Kirby Smart relates QB Carson Beck and Quinn Ewers' playing style ahead of much-awaited Texas clash

Kirby Smart’s No. 5 Georgia Bulldogs will face the No. 1 Texas Longhorns in what is seen as the marquee matchup of the weekend. The game will feature two of the strongest offenses in college football this year, led by two of the best quarterbacks, Carson Beck and Quinn Ewers.

Smart sees many similarities between the two QBs.

"I don’t get a chance to watch them (Texas)," Smart said via On3. "I didn’t get to watch them last year, other than watch their playoff game, obviously. And then watch them in the offseason some, and then you don’t have a full quota of (games he’s played).

"The games he’s (Quinn Ewers) played in, there (are similarities) in terms of knowledge, understanding of their offense, protections. You know, it doesn’t seem pressure affects him much. He seems like he has really good composure … they both have the ability, if something goes wrong, to get you out of a bad play, and typically avoid catastrophes."

While Smart sees many similarities between the two quarterbacks, their numbers for this season are not similar.

Beck has thrown for 1,818 yards and 15 touchdowns in six games, while Ewers has thrown for 890 yards and scored nine touchdowns in four games.

If the player completion percentage is compared (which removed the impact of the games Ewers was out injured), Beck has 67.9%, while Ewers has 72.2%.

These are both strong players who are more than capable of leading their team to victory. The question is, who will be successful on Saturday night?

Steve Sarkisian talks about Carson Beck

Texas Longhorns coach Steve Sarkisian spoke about the Bulldogs quarterback during a press conference on Monday.

“Big strong kid, can make all the throws," Sarkisian said. "He’s got a real presence in the pocket, can make all the throws, (and) I think they have a scheme that fits him.”

Sarkisian is familiar with Carson Beck. Despite never facing him on the field, Sarkisian was involved in the recruitment of Beck to Alabama when he was the offensive coordinator under Nick Saban.

“He was committed to us at Alabama and ultimately decommitted and went to Georgia," said Sarkisian.

Also, as Kirby Smart did, Sarkisian spoke of the similarities between the two programs.

“I think the premise of our programs is probably very similar, obviously ours has got a little bit of an offensive perspective because of me and his is a defensive perspective," the Longhorns coach added.

These programs meet this weekend in what is likely to be an influential game in regards to both the SEC and the College Football Playoffs.