ATLANTA — Texas wasted no time making its presence felt within the mighty Southeastern Convention.
Of their debut as a member of the powerhouse league, the No. 2 Longhorns posted the most effective regular-season file and earned a spot within the SEC championship sport Saturday.
“Not numerous groups can go right into a league their first 12 months — particularly the SEC — and get an opportunity to play for the championship,” Texas working again Jaydon Blue crowed.
In an intriguing matchup between the brash newcomer and a stellar member of the outdated guard, Texas (11-1, 7-1 SEC, No. 2 Faculty Soccer Playoff ) will face No. 5 Georgia (10-2, 6-2, No. 5 CFP) at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta.
The Bulldogs are enjoying within the title sport for the seventh time in 9 seasons beneath coach Kirby Sensible, who has received a pair of nationwide championships and established Georgia because the dynasty everybody else is chasing.
Including extra gasoline to the fireplace, the Dawgs handed Texas its solely loss through the common season with a 30-15 drubbing in Austin again in mid-October.
“Georgia and Kirby have been the usual in faculty soccer,” Longhorns coach Steve Sarkisian stated. “Georgia has acquired the center of a champion and also you see it time and time once more.”
Irrespective of the end result within the A-T-L, each groups are headed to the Faculty Soccer Playoff.
However there’s nonetheless a lot on the road, with the winner claiming each a coveted SEC championship and a visit straight to the Sugar Bowl for the nationwide quarterfinals on New Yr’s Day.
The loser can be saddled with an additional playoff sport, seemingly internet hosting a first-round contest on both Dec. 20 or 21.
“It’s a possibility to relaxation and get better whereas others are enjoying formidable opponents,” Sensible stated. “It removes you from that.”
Longhorns vs. Dawgs, Half II
Texas is keen to atone for its solely lack of the season, that ugly efficiency towards Georgia when the Longhorns have been ranked No. 1.
“We’ll should play a greater model of soccer than the primary time round,” Sarkisian stated. “We have been out of character, out of types.”
It was probably the most lopsided loss for a No. 1 staff at residence in 42 years.
“They should get our greatest shot,” Sarkisian stated. “I do know we’ll get their greatest shot.”
Quarterback duel
Each beginning quarterbacks can be on the lookout for higher performances than they confirmed within the first matchup.
Georgia received regardless of Carson Beck tossing three interceptions, whereas Quinn Ewers of Texas had two fumbles to go together with a decide.
Additionally regulate Texas backup Arch Manning, who got here on in final week’s victory over Texas A&M to run for a landing on fourth down. With Ewers nonetheless nursing a sprained ankle, Manning might present an intriguing change of tempo with each his arm and his legs.
“He is a very good athlete that may take off and run at any time, which is the hardest man to defend,” Sensible stated. “I would a lot slightly have a man that solely runs than a man that does each.”
Harm report
Trevor Etienne rushed for 3 touchdowns within the first assembly with Texas, however he’s missed three straight video games with a rib damage and was listed as questionable for Saturday.
Georgia has additionally been with out defensive lineman Christen Miller, who’s coping with a shoulder damage. With out Miller, the Bulldogs surrendered a season-high 260 speeding yards in an eight-overtime victory over Georgia Tech.
Texas may very well be lacking Outland Trophy finalist Kelvin Banks Jr., who went down final week with a leg damage after simply seven performs.
Freshman Trevor Goosby will begin on the essential left deal with place if Banks cannot go — and be on the firing line towards a Georgia protection that bullied the Longhorns for seven sacks in October, two of which resulted in fumbles.
Run, Texas, run
Texas had simply 29 yards speeding the final outing towards Georgia, however the Longhorns run sport has been dominant of late.
Quintrevion Wisner has emerged because the go-to again with 344 yards within the final two video games, averaging 5.8 yards per carry.
“When you’ve got 30-40 carries in a number of video games, there’s a nice dedication to the run,” Sensible stated. “They’re extraordinarily bodily, they have actually good backs, their offensive line is very large and the quarterback does an ideal job placing them in the best runs.”
Georgia within the A-T-L
Whereas Mercedes-Benz Stadium is just a few 75-mile drive from the Georgia campus, making this a de facto residence sport for the Bulldogs, that hasn’t confirmed to be a giant benefit when enjoying for the SEC title.
The Bulldogs are solely 2-4 in convention championship video games performed on the Benz, to not point out an additional time loss to Alabama within the nationwide title sport on the finish of the 2017 season.
Going again to the years when the Georgia Dome hosted the SEC championship, the Bulldogs are simply 4-7 in Atlanta with the league championship on the road.
“We’re basically enjoying a street sport,” Sarkisian stated. “However I do count on a very good quantity of burnt orange to be there.”
AP Sports activities Author Jim Vertuno in Austin, Texas, contributed to this report.
