SEC Championship: Georgia vs Texas Betting Preview

Head-to-head info

This will be the second meeting of the campaign between Georgia and Texas. The Bulldogs handed the Longhorns their only loss of the season back in October by a score of 30-15. However, that was the first time they met since 2018 when Texas came out on top. Steve Sarkisian’s squad will definitely be looking for revenge here.

Georgia looking to take back SEC title

The Bulldogs have of course been the powerhouse of college football across the last few years, winning back-to-back national championships before Michigan was crowned last season. While Georgia hasn’t been super consistent this season, they definitely have a chance of getting back there. Kirby Smart’s team finished with a 10-2 record, including wins over Texas, Auburn, Florida, and Tennessee. Their two losses came to Ole Miss and Alabama.

The Bulldogs are led by quarterback Carson Beck, who had a respectable campaign. He completed 65.1% of his passes for 3,429 yards and 28 touchdowns against 12 interceptions. His top target was Dominic Lovett with 53 receptions and 571 yards and six touchdowns. Georgia ranked 25th in the country in points with 34.1 per game while also ranking 37th in total yards. Defensively, the Bulldogs are also top-50 in nearly every major category. But, Georgia has lacked consistency since beating Texas in October, with a few shaky performances.

The Bulldogs have been very inconsistent at times and that cannot happen on Saturday because Texas is truly a force on both sides of the ball. For instance, Beck struggled immensely in the first half against Georgia Tech before coming alive. If the Bulldogs fall behind like that again, there’s no coming back against a team like the Longhorns. They’re a slim underdog at online betting sites.

Texas is a legitimate contender

The Longhorns were in the College Football Playoff last season and lost in the semifinals to Washington. Revenge was certainly on their minds once Week 1 rolled around because Texas has been one of the best programs in the nation. They’ve been consistently ranked within the top 10 and finished the campaign with an 11-1-0 record, including five straight wins over Vanderbilt, Florida, Arkansas, Kentucky, and Texas A&M.

Texas outgained the Aggies 458-248 in the rivalry game and mostly dominated on the ground. Quintrevion Wisner ran for a whopping 186 yards, while QB Quinn Ewers also did his part. He completed 17 of 28 passes for 218 yards and a touchdown including 29 rushing yards. It wasn’t the best offensive performance for the Longhorns, but they got the job done. On the season, they’re 21st with 34.8 PPG.

Defense is the name of the game for Texas, allowing a mere 11.7 points per contest. They’re also top-five in the fewest passing yards and total yards allowed. The 30 points allowed to Georgia was the most the Longhorns gave up all season, but again, the Bulldogs were playing a lot better at that time. Texas is going to put up points, there’s no question. It will come down to just how stout their defense will be. The Longhorns are looking for their first SEC title after just joining the conference. They’re a slim 2.5-point favorite at Sports Interaction.