Georgia vs Texas prediction & betting tips - Dec 7 | College football championship weekend

Images via Instagram pages of both teams

Georgia vs. Texas will kick off on Saturday at 4 p.m. ET. The No. 2 Texas Longhorns (11-1) and No. 5 Georgia Bulldogs (10-2) will compete for the Southeastern Conference Championship.

Both teams have had tremendous seasons and earned their top-five rankings. Heading into the game, Texas is coming off a 17–7 win over Texas A&M and has won five straight games. Meanwhile, Georgia is coming off a narrow 44–42 overtime win over Georgia Tech and has won three games in a row. The game will be broadcast on ABC.

Georgia vs Texas: Preview

Heading into the Georgia vs. Texas matchup, the Longhorns are small -134 favorites, and the Bulldogs are small +112 underdogs. These odds come although the Bulldogs are responsible for the Longhorns' only loss this season. These two teams clashed on Oct. 19, with the Bulldogs coming out with a decisive 30–15 win over the Longhorns.

Heading into that game, the Longhorns were favorites to win, but the Bulldogs came out strong, taking a 23–0 lead in the first half. The Longhorns even pulled quarterback Quinn Ewers from the game near the end of the second half, putting in backup Arch Manning.

Although Ewers returned to the game in the third quarter and helped Texas score 15 points, it was not enough, and the Longhorns lost their first and only game thus far.

Most experts have observed that Texas has no wins over ranked opponents. The only team it played with a ranking in the Week 14 AP Top 25 Poll was Georgia, and it lost. The Longhorns have beaten teams who previously held rankings this season, such as Texas A&M, Vanderbilt and Michigan, but none that finished with a ranking.

As a result, many pundits are concerned that the Longhorns will fold when they face another strong team. However, Texas has proven throughout the season that it was much better than its opponents. It often had dominant offensive and defensive performances, not letting opponents keep the game close.

Georgia has had a very different season because its schedule was so challenging. It has two losses, but they came against No. 13 Ole Miss and No. 11 Alabama. The Bulldogs also have wins over No. 2 Texas, No. 7 Tennessee and No. 17 Clemson. Very few teams have been tested against top opponents as much as Georgia this season.

The key to the game will be for Texas to stay composed early on. The Bulldogs could dominate if it falls apart early like in the previous matchup. However, if the Longhorns stay composed, they have a track record that shows they can win.

Most analytical models and experts give the Longhorns a slight edge in the Georgia vs. Texas matchup. The Data Skrive model predicts a 28–23 win for Texas.