This article is part of our College Football Picks series.
Texas vs Georgia SEC Championship CFB Picks
Georgia and Texas will face off for the 33rd edition of the SEC Championship Game. The Longhorns are making their first appearance in the SEC Championship Game in their first year in the conference. Georgia will be playing in their 11th SEC Championship and looks to win their fifth SEC Championship Game in program history. A win would put them in a tie with LSU for the third most SEC Championship Game wins all-time behind Alabama (11) and Florida (7). Georgia and Texas already faced off once this year back in October at Darrell K. Royal-Texas Memorial Stadium. Georgia won that one handily 30-15. Though both teams are seemingly firmly in the College Football Playoff there is still a lot to play for. Kirby Smart and the Bulldogs have a lot of pride and will look to continue to chase down records in the SEC. Texas wants to make a statement by winning the SEC in their first year. All while playing for top seeding and bye in the first round of the playoff.
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Georgia vs. Texas Odds for SEC Championship
Spread: Georgia +3 (DraftKings Sportsbook); Texas -2.5 (ESPNBet)
Moneyline: Georgia +125 (BetMGM); Texas -140 (ESPNBet)
Total: Over 49.5 (FanDuel Sportsbook); Under 49.5 (DraftKings Sportsbook)
Georgia vs. Texas Betting Picks for Championship Week
Georgia has been very solid all season but has shown some flaws. The offense ranks seventh in the SEC in total offense with 425.3 yards per game, while ranking third in passing at 297 yards per game. The rushing attack for the Bulldogs, however, has been lackluster and ranks 15th in the SEC with 128.3 yards per game.
However, they have still managed to do well enough for fifth in the SEC in scoring at 34.3 points per game. On the other side of the ball, the typical dominating Georgia defense has been fairly average. The Bulldogs rank ninth in the SEC in total defense, allowing 332.2 yards per game, and rank seventh in scoring allowing 20.5 points per game.
Texas, though, not having played as difficult a schedule as Georgia on the year has had much more success statistically. The Longhorns are fourth in the SEC in total offense with 450.1 yards per game, and marginally ahead of Georgia in scoring offense at fourth with 34.8 points a game. Defensively, Texas ranks first in the SEC in both total defense and scoring defense, allowing just 247.5 yards per game and 11.7 points per game.
Georgia is led by senior quarterback Carson Beck who ranks eighth in the nation in passing with 3,429 yards on the season, to go along with 29 touchdowns and 12 interceptions. Beck hasn't had the year many had hoped as he had a major problem with interceptions in the middle of the season. However, over the past three games, Beck has seemed to shake some of those issues as he threw for 11 touchdowns and 0 interceptions.
As mentioned, the Georgia running game has been a bit of an issue this year. Trevor Etienne had been leading the charge on the ground for the Bulldogs but, while battling injuries throughout the year Nate Frazier has been the go-to guy lately. Frazier has racked up 587 yards and eight touchdowns on 123 carries this season. The Georgia receiving room is led by Arian Smith and Dominic Lovett. Smith has been the more explosive of the two with 42 receptions for 709 yards and four touchdowns while, Lovett has been a steady hand with 53 catches for 571 yards and six touchdowns.
Texas is led by junior quarterback Quinn Ewers. Ewers much like Beck has been talked about as one of the top quarterback prospects in the upcoming draft. However, a mid-season injury derailed Ewers campaign slightly. Ewers has still been productive, throwing for 2,307 yards with 24 touchdowns and seven interceptions in 10 games. The Texas ground game has been led by a pair of talented backs in Quintrevion Wisner and Jaydon Blue.
Wisner has led the way with 812 yards and three touchdowns on 157 carries. Blue has put up 562 yards and six touchdowns on 110 carries. Blue has also been a factor in the passing game with 32 catches for 275 yards and four touchdowns. The Texas receiving corps has a trio of top contributors led by tight end Gunnar Helm. Helm has amassed 48 catches for 600 yards and five touchdowns on the season. Following him are wide receivers Matthew Golden and Isaiah Bond. Golden has caught 39 passes for 576 yards and eight touchdowns while Bond has reeled in 32 passes for 510 yards and five touchdowns.
Georgia vs. Texas Expert Pick:
Georgia +3 (DraftKings Sportsbook)
Georgia vs. Texas Predictions for Championship Week
These teams as a whole seem fairly evenly matched however, Texas does look to have a slight edge in the running game and an edge defensively. Both teams are talented on both sides of the ball. Georgia's defense is led by a pair of disruptors in their front seven in Jalon Walker and Chaz Chambliss who both have 5.5 sacks on the year.
Walker has been able to take over and single-handedly shut down offenses at times. Georgia also has one of the best safeties in Malaki Starks roaming the back end. Much like Georgia, Texas has their own disruptor who can single-handedly take over a game in Anthony Hill who has racked up 7.5 sacks and 84 tackles on the season. The back end for the Longhorns is also held down by a pair of DBs in Jahdae Barron and Andrew Mukuba who have both had four interceptions on the season.
While overall, Texas looks to have a slight edge between these two teams, I think this game will come down to which one of these elite quarterbacks can have the most success. Lately it has seemed as though Beck is trending in the right direction. I think he will be able to give the Bulldogs a slight edge in what will likely be a much closer game than the first meeting. I'm taking the field goal safety net with Georgia +3.
