ATHENS - Kirby Smart’s UGA Football will enter the final SEC game of the season as favorite to take out the Texas Longhorns Between the Hedges in Sanford Stadium Saturday night.
The Dawgs are considered a 5.5-point favorite to beat the Horns. The two teams met twice last season with UGA winning in Austin, and then in overtime at the 2024 SEC Championship Game in Atlatna. The line means the Bulldogs have “about” a 65% chance to win the game straight up.
Since 2019, Kirby’s Dawgs are 7-2 straight up when favorted between 4.5 and seven points. Kirby is 15-2 in Sanford Stadium against ranked teams. The Bulldogs are 17-1 in night home games under Kirby Smart.
The Bulldogs are coming off a 41-21 win at Mississippi State on Saturday The Horns were off this week.
In an SEC Championship Game with stakes beyond bragging rights and the chance to hold the big trophy at the end, No. 2 Texas and No. 7 Georgia battled for more than 60 minutes Saturday night in front of a crowd of 74,916 at Mercedes-Benz Stadium. In the first overtime game in the event’s 33-year history, it was the Bulldogs that prevailed when running back Trevor Etienne scored on a 4-yard run, lifting Georgia to a 22-19 win.
With both teams seemingly securely in the College Football Playoff field of 12 based on their positions in the final regular-season rankings, the teams were playing for playoff positioning and one of the top seeds that goes to the SEC champion. Texas (11-2) forced overtime with a late field goal, and Etienne delivered the game-winner for Georgia (11-2)
The Bulldogs had to turn to backup quarterback Gunner Stockton in the second half after starter Carson Beck was injured on the final play of the first. Stockton, a redshirt sophomore who had appeared in three games all season, completing 3 of 4 passes in mop-up duty, took the field in the biggest game of his career. And Stockton answered the call on his first drive, leading Georgia to a touchdown and the lead.
In Austin, Kirby Smart and the Georgia Bulldogs took a 23-0 lead into the half against the No.1-ranked Texas Longhorns.
A big reason why was due to the the play of the Bulldog defense. Cornerback Daylen Everette forced two turnovers, and linebacker Jalon Walker harrassed the Longhorns quarterbacks throughout the first half.
In fact, according to ESPN stats, Walker’s first half was one for the record books. The impressive defender made seven total tackles and three sacks against Texas, all in the first half.
