On the heels of gritty rivalry week victories, No. 2 Texas and No. 5 Georgia will square off again in hopes of earning a Southeastern Conference title and a first-round bye in the College Football Playoff.
Texas (11-1, 7-1 SEC) clinched a spot in Saturday’s conference championship in Atlanta after grinding out a 17-7 win at then-No. 20 Texas A&M. The Longhorns’ defense was able to quiet a raucous Aggies crowd, allowing just 248 total yards.
Texas’ defense has been its calling card, surrendering just 11.7 points per game, second only to Ohio State (10.9) nationally. The Longhorns’ lone loss this season was also the only game in which they allowed 30 points, falling to Georgia 30-15 at home on Oct. 19.
For head coach Steve Sarkisian and Co., all they could ask for was another chance at the Bulldogs.
“We knew when we had the matchup with Georgia earlier in the year, we didn’t play great football,” Sarkisian said. “They beat us pretty handily that night, and our margin for error was very small. We’d have to win every game and hope that it would be enough to control our destiny to get ourselves in this position. Our guys were able to do that. Credit to our coaches, and credit to our players for getting that done.”
Since that loss, Quinn Ewers has thrown for 13 touchdowns and just three interceptions, while Quintrevion Wisner has averaged 96.4 rushing yards per game, including outputs of 186 against Texas A&M and 158 in the prior week’s win over Kentucky.
“I think the key for us was to really get recentered, refocused on one game,” Sarkisian added. “That’s what we’ve been doing here probably over the last month or so, is not getting caught up in what’s down the road, but what do we need to do this week to play our best football, whether that’s physical, mental, emotional.”
The Bulldogs (10-2, 6-2) enter on a three-game winning streak, most recently rallying for an improbable 44-42, eight-overtime home win over Georgia Tech last Friday. Trailing 27-13 with less than four minutes remaining, Georgia mounted a comeback that resulted in the longest game in SEC history. Carson Beck threw for 297 yards and five touchdowns, helping the Bulldogs effectively clinch a spot in the CFP.
With attention now focused on Atlanta, Georgia head coach Kirby Smart understands the challenge ahead.
“Their defense is one of the best in the country,” Smart said of Texas. “They’ve got explosive skill players. Did a tremendous job in the portal. Their quarterback is playing at a high level, and the backs they’ve got are doing a great job. So, all in all, it should be an exciting, challenging SEC championship. … They’re the same challenges as they were the first time you played them. You know, I’m a big guy of statistics and philosophies and things like that. The previous matchup does not determine this matchup. You can’t overstate that to your players.”
Following a four-week stretch that saw Beck throw nine interceptions, the fifth-year senior has passed for nine touchdowns and zero picks over the last two games against UMass and Georgia Tech.
Facing a tougher task Saturday, Beck says he doesn’t mind seeing the Longhorns again.
“It’s the first time I’ve ever had to play a team twice in a season. So it’s a little bit different obviously,” Beck said. “We kind of know what their identity is as a team. They know what our identity is as a team. We faced each other before. It will be interesting as we prepare through the week, what we like, what we don’t like. Seeing the film, how they changed since the last time we played them. It’s an exciting challenge. We’re looking forward to it.”
Beck, who has thrown for 3,429 yards, 28 touchdowns and 12 interceptions, struggled against Texas the first time around, passing for just 175 yards and three picks.
–Field Level Media