Georgia vs. Texas Prediction, Odds and Key Players to Watch for College Football Week 8

Reed Wallach | Oct 16, 2024

Oct 12, 2024; Athens, Georgia, USA; Georgia Bulldogs quarterback Carson Beck (15) passes against the Mississippi State Bulldogs at Sanford Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Dale Zanine-Imagn Images / Dale Zanine-Imagn Images

Georgia and Texas meet on Saturday night in the biggest game of the college football season to date.

The Longhorns are viewed as the best team in the country and will host the vaunted Bulldogs who will try to score a signature win after squandering an opportunity on the road a few weeks back against Alabama.

Texas has its starting quarterback back on the field and fully healthy with Quinn Ewers, can the team get off to a strong start and play a clean 60 minutes to confirm people’s beliefs that its the best team in the country?

Or can Georgia avoid a shaky start like it did against Alabama and remind the nation who was the betting favorite to win the National Championship before the season?

Here’s our full betting preview.

Georgia vs. Texas Odds, Spread and Total

Spread

Georgia : +4 (-110)
Texas: -4 (-110)

Moneyline

Georgia: +142
Texas: -170

Total: 56 (Over -110/Under -110)

Odds courtesy of DraftKings Sportsbook

Georgia vs. Texas How to Watch

Date: Saturday, October 19th
Game Time: 7:30 PM EST
Venue: DKR-Texas Memorial Stadium
How to Watch (TV): ABC
Georgia Record: 5-1
Texas Record: 6-0

Georgia vs. Texas Key Players to Watch

Georgia

Carson Beck: Beck continues to produce at a high level, and will look to put together a big outing after a shaky one against Alabama. The future first round pick had some issues against Alabama avoiding turnovers and connecting on deep passes early, but still finished with 439 yards as he nearly led the team back from down four touchdowns. Can he put together a clean 60 minutes of play to out-pace a potent Longhorns offense?

Texas

Quinn Ewers: The Texas quarterback returned from a two-game absence in the Red River showdown to face Oklahoma in a blowout effort, but Ewers wasn’t tasked to do too much in that one. Ewers passed for 199 yards with two total touchdowns and an interception against a stout Oklahoma defense but will be tasked with far more production in this one against an elite Georgia offense. Can he go toe-to-toe with the Bulldogs?

Georgia vs. Texas Prediction and Pick

In the biggest game of the season to date, I’ll side with the road underdog.

This number has drifted towards Texas based on results this season, but the Longhorns have yet to face a team that is elite on both sides of the ball. Meanwhile, Georgia was knocked off by Alabama on the road, but despite spotting the Crimson Tide 28 points in that matchup, the Bulldogs had the lead with a few minutes to go.

While the Texas offense gets a lot of credit under Steve Sarkisian's tutelage, the team’s ground game may be ineffective against the vaunted Georgia defensive line. If the team isn’t able to get into third and manageable for this game, the pressure will pick up on Ewers to make plays with his arm as he is far less mobile than someone like Jalen Milroe, who gave Georgia fits in the Bulldogs' loss.

Meanwhile, Texas hasn’t faced a legitimate offense to date, will the team feel the effects of losing two NFL defensive linemen in this type of matchup, which has been masked in every other game this season?

This is way too much respect for Texas. I’ll take the team that everyone pegged as the National Championship favorite and was favored in Tuscaloosa a few short weeks ago to get off to a stronger start and keep this within a field goal.

PICK: Georgia +4