can make quite a statement by winning the SEC in Year 1.
Here’s what we’re watching for in Atlanta.
Players To Watch
Texas: Anthony Hill Jr., LB
The co-Defensive Player of the Year last season in the Big 12 as a freshman, Hill has been even better as a sophomore in the SEC and is a big reason why the Longhorns have a fearsome defensive unit that ranks second nationally in points allowed per game with 11.7. Hill has been a wrecking ball this year, totaling 15 tackles for loss, 7.5 sacks, and an SEC-leading four forced fumbles. Hill had eight tackles and a sack the least time Texas faced Georgia.
Georgia: Carson Beck, QB
It’s been a Jekyll-and-Hyde season for the fifth-year Georgia quarterback, who leads the SEC in passing touchdowns (28) and interceptions (12). In both of the Bulldogs’ losses this season, he’s been less-than-stellar, tossing three picks to Alabama and failing to find the endzone on 31 throws against Ole Miss. The good news for Georgia is that they won by 18 points despite Beck’s three interceptions the last time it faced Texas. In Round Two in Atlanta, Beck probably needs to be better if the Bulldogs want to seal up an SEC title and a first-round CFP bye.
Staff Picks
Opening Line: Texas -1.5
Blake Schuster: Texas -2.5
Full disclosure, I jumped on this line at -1.5 but would still take this number. Texas still looks elite. Georgia is limping. This might as well be a home game for the Bulldogs, but the Longhorns have played at Michigan, Arkansas and Texas A&M. The environment won’t be a shock.
Mitchell Northam: Georgia +2.5
Didn’t we already see this game? And now it’s being played in the state of Georgia?
Christian D’Andrea: Texas -2.5
The Longhorns are simply playing better football right now.
Michelle Martinelli: Texas -2.5
Small but accurate spread, and I could have convinced myself either way. But on the theory that the loser of the first game wins the in-season rematch, going with the Longhorns, who also look better right now.
Tyler Nettuno: Texas -2.5
Picking against Kirby Smart in a rematch feels like fodder for looking real stupid, but Texas has been the more consistent team this season despite the result in Austin earlier this year.