Breaking down Texas Football's next opponent, Georgia Bulldogs

NCAAF College Football News, Photos, Stats, Scores, Schedule & Videos...

Texas comes out of a bye week and is staring down a road trip to Athens, Georgia. The Bulldogs sit at 8-1 on the season, including 6-1 in SEC play. The Bulldogs are firmly in the mix for the SEC title and the CFP as either a top four team or an at-large bid. The defense has been the weak point for this team, surprisingly under Kirby Smart, but the last two since the bye week, the Bulldogs have found their footing a bit on that side. The offense is one of the best in the country, led by true Heisman-contender Gunner Stockton. 

Let’s get into more specifics of the challenge ahead of the Longhorns this weekend: 

Georgia BulldogsOffense 

This Bulldogs offense asserts themselves as one of the best units in the country each and every week. They are averaging 33.4 points per game, good for top 30 in the country, doing much of their damage on the ground, averaging nearly 200 yards/game. The passing offense is more in line with the Longhorns, sitting at 60th in the country(Texas: 51st). That being said, they are plenty dangerous there, with Zacahariah Branch, Noah Thomas and elite TEs like Oscar Delp leading the way. 

This will be the toughest test for the Texas defense this season. I don’t think there is much doubt there, mainly because Ohio State had a conservative approach in Columbus to start the year. Getting Michael Taffee and Jelani McDonald back to full strength will be massive for this unit, but everyone needs to play their best game yet. There are ways to slow down this Georgia attack, as Alabama and Florida proved, but Texas needs to play their A-game to slow down the Dawgs attack on Saturday. 

Georgia Bulldogs Defense 

In a turn of events I don’t think anyone guessed, the Georgia defense is actually the weakness of this team. That being said, there is a good argument to be made that Kirby Smart found something during the bye week, considering the defense has played their best the past two weeks. They are still a top 15 unit in stopping the run and top 25 in scoring defense, so it’s a weakness in Georgia standards, not everyone’s. 

CJ Allen, #3 at LB, is the name to watch. One of the best LBs in the country and someone that can create all types of problems for Arch Manning. Raylen Wilson, the other LB, is playing at a high level. KJ Bolden is hitting his stride in the back end for the Bulldogs, as is Ellis Robinson at CB. The DL is not the usual dominating unit, ranking near the bottom of the country in TFLs(129th) and sacks(122nd). 

It’s still an improving unit with plenty of elite talent. The Georgia defense is more attackable than it has been in the past, but that is far from saying the Texas offense will have a field day. It will be a chess match against maybe the best Xs and Ox head coach in the country in Kirby Smart. 

Georgia Bulldogs Special Teams 

This is where Georgia is truly elite and has been for a number of years. Peyton Woodring is one of the most reliable kickers in the country, going 12-13 thus far this season on FGs. Brett Thorson might outdo his counterpart, averaging over 46 yards per punt, in the rare occasion he has punted this season. The Texas special teams is much improved, but not quite at the elite level the Bulldogs are. Overall, both special teams are plus units, but Georgia proficiency in the kick/punt game gives them the slight edge here. 

Where the gap narrows is in the return game. Ryan Niblett has been one of the most productive punt returns in the country, averaging 24.71 yards per return, 14+ yards more than Georgia’s average return. Neither team is prolific in the kick return game, but Zachariah Branch is dangerous the second he touches the ball in the return game. This will likely be a game with safe punts to try to avoid Niblett or Branch getting many chances at a return. 

Georgia Bulldogs Overall 

It’s Georgia in Athens at night. I’m not sure many people need to be told this is going to be a remarkably tough challenge for Texas. Texas will have to contend with maybe the best coach in college football, a Heisman candidate at QB, elite playmakers on the outside and defense that is finding a groove. The Texas DL will have to step up in a big way to stop the Georgia run game and heat up Stockton consistently. 

This is going to be the best performance of the season for Texas. The Longhorns can win this game, but they need to continue to build their offensive confidence, clean up the miscommunications defensively and battle a rowdy Sanford Stadium. There was no world where this wasn’t going to be one of the toughest tests for Texas. The Longhorns got a bye, and they have to be ready to roll coming into Athens if they want to leave with a win over a team that has lost once at home in the last 37 games.

This article originally appeared on Longhorns Wire: Early Georgia Look: Texas Football will need best effort to beat UGA

More at NCAAF College Football News, Photos, Stats, Scores, Schedule & Videos