Texas Longhorns Seal Rematch With Georgia Bulldogs in SEC Championship

The Texas Longhorns will have the opportunity to avenge its only regular season loss.

Oct 19, 2024; Austin, Texas, USA; Georgia Bulldogs wide receiver Anthony Evans III (5) carries the ball against the Texas Longhorns in the third quarter at Darrell K. Royal Texas Memorial Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Sara Diggins/USA TODAY Network via Imagn Images / Sara Diggins/USA TODAY Network via Imagn Images

After silencing Kyle Field and defeating Texas A&M 17-7, the Texas Longhorns clinched a spot in the SEC Championship in their first season in the conference.

It was known before the Lone Star Showdown game that the winner of the battle would be facing the Bulldogs, already confirmed to be in the championship game.

Georgia traveled to Austin for a top-five matchup and one of the most awaited games of the season in late October. Texas, then No. 1, saw a first-half shutout and went into halftime scoreless. Though the Horns had a small comeback in the second half, it wasn't enough to defeat Kirby Smart and the Bulldogs.

Since that game, Texas went back to a winning streak, getting past Vanderbilt, Florida, Arkansas, Kentucky and most recently, Texas A&M. Georgia defeated Florida, lost to Mississippi, and went back to its winning ways against Tennessee, UMass and an eight-overtime win over Georgia Tech on rivalry weekend.

No. 3 Texas will go into the title decision 11-1, while the No. 7 Bulldogs are 10-2.

The Texas defense has greatly improved since that home loss, establishing itself as one of the best in the country. Against Texas A&M, the defense stopped the Aggies from taking full advantage of a one-yard play, and head coach Steve Sarkisian was happy with what he saw.

"We played really good defense and we continue to play really good defense," Sarkisian said. "I thought we did a good job limiting the quarterback of scrambling. I thought we kept the ball in front of us. I thought we tackled really well tonight. So all in all, that's kind of who we are, and every game takes on a life of its own."

While the offensive line is still making some unnecessary mistakes, Sarkisian thinks they are playing "some of their best football right now."

Sarkisian played both Quinn Ewers and Arch Manning at points of the game, with Manning scoring a touchdown just seconds into first touching the ball.

Texas and Georgia already know each other, and that can be a pro and con for both teams. Going back to the first half of the regular season game, Texas should know exactly how not to play, and this defense should be more than capable of stopping Carson Beck and the Georgia offense.

"We knew when we had the slip-up earlier in the season that we have to win out to get back to a championship game, we earned that right," Sarkisian said. "We all know Georgia's a great team, and we're gonna prepare really well to try to come out on top."

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