CONFERENCE CHAMPIONSHIP
GEORGIA BULLDOGS vs TEXAS LONGHORNS
SERIES HISTORY
• Texas and Georgia will duel for the second time this season and seventh time in series history on Saturday. • The Longhorns hold a 4-2 series advantage over the Bulldogs, including a 2-1 series lead in neutral site contests. Texas won the first three games in series history. • In their previous meeting, the Bulldogs took down the Horns, 30-15, inside Darrell K Royal-Texas Memorial Stadium earlier this season on Oct. 19. • The Longhorns defeated the Bulldogs, 28-21, at the Allstate Sugar Bowl following the 2018 season. • Prior to 2018, Texas and Georgia last faced one another at the 1984 Cotton Bowl with the Bulldogs prevailing, 10-9, handing the Horns their lone loss of the 1983 campaign. • Texas defeated Georgia, 26-7, in 1957 and 13-8 in 1958, in a home-and-home series played in Athens and Austin. • The Longhorns won the first-ever meeting, 41-38, in the 1949 Orange Bowl to conclude the 1948 season.
GEORGIA BULLDOGS NOTES
Bulldogs Take Aim At 15th SEC Title
Seventh-ranked Georgia (10-2, 6-2 SEC) enters the SEC Championship Game (SECCG) on a three-game winning streak while the No. 3 Longhorns (11-1, 7-1 SEC) have won five straight since falling to the Bulldogs 30-15 on Oct. 19 in Austin. After playing one of the toughest schedules in school history, the Bulldogs return to the SECCG for the fourth straight year. Georgia will be the visiting team. Once again, ESPN College GameDay and SEC Nation will be in Atlanta for the game. The Bulldogs wrapped up the regular season with three straight victories in Athens to extend its school record and FBS-leading streak of consecutive home wins to 31. Georgia registered a 31-17 victory over No. 7 Tennessee, beat UMass 59-21 and then Georgia Tech 44-42 in eight overtimes. In the Kirby Smart era, the Bulldogs have won the SEC in 2017 and 2022, beating No. 4 Auburn and No. 14 LSU in the SECCG. In rematches during a season under Smart, the Bulldogs are 2-0 (2017 lost at No. 10 AU 40-17 in regular season, won 28-7 over No. 4 AU in SECCG; 2021 lost to No. 4 Alabama 41-24 in SECCG, won 33-18 over No. 1 Alabama in CFP National Championship).
33-2 In Last 35 SEC Regular Season Games
The 2024 Bulldogs finished 6-2 in the SEC including making road trips to #1 Texas, #4 Alabama and #16 Ole Miss plus a home game against #7 Tennessee. Georgia saw its school and SEC record streak of 28 consecutive regular season wins in league play end this year. The Bulldogs started this run by winning their final three games of the 2020 all-SEC schedule and are 33-2 in this span.
Frazier Steps Up To Lead Backfield
Georgia’s running backs to see the most action are Trevor Etienne, Nate Frazier and Cash Jones. Etienne, who has made eight starts but missed the last three games due to injury, has 477 yards (5.0 avg.) and 7 TDs. *Frazier, who has appeared 11 games including starting the past three, now leads the team with 587 yards and eight TDs. He made his first start in the win over #7 Tennessee and provided 68 yards on 19 carries (tied career high) and one TD. Frazier became the first Bulldog freshman tailback to start since 2014 when Nick Chubb and Sony Michel both did it. That year, Chubb started eight games while Michel’s first career start came in the Belk Bowl win over #20 Louisville. Frazier exploded for a career-high 136 yards on 21 attempts with three scores against UMass. He provided the game-winning conversion to beat Ga. Tech 44-42 in eight overtimes. *Frazier had a a career-high 19 carries for 82 yards and a TD in the win over UF and then had 12 carries for 47 yards at #16 Ole Miss. In the season-opening win over #14 CU, he registered 83 yards on 11 carries including a 40-yard scamper and his first TD. The longest Bulldog rush belongs to wideout Anthony Evans III (52 vs. MSU). Branson Robinson has missed the past six games with an injury while Roderick Robinson II made his 2024 debut versus Ga. Tech. *At #1 Texas, Etienne had a team-best 87 yards and 3 TDs including one on 4th-and-goal from the 1. He tallied 55 rushing yards and one TD on 12 carries plus two catches for 11 yards at #4 UA. He had 124 all-purpose yards in the win over AU (88-rushing and 2 TDs, 36-rec. on six catches). *Then there’s freshman Dwight Phillips Jr., who had a memorable first carry. It resulted in a four-yard TD versus UF to make it 34-20. Against #7 UT, freshman Chauncey Bowens had five rushes for 7 yards plus had five carries for 31 yards against UMass.
Are We Punting? Nope.
In the Kirby Smart era, the Bulldogs have a 64% success rate on 4th Down (79-for-124) with 14 TDs. This year, the Bulldogs rank 9th nationally in 4th Down Conversions with an SEC best 73% (16-for-22 with 4 TDs). *Faced with a 30-7 halftime deficit at No. 4 Alabama, Georgia attacked every drive in the second half with a four-down mentality. After going 1-for-1 on 4th down in the first half, Georgia went 4-for-4 in the second half to finish 5-for-5, the best ever under Smart. The Bulldogs came into the game 1-for-2. *Georgia was 2-for-2 on 4th Downs against AU and MSU. *Georgia was 1-2 with a TD at #1 Texas, and the score by Trevor Etienne capped an 11 play, 89-yard drive in the 4th quarter to make it 30-15. *The Bulldogs were 1-for-3 with a TD at #16 OM; 3-for-4 with a TD versus UMass and 1-for-2 versus Ga. Tech.
TEXAS LONGHORNS NOTES
THE 2024 SEC CHAMPIONSHIP GAME • The No. 2/2/3 Texas Longhorns will face the No. 5/5/7 Georgia Bulldogs at 3 p.m. CT Saturday, Dec. 7, in the Southeastern Conference Championship game at Mercedez-Benz Stadium in Atlanta, Ga. • The Longhorns finished the 2024 regular season with an 11-1 overall record for the second-consecutive season. • Texas finishes the 2024 regular season as the only SEC team with one loss. • There’s not only an SEC crown on the line Saturday as the winner will also earn a top-five seed in the 2024 College Football Playoff. The top-four seeds will also receive a first-round bye at the CFP. The Horns are vying back-to-back CFP appearances after being tabbed the No. 3 overall seed in 2023 and appearing in the CFP semifinals at the Allstate Sugar Bowl. • Last time out, Texas defeated No. 20/19/20 Texas A&M, 17-7, in the Lone Star Showdown on Nov. 30 at Kyle Field in Bryan-College Station. With the victory, UT clinched its SEC Championship game berth. • Of the six non-original members of the SEC (Arkansas, Missouri, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Texas and Texas A&M), Texas is the only program to clinch an SEC Championship game berth in its first season as a league member. • Texas is one of two teams in the nation with eight wins vs. bowl eligible opponents. Syracuse is the other. • In its first season as an SEC member, Texas has clinched conference championship game berths in backto-back seasons after winning the Big 12 Championship in 2023. • UT has 29 conference championships (25 SWC, four Big 12: 1920, 1928, 1930, 1942, 1943, 1945, 1950, 1952, 1953, 1959, 1961, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1969, 1970, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1983, 1990, 1994, 1995, 1996, 2005, 2009, 2023). • Saturday will be Texas’ eighth conference championship game appearance and first as an SEC member – the Longhorns appeared in seven Big 12 Conference title games and won four of those (1996, 2005, 2009 and 2023). • Texas’ 11-consecutive true road wins (not including neutral site contests) is the longest streak for the Horns since winning 15-straight road games from 2003-06. It also doubles as the longest active streak in the FBS. • Texas and Georgia will rematch after the Bulldogs defeated Texas, 30-15, inside Darrell K Royal-Texas Memorial Stadium on Oct. 19. Since the loss, Texas currently sports a five-game winning streak heading into Saturday’s rematch. • The Longhorns have held 10 of 12 opponents to 17 points or less this season. • UT boasts the fourth-most wins (959) in NCAA history. Texas holds an all-time record of 959-393-33. The Longhorns’ 959 wins are the second most by an SEC program following Alabama’s 974 victories. • Texas has back-to-back 11-win seasons for the first time since 2008-09 (2008: 12-1 overall, 2009: 13-1 overall). • Following Texas’ 56-7 win over UTSA on Sept. 14, Texas moved to No. 1 in the AP Poll for the first time since Oct. 26, 2008. The Longhorns spent four weeks this season at No. 1 and have 49 overall appearances at No. 1 in the AP Poll.
A TEXAS WIN WOULD …
• Claim Texas’ 30th overall conference championship and first SEC Championship in its first season as a league member. • Clinch back-to-back conference titles for Texas for the first time since 1995-1996. • Earn a top-five seed at the 2024 College Football Playoff and have the opportunity, if earning a top-four seed, to receive a first-round bye. The Horns would appear in the CFP for the second-consecutive year and the second time in school history. • With a win, Texas will extend its series lead vs. Georgia to 5-2 and 3-1 in neutral site games. • Be Texas’ 960th all-time victory, the fourth-winningest program in college football history. • Give Steve Sarkisian his 84th victory as a head coach and 37th at Texas in his 133rd career game as a head coach. • Texas would move to 12-1 overall during the 2024 campaign.
HORNS STREAKS
• Texas has forced at least one turnover in 20-consecutive games. UT has forced multiple turnovers in seven-straight games entering Saturday vs. Georgia. • Texas has won 11+ games in consecutive seasons for the first time since 2008-09. The Horns had nine-consecutive 10-win seasons from 2001-09. • It’s the second-straight season Texas is playing for a conference championship. • The Texas defense has given up just four passing touchdowns through 12 games this season – the fewest in program history since giving up four in 1972 (10 games). • Texas led Texas A&M 17-0 at halftime on Nov. 30 and has posted first-half shutouts in three of its last four games. • The Longhorns have led at the half in all 11 of it’s wins this year and have won 24-straight games when leading at the half. • Texas has recorded 11-straight road wins – the most since 2003-2006. • The Longhorns started the season 6-0 for the first time since 2009. • Texas’ point differential (+221) through six games was its best since 1915 (+288). • Texas’ 259 points through six games were its most since 2005 (274). • The Longhorns are 17-3 at home over the last three seasons with their only three losses being to No. 1 Alabama (20-19) in 2021, No. 4/4 TCU in 2022 and No. 5/4 Georgia on Oct. 12. • The Horns have earned a Top-10 ranking for 29 weeks in a row.
