Saturday night at Sanford Stadium carries the feel of a College Football Playoff preview. It’s Steve Sarkisian’s offensive creativity against Kirby Smart’s trademark discipline. An identity test for both Texas and Georgia at a pivot point in a season defined more by how teams finish than how they start.
For Texas, that preseason No. 1 ranking feels distant. The Longhorns arrive in Athens clinging to playoff hopes, leaning on a defense built for December and a quarterback still shaping his identity. Quarterback Arch Manning has shown clear progress since midseason, cutting down mistakes and operating with increased command in Sarkisian’s rhythm-based system built on screens, RPOs and quick throws. The scheme compensates for a run game that has lacked punch. When the offensive line holds up, Texas can pick apart defenses. When it doesn’t, the entire structure wobbles.
Georgia, meanwhile, continues to project inevitability. Quarterback Gunnar Stockton isn’t flashy, but he is efficient, confident and increasingly comfortable pushing the ball downfield. He can orchestrate drives with his legs, work the intermediate game or rely on a deep group of tailbacks to carry the load.
With one of the nation’s top pass-blocking units — an 89.9 grade, good for 22nd nationally, according to Pro Football Focus. The Bulldogs can keep their offense in rhythm. Smart’s defense remains a work in progress but has tightened each week. The lone concern is a relatively muted pass rush, unusual for one of Smart’s teams, and a potential advantage for Manning.
Strength on strength will define much of the night. Georgia’s offense brings balance and patience. Texas brings volatility and explosiveness. Since its win over Tennessee, Georgia has excelled at preventing big plays. A critical factor against a Texas offense that depends on them to create space for its playmakers.
Manning’s improvements are noticable. He ranks 18th nationally in adjusted completion rate and has only one turnover-worthy play in his last four games, per PFF. That efficiency could matter against a Georgia defense that has not generated many takeaways.
The matchup shapes up as a chess match: Texas’ front seven versus Georgia’s balance, and Smart’s disguised coverages against Sarkisian’s tempo changes. With Arkansas and Texas A&M ahead, the Longhorns cannot afford another stumble. For two teams with playoff stakes on the line, controlling the game’s rhythm may be the difference between staying alive and sliding into what-if territory.
Texas travels to Georgia on Saturday night (7:30 p.m. ET, ABC).