Author: Max McClean

Conference Championship Game of the Week: Texas vs. Georgia – SEC Championship

For the second time this year, the Texas Longhorns and Georgia Bulldogs will face off—this time with even higher stakes, as the winner will be crowned the 2024 SEC Champion. Texas has been nearly perfect this season, boasting an 11-1 record, with their only loss coming at the hands of the Bulldogs. Since that Week 8 matchup, Texas has looked like the stronger team, while Georgia has been uncharacteristically inconsistent. The Bulldogs have had some questionable performances, including a loss to Ole Miss and a narrow 8OT victory in their rivalry game just a week ago.

Texas entered Atlanta as the higher-ranked team and as a slight favorite to win the game (-2.5). This marks Kirby Smart's fourth consecutive trip to the SEC Championship, where Georgia will look to avoid a third straight loss. The Bulldogs' 1-2 record in this stretch has come at the hands of Alabama, with losses in both 2021 and 2023. However, this year, it’s not Nick Saban and the Tide setting the stage. Instead, Texas, under Steve Sarkisian, in their first SEC season have emerged as a formidable contender, ready to take on Georgia for the SEC title.

Texas No.2 (11-1, 1st in SEC)

In their inaugural SEC season, Texas has been nearly perfect—almost being the key word. It's rare that a team's only loss of the season comes at the hands of the opponent they later face in the SEC Championship, but here we are. This rematch offers a unique opportunity for the Longhorns to prove they’ve learned from their earlier defeat and can rise to the occasion on the biggest stage in enemy territory at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta.

As headlined in the QSAO Game of the Week article for this showdown back in week eight, Texas has effectively embraced a running back-by-committee approach this season after losing CJ Baxter for the year in fall camp. Baxter was expected to be a major contributor to the offense, but with his absence, running backs Quintrevion Wisner and Jaydon Blue had stepped up. However, in their lone blemish of the season—a 37-14 loss to Georgia on October 19—the Longhorns failed to execute in the trenches. The Longhorns rushed for just 29 yards total that game. Georgia’s defensive line and linebackers disrupted Texas’ running game and pressured quarterback Quinn Ewers, preventing them from establishing any offensive rhythm. This will be an even tougher task as projected Top-10 pick, Left Tackle Kelvin Banks Jr went down with an injury last week against the Aggies, returning to the sideline later in a walking boot and sweatpants. It will be crucial for the Longhorns to execute in a way they didn’t earlier this season, imposing their physicality on Georgia’s defense to control the pace of the game, something that will be even harder if Banks isnt good to go.

Another key factor heading into the SEC Championship is the status of Texas quarterback Quinn Ewers, who remains a question mark after sustaining an ankle injury in Week 13 against Kentucky. Despite the injury, and noticeable brace on his ankle, Ewers threw for 218 yards and one touchdown. His performance was enough to secure the win, but it raised concerns about how he would fare against a more formidable defense like Georgia's. Texas must hope that Ewers is good to go, because if he's not it could put extra pressure on the running game and the rest of the offense to step up.

As the Longhorns look to rebound from their October loss, they will need to execute in all phases of the game, particularly in the trenches and at quarterback. With so much on the line, the health of key players and their ability to adapt to Georgia’s defensive pressure will determine whether Texas can claim the SEC Championship in their first season in the conference.

Georgia No.5 (10-2, 4th in SEC)

Under Kirby Smart, the Bulldogs have made seven SEC Championship Game appearances in the last eight years. Despite this impressive feat, they are 2-5 in those previous trips to the title game. The good news for Georgia is that this isn’t Nick Saban’s Alabama, but the demons of Mercedes-Benz Stadium may still linger.

Last week, the Bulldogs barely beat the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets, with some questionable calls playing a part in their narrow victory. The Carson Beck-led offense put up zero points in the first half and didn't get on the board until five minutes into the third quarter—alarming numbers against a 7-5 Yellow Jackets team. These issues are not isolated incidents; Georgia has sputtered on several occasions this season, including in their loss to Ole Miss, where Beck only managed to throw for 18G yards with a G4.5% completion rate, zero touchdowns, and one interception. Texas will be by far their toughest matchup of the season, in the SEC Championship game no less. Georgia must overcome these offensive inconsistencies and the haunting memories of past struggles at Mercedes-Benz Stadium to secure a victory and improve their record in title games under Smart.

The key to Georgia's defensive success will be safety Malaki Starks. Ranked the No. 10 player in all of college football by ESPN’s preseason rankings and the third-best defensive back behind Will Johnson and Travis Hunter, Starks was an All-American last year with 52 total tackles and three interceptions. He will be crucial in countering Texas' strategy to take the top off the Georgia defense with speedy receivers Matthew Golden and Isaiah Bond. For Georgia to come out on top, Starks will need to have a standout game, preventing explosive plays from Texas’ offense. Additionally, the Bulldogs' defensive line will need to dominate the trenches, as they did in their earlier matchup, to disrupt Texas' running game and pressure quarterback Quinn Ewers.

With the stakes higher than ever, Georgia's ability to address their offensive woes and rely on their defensive playmakers will determine whether they can clinch the SEC Championship and solidify their place in the College Football Playoff.

Key Players

Carson Beck has shown flashes of brilliance but struggled with consistency, particularly againsttop-tier competition. In 2024, he has a G0.5% completion rate against AP Top 25 teams, a drop from his G5.1% on the year. Beck's performance will be crucial for Georgia's success.

Matthew Golden has been a key offensive weapon for the Longhorns. In 2024, he’s recorded 39 receptions for 57G yards, averaging 14.8 yards per catch, and scored 8 touchdowns. Golden's speed and ability to make big plays will be vital in testing Georgia's secondary, particularly against standout safety Malaki Starks.

Breaking it Down

The Longhorns’ balanced offense and most importantly, their improvements since their earlier loss to Georgia will give them the edge. While Georgia’s defense is formidable, their offense has not shown the same level of consistency needed to keep up with Texas. If Ewers is healthy and able to lead Texas, and I believe he will be, they will have the advantage in what promises to be an exciting and hard-fought game. Ultimately, I believe Texas hands the Dogs another SEC Championship Loss.