Good Friday afternoon, Dawg fans!! We are so close to another incredible weekend of football, as multiple games on tomorrow’s slate will have a major impact on the College Football Playoff picture. Georgia is in one of those games, as the fifth-ranked Bulldogs gear up to take on the visiting Texas Longhorns in Athens. The Dawgs are coming off one of their more impressive wins of the season, putting together a complete four-quarter performance in a 41–21 win over Mississippi State.
Texas is coming off a bye week, and the week prior, they defeated Vanderbilt by a score of 34–31, though the game was firmly in Texas’ hands until the tail end of the fourth quarter. Overall, Texas has put together several quality performances recently, especially on the offensive side of the ball, as Arch Manning and the Longhorns have continued to improve and have positioned themselves inside the top ten. Tomorrow’s game is slated for a 7:30 p.m. ET start time and can be viewed on ABC.
The key things I’m looking for in this game are how both Gunner Stockton and Arch Manning will fare against two quality opposing defenses.
In Arch Manning’s case, he’s beginning to play his best football and could provide a solid challenge for the Georgia defense. Manning is coming off back-to-back 300+ yard passing games with a strong touchdown-to-interception ratio of 6:1. His best performances have come against ranked opponents, completing 63 of 90 passes for a 70.0% completion percentage, 664 yards, and a touchdown-to-interception ratio of 5:1. When you combine that recent quality play with his ability to run, it could spell trouble for the Georgia defense.
With that being said, if the Dawgs’ defense puts together a similar performance tomorrow to what they did last week, then Manning and the Longhorns’ offense could be in for a rude awakening. Georgia’s defense wreaked havoc on Mississippi State, getting to the quarterback three times and recording six tackles for loss. They dominated the trenches and consistently disrupted the State backfield, something they will need to replicate tomorrow night.
Now onto Gunner Stockton. Stockton has played lights out in the last few weeks, rightfully inserting himself into the Heisman Trophy conversation. Since the Ole Miss game, Stockton has been one of, if not the best, quarterbacks in college football, passing for 776 yards, nine touchdowns, and just one interception, while also adding 101 rushing yards in that span. He currently holds the third-best QBR in the country at 89.4.
The Texas defense will look to challenge Stockton and the Georgia offense, and they absolutely have the talent to do it. The Longhorns’ defense is led by Anthony Hill Jr., who is nearly a lock to be a top-15 pick in the upcoming NFL Draft. Hill has recorded 64 total tackles (35 solo), 4 sacks, and 3 forced fumbles this season. Texas currently ranks 22nd in total defense, just a couple spots behind Georgia at 20. The Longhorns’ biggest strength is their rush defense, where they rank second nationally. That suggests the Georgia offensive line could have a tough time creating lanes for Chauncey Bowens and Nate Frazier, possibly placing more pressure on Stockton to carry the offense. If that becomes the case, we could be in for a nail-biter.
Prediction: UGA-28, Texas-17
This game could realistically go multiple ways. However, I feel that the atmosphere in Sanford Stadium will give the Dawgs a massive advantage. The Georgia defense must put pressure on Arch Manning early and avoid allowing him to sit comfortably in the pocket and make short, rhythm-building throws. I’m confident they will do just that and play with an edge tomorrow.
Georgia’s offensive success will rely heavily on their ability to run the ball. If the Dawgs can continue to run effectively, I have no doubt it will open up the passing game for Gunner Stockton, leading to another efficient performance.
Enjoy the rest of your Friday and have a great weekend. As always, GO DAWGS!!!
