One of the biggest games of the college football season takes place Saturday evening when No. 5 Georgia travels to Austin to face No. 1 Texas. According to FanDuel, Texas comes into this game with -2000 betting odds to make the College Football Playoff, while Georgia carries -460. Needless to say, this contest carries major SEC title and CFP implications.
The Bulldogs (5-1) hope to avoid a second loss, which would put their playoff chances in a perilous position. The Longhorns (6-0), meanwhile, can make a resounding national statement in their debut SEC season, clearing the biggest remaining hurdle on their schedule for a potential conference title game berth.
This is a rare matchup between these two national powers. Georgia and Texas haven’t met in the regular season since 1958 — the Longhorns won that game 13-8 in Darrell Royal’s second season as head coach — but they did meet in the 2018 Sugar Bowl. That night is famous for two things: 1. Texas quarterback Sam Ehlinger was a bit premature when crooning after the win, “We’re baaaaack.” 2. A mascot fight! Texas’ live mascot Bevo, a very large Longhorn, charged at Uga, a normal sized bulldog, in one of the more memorable pregame interactions in college football history.
Don’t expect the mascots to tangle this year. But the main event still promises to be one of the most important college football games of the season between teams with legitimate national title expectations.
Texas vs. Georgia: Need to know
There Are Notable Injuries To Track: The status of two potential All-American players is up in the air going into this matchup. The Longhorns are hoping to have leading receiver Isaiah Bond, who left last week’s game against Oklahoma with an ankle injury. He’s listed as “questionable” on the SEC injury report. However, Texas head coach Steve Sarkisian provided a optimistic update on his status Wednesday saying: “He had a pretty good practice today.”
Georgia hopes that All-American right guard Tate Ratledge can return after missing the team’s last three games with knee and ankle injuries. Ratledge is listed as “questionable” on the SEC injury report he was categorized as “out” the previous three weeks. Ratledge was spotted on the sidelines last week against Mississippi State without a boot on his leg. Kirby Smart said this week that Ratledge is running and is “much closer” to being ready.
The Bulldogs will be without all-SEC linebacker Smael Mondon, who has missed Georgia’s last two games with a lower-body injury.
Georgia’s CFB Dominance Is At Stake: It’s been more than three years since Georgia lost a game to an opponent not named Alabama. That 50-game streak, which dates back to 2020, is in danger this weekend in Austin. Georgia hasn’t lost back-to-back road games since 2013. That streak could be broken this week, too.
Georgia has been the bully of college football since the turn of the decade, including wins in six of their last seven games against AP Top 5 competition with better than a 21-point margin of victory. But a loss in Austin, during a season in which Georgia looked mortal against teams like Kentucky and Mississippi State, will take a bit of the luster away from a program that seemed primed to the college football’s next dynasty.
Texas Looks To Topple A Third Champion In 13 Months: Only three teams have won a national championship since the start of the decade: Alabama, Michigan and Georgia. The Longhorns knocked off 2020 national champion Alabama, 34-24, last September. They beat the defending national champs, Michigan, in a blowout earlier this year. Now, Texas will have the opportunity to topple the 2021 and 2022 national title winners.
It’d be a statement of, well, backness, for the Longhorns. Steve Sarkisian went 2-7 against AP Top 25 teams his first two seasons in Austin. Texas is 6-2 in the time since.
How to watch Texas vs. Georgia live
Date: Saturday, Oct. 19 | Time: 7:30 p.m. ET
Location: Darrell K. Royal-Memorial Stadium — Austin, Texas
TV: ABC | Live stream: fubo (Try for free)
Texas vs. Georgia prediction, picks
It’s weird to see Georgia listed as an underdog. It’s the first time since Sept. 4, 2021, when the Bulldogs have entered a week in that situation. But it’s understandable. The Bulldogs haven’t looked like their dominant selves with an average scoring margin of just 10.6 points per game and uncomfortably close wins against Kentucky and Mississippi State. I think Texas has the advantage in multiple spots, including an offensive line capable of mitigating Georgia’s defensive strength. As weird as it feels to pick the betting favorite, give me the Longhorns to cover. They’re the better team right now. Pick: Texas -4.5
Odds via FanDuel Sportsbook. Check out the latest FanDuel promo code to get in the game.
SportsLine’s proven computer model is calling for five outright upsets in Week 8 of college football. Visit SportsLine now to see them all, plus get spread picks for every game from the model that simulates each game 10,000 times.
