Dawgs, Longhorns peak prior to clash

ATHENS, Ga. -- A rematch of last season's SEC Championship Game finds No. 5 Georgia and No. 11 Texas peaking for a game that could impact this season's conference race and will be crucial to each team's College Football Playoff hopes. Texas (7-2, 4-1) will take a four-game winning streak into Saturday night's game at Sanford Stadium. Georgia (8-1, 6-1) extended its winning streak to five games with last week's 41-21 win at Mississippi State. Coach Kirby Smart called the win a "total team effort." Gunner Stockton came off the bench to lead the Bulldogs to a 22-19 overtime win over Texas in last year's SEC Championship Game in Atlanta. Despite both teams carrying top-10 rankings in the AP top 25 -- Georgia was No. 5 and Texas No. 10 in Sunday's poll -- they do not control their hopes of returning to the SEC title game. No. 3 Texas A&M and No. 4 Alabama have no SEC losses and are on course to play in Atlanta. Even so, much is on the line this week. The Bulldogs and Longhorns are playing to remain in position to enter a possible tiebreaker scenario if either Alabama or Texas A&M lose. They also will be playing to protect their playoff hopes. From the outside, it looks like the SEC's game of the week. From the view of Georgia players, who already have played top 25 conference games against Tennessee, Alabama and Mississippi, plus a close win over Florida, the visit from Texas feels like just another week in the SEC. "I mean, you've got to approach every single game the same in this league," tight end Oscar Delp said Monday. "I mean, playing at Georgia, you know, you're going to get every team's best shot. I mean, no matter who we're playing we're the game of the year." Even so, Delp hinted the visit from quarterback Arch Manning and Texas might bring more than just the "another game" vibe to the prime-time SEC showdown. "I think everyone understands what the magnitude is of every game we play, especially this one," Delp said. "So we're super excited to get out there and play." Sophomore safety KJ Bolden said Georgia's grind of top 25 tests will pay off in the postseason. "I feel that this is great for our team that it gets us ready for, you know, later down the season, getting ready for those big type of games," Bolden said. "So I feel like that will definitely help us down the road." Stockton, who threw three touchdown passes in last week's win over Mississippi State, has gained momentum as a passer in his first season as Georgia's starter after playing behind Carson Beck in 2024. Stockton has thrown for nine touchdowns the last three weeks, forcing defenses to respect the pass and opening running room for Nate Frazier, who ran for 181 yards, including a 59-yard touchdown run, last week. When asked Monday what Stockton has added to Georgia's offense, Smart said, "Toughness. He's brought wisdom. He's brought consistency. ... He's made good decisions with the ball in terms of keeping us out of bad situations. He's avoided a lot of sacks. He's avoided catastrophic situations in terms of turnovers." Smart said Stockton has "improved throughout the season." Manning also has enjoyed a surge following a slow start. Manning has passed for 674 yards and 6 touchdowns with just 1 interception the last two games. Smart, who recruited Manning, said he sees the Texas quarterback "playing with more confidence." Smart added Manning has "made some 'wow' throws" this season.

Texas (7-2, 4-1) will take a four-game winning streak into Saturday night's game at Sanford Stadium. Georgia (8-1, 6-1) extended its winning streak to five games with last week's 41-21 win at Mississippi State. Coach Kirby Smart called the win a "total team effort."

Gunner Stockton came off the bench to lead the Bulldogs to a 22-19 overtime win over Texas in last year's SEC Championship Game in Atlanta.

Despite both teams carrying top-10 rankings in the AP top 25 -- Georgia was No. 5 and Texas No. 10 in Sunday's poll -- they do not control their hopes of returning to the SEC title game. No. 3 Texas A&M and No. 4 Alabama have no SEC losses and are on course to play in Atlanta.

Even so, much is on the line this week. The Bulldogs and Longhorns are playing to remain in position to enter a possible tiebreaker scenario if either Alabama or Texas A&M lose. They also will be playing to protect their playoff hopes.

From the outside, it looks like the SEC's game of the week. From the view of Georgia players, who already have played top 25 conference games against Tennessee, Alabama and Mississippi, plus a close win over Florida, the visit from Texas feels like just another week in the SEC.

"I mean, you've got to approach every single game the same in this league," tight end Oscar Delp said Monday. "I mean, playing at Georgia, you know, you're going to get every team's best shot. I mean, no matter who we're playing we're the game of the year."

Even so, Delp hinted the visit from quarterback Arch Manning and Texas might bring more than just the "another game" vibe to the prime-time SEC showdown.

"I think everyone understands what the magnitude is of every game we play, especially this one," Delp said. "So we're super excited to get out there and play."

Sophomore safety KJ Bolden said Georgia's grind of top 25 tests will pay off in the postseason.

"I feel that this is great for our team that it gets us ready for, you know, later down the season, getting ready for those big type of games," Bolden said. "So I feel like that will definitely help us down the road."

Stockton, who threw three touchdown passes in last week's win over Mississippi State, has gained momentum as a passer in his first season as Georgia's starter after playing behind Carson Beck in 2024. Stockton has thrown for nine touchdowns the last three weeks, forcing defenses to respect the pass and opening running room for Nate Frazier, who ran for 181 yards, including a 59-yard touchdown run, last week.

When asked Monday what Stockton has added to Georgia's offense, Smart said, "Toughness. He's brought wisdom. He's brought consistency. ... He's made good decisions with the ball in terms of keeping us out of bad situations. He's avoided a lot of sacks. He's avoided catastrophic situations in terms of turnovers."

Smart said Stockton has "improved throughout the season."

Manning also has enjoyed a surge following a slow start. Manning has passed for 674 yards and 6 touchdowns with just 1 interception the last two games.

Smart, who recruited Manning, said he sees the Texas quarterback "playing with more confidence." Smart added Manning has "made some 'wow' throws" this season.