No. 5 Georgia meets No. 15 Texas in the Sugar Bowl on Jan. 1 in the Louisiana Superdome in a matchup of blue-blood programs looking to take the next step in 2019.
Georgia (11-2) missed out on the College Football Playoff after a loss to Alabama in the SEC championship game, but the Bulldogs can use this bowl as a building block heading into Kirby Smart's fourth season. Quarterback Jake Fromm leads a balanced offense that averaged 39.2 points per game, and Thorpe Award winner Deandre Baker leads a defense that allowed 18.5 points per game.
Texas (9-4) lost the Big 12 championship to Playoff-bound Oklahoma, but the Longhorns are back in a big-time bowl game in Tom Herman's second season. Texas had a 4-2 record against ranked opponents this season, and this would be a chance for Sam Ehlinger to put a topper on a successful season. The Longhorns averaged 31.3 ppg and allowed 26.2 ppg.
This should be a fun matchup. With that in mind, here is a look at how those teams stack up:
How to watch Georgia-Texas
The Sugar Bowl can be seen on ESPN at 8:45 p.m. ET on Jan. 1. The game will be televised nationally but can streamed on WatchESPN.com.
Georgia-Texas betting trends
— Georgia is an 11.5-point favorite against the Longhorns. Texas has a 3-1 advantage in the all-time series, and the schools have not met since a top-10 showdown on Jan. 2, 1984. No. 7 Georgia beat No. 2 Texas 10-9 in the Cotton Bowl.
— Georgia is 7-6 against the spread this season. When favored by more than 10 points against FBS opponents, the Bulldogs were 4-2 against the spread.
— The Longhorns were 5-8 against the spread this season. Texas was 2-2 against the spread with two wins straight up as an underdog in 2018.
Three keys for Georgia-Texas
— Texas WRs vs Georgia CBs. This is worth the price of admission alone. Lil'Jordan Humphrey (1,109 yards, nine touchdowns) and Collin Johnson (945 yards, seven touchdowns) are big-bodied receivers who pose a challenge for Georgia's secondary, led by Baker. The Bulldogs allowed just 180.5 passing yards per game this season. Sam Ehlinger thrives on the big play, but this is the best secondary he has faced all season.
— Longhorns' run defense. Texas improved against the run this season, allowing 151.2 ypg along with 3.88 yards per attempt. Georgia, however, has five players with at least 40 carries who averaged 6.0 yards per attempt this season, including James Cook (6.9), D'Andre Swift (6.7), Elijah Holyfield (6.5), Justin Fields (6.3) and Brian Herrion (6.0). That takes the pressure off Fromm.
— Justin Fields. Speaking of Fields, how will the Bulldogs involve the freshman quarterback in a game where he could be useful with some big plays? Georgia is not in the Playoff, and it's on Smart to have this team prepared. That can work both ways. Georgia might experiment a little more on offense against a defense that gave up more than 30 points in six games this season.
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Georgia-Texas stat that matters
Keep an eye on Fromm and Ehlinger with their completion percentages and whether that magic number is at 65 percent. Georgia is 10-0 when Fromm hits that number, and Ehlinger was 7-1, with the lone loss coming in the last minute to West Virginia. Efficiency in the passing game will be the difference in this game.
Georgia-Texas prediction
Texas will be fired up early. The Longhorns have not been to a bowl of this scope since the 2009 BCS championship game. Ehlinger will hit a few big passes early, and the Longhorns might even lead at halftime. Georgia, however, will adjust and continue to pound with that ground game. Texas won't be able to stop it in the fourth quarter. That's when Fromm will hit a couple game-changing throws. Georgia gets the big win in the Big Easy.
Georgia-Texas final score
Georgia 38, Texas 24
