A rematch is set for the SEC Championship, where Texas (11-1, 7-1 SEC) will look to avenge an embarrassing home loss in Week 8 to Georgia (10-2, 6-2).
The Longhorns were outplayed, and the Bulldogs were the far more physical team, especially on the defensive end.
Texas struggled in consecutive games following the loss, failing to cover against Vanderbilt, Arkansas and Kentucky.
But head coach Steve Sarkisian motivated his team, and the 'Horns responded by dominating Texas A&M in the season finale.
While Georgia has the most talented roster in college football, head coach Kirby Smart has struggled to motivate his squad. The Bulldogs have pieced together multiple lackluster efforts this year, beating Kentucky and Georgia Tech by three combined points.
Regardless of the result of this game, both teams will make the College Football Playoff.
However, the winner is expected to get a first-round bye into the Sugar Bowl.
Texas is a 2.5-point favorite on the spread with a 49.5-point over/under.
Check out my Georgia vs. Texas predictions and college football picks for the 2024 SEC Championship on Saturday, Dec. 7.
Georgia Bulldogs vs. Texas Longhorns Prediction
- Georgia vs. Texas Pick: Texas -2.5
My Texas vs. Georgia best bet is on the Longhorns to cover the spread, with the best line currently available at bet365, according to our live NCAAF odds page.
Georgia vs. Texas Odds, Lines, Spread
| Georgia Bulldogs Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Point Spread | Over/Under | Moneyline |
+2.5 -120 | 51 -110o / -110u | +126 |
| Texas Longhorns Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Point Spread | Over/Under | Moneyline |
-2.5 +100 | 51 -110o / -110u | -150 |
- Georgia vs. Texas Spread: Georgia +2.5 · Texas -2.5
- Georgia vs. Texas Over/Under: 51 Total Points
- Georgia vs. Texas Moneyline: Georgia ML +126 · Texas ML -150
Georgia vs. Texas SEC Championship Preview
Georgia Bulldogs Betting Preview
Handicapping Georgia is tough.
Effort and health are general question marks, eventually producing two losses. Both losing efforts came on the road, against Ole Miss and Alabama, and the Bulldogs scored just seven first-half points in each affair.
The good news? Carson Beck is playing well again, avoiding interceptions in three consecutive contests.
Those results can be attributed to better offensive line play, as the front five has allowed fewer pressures over the past three games (19; Tennessee, UMass, and Georgia Tech) than the previous three (37; Texas, Florida, and Ole Miss).
The bad news? The Bulldog receivers can't stop dropping the ball. Georgia leads the nation in drops this year, with 36.
Coordinator Glenn Schumann has also found inconsistencies on the defensive side of the ball.
The Bulldogs allowed the Yellow Jackets to earn 70% of available yards on offense, well above the national average of 48%. Eight of 12 offensive drives earned two or more first downs, and Georgia Tech generated nine explosives on 38 passing attempts.
The Bulldogs made a statement against Texas on Oct. 19 with 10 tackles for loss, but they only produced 13 in the past 12 quarters of play.
Havoc is down considerably for Georgia, as the Bulldogs have slipped to 74th nationally in Havoc behind a tepid pass rush. Surprisingly, opposing offenses have created methodical possessions all season, as the Bulldogs have slipped outside the top 50 in Quality Drives allowed.
Texas Longhorns Betting Preview
After struggling through some SEC contests, people wondered whether the Longhorns' offensive line could handle an elite front.
The Longhorns answered that against Texas A&M, averaging five yards per rush while being stuffed on only 13 of 49 attempts. The Aggies generated one sack, and the Longhorns converted eight of 16 third- and fourth-down attempts.
The protection of quarterback Quinn Ewers has been critical to Texas' success, as the quarterback has a skyrocketing turnover-worthy rate in a crowded pocket.
The former Ohio State recruit has seen a 1.7% turnover-worthy play rate skyrocket to 4.2% since last year's playoff run, recording three mistakes in the passing game against Texas A&M.
The biggest question for Ewers entering the SEC Championship is the length of the leash, as the quarterback posted seven turnover-worthy plays in the loss to Georgia. The health of tackle Kelvin Banks Jr. should be monitored after being listed as questionable on the SEC Availability Report.
Any fallout at the quarterback position should prompt the entry of backup Arch Manning, who flashed wheels in a touchdown scamper against Texas A&M.
Sarkisian will look for ball protection after the previous loss to Georgia, signaling there could be an increase in touches for running back Quintrevion Wisner. The sophomore may not be a red zone option with only three touchdowns, but he has eclipsed 340 rushing yards against the past two defenses of Texas A&M and Kentucky.
Coordinator Pete Kwiatkowski has called the plays for one of the best defenses in the nation. Texas ranks second nationally in Defensive Finishing Drives and is the top defense in limiting Quality Drives.
The Longhorns have made opponents struggle in passing downs, finishing in the top 10 in both Success Rate and EPA. Georgia converted six of 17 third-down attempts in the head-to-head matchup, an uncharacteristic showing for Texas.
Texas vs. Georgia Matchup Analysis
Toggle the dropdowns below to hide or show how Georgia and Texas match up statistically:
Georgia Offense vs. Texas Defense
 | Offense | Defense |  Edge |
| Rush Success | 31 | 49 | |
| Line Yards | 80 | 41 | |
| Pass Success | 17 | 2 | |
| Havoc | 34 | 5 | |
| Finishing Drives | 8 | 2 | |
| Quality Drives | 36 | 1 | |
Texas Offense vs. Georgia Defense
| Offense | Defense | Edge |
| Rush Success | 15 | 40 | |
| Line Yards | 61 | 46 | |
| Pass Success | 42 | 30 | |
| Havoc | 88 | 74 | |
| Finishing Drives | 44 | 27 | |
| Quality Drives | 25 | 58 | |
Pace of Play / Other
| | |
| PFF Tackling | 14 | 38 |
| PFF Coverage | 68 | 1 |
| Special Teams SP+ | 6 | 117 |
| Middle 8 | 21 | 2 |
| Seconds per Play | 26.6 (52) | 25.8 (38) |
| Rush Rate | 45% (113) | 53% (72) |
Georgia vs. Texas Best Bets, Picks
The new Georgia offense veers toward explosive passing plays and away from establishing the run.
The Bulldogs rank 80th nationally in Line Yards, relying on the running back corps to create yardage. They're not owning the trenches in short yardage, ranking 93rd in Stuff Rate allowed.
They need to avoid passing downs to keep the pressure off Beck. But I wonder if the offensive line is overvalued after playing a few weaker defensive fronts.
The Texas defense is elite. They've allowed just one explosive drive in the past 56.
Despite the Bulldogs win in Austin, Georgia struggled in 28 passing downs with a 25% Success Rate. Turnovers and field position are volatile on a game-to-game basis, but there is no expectation that those variables will favor Georgia again.
While Texas is the play, there may be another wager with a bit more value.
Georgia has one of the worst first-quarter scoring differentials in the FBS, posting a -0.42 through the scripted portion of the game.
Texas has been the opposite through Sarkisian's play calling, averaging +7.33 in scoring differential through the first 15 minutes of games.
Pick: Texas 1Q ML (-130) · Texas -2.5 or Better
Georgia vs. Texas Channel, How to Watch, Streaming, Start Time
| Location: | Mercedes-Benz Stadium, Atlanta, GA |
| Date: | Saturday, Dec. 7 |
| Kickoff Time: | 4 p.m. ET |
| TV / Streaming: | ABC |
Georgia vs Texas will be played at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta, Georgia, on Saturday, Dec. 7 at 4 p.m. ET. You can stream the game live on ABC.
Georgia vs. Texas Betting Trends to Know
Georgia vs. Texas Weather Forecast
