Tag: georgia texas

‘College GameDay’ announces Week 8 location

ESPN’s “College GameDay” has decided between the Georgia at Texas game and Alabama at Tennessee game for Week 8

ESPN’s “College GameDay” announced where it will be for Week 8 of the 2024 college football season. The GameDay team plans to attend the Georgia Bulldogs at Texas Longhorns game.

Georgia is ranked No. 4 in the US LBM Coaches Poll. Texas checks in at No. 1. The Georgia-Texas game is college football’s top game in a strong Week 8 schedule. GameDay’s other top option was the Alabama at Tennessee game. Other top games in Week 8 include Michigan at Illinois, Miami at Louisville, LSU at Arkansas and Oklahoma State at BYU.

This will be GameDay’s second Georgia game this year. GameDay went to the Georgia at Alabama game. ESPN’s top college football pregame show also attended the Texas at Michigan game, so this will be the second time GameDay has been to a Texas game in 2024.

GameDay will begin coverage at 9 a.m. ET on Saturday, Oct. 19. Last week, GameDay attended Oregon’s dramatic win over Ohio State.

This will be a hectic weekend in Austin, Texas. Austin is hosting the Georgia at Texas game on Oct. 19 and a Formula 1 race from Oct. 18-20.

Nick Saban, Kirk Herbstreit, Rece Davis, Desmond Howard and Pat McAfee serve as college football analysts for GameDay. Later in the week, we will know who is the guest picker for the Georgia-Texas game.

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There’s a decent chance GameDay will attend two other Georgia football games this fall (at Ole Miss and vs. Tennessee). However, Ole Miss already has two losses and Tennessee has not looked as good in recent weeks, so this could be Georgia’s final appearance on GameDay during the regular season.

Georgia Bulldogs injury report vs Texas

Georgia football has a long list of injuries in the trenches ahead of the Texas game

The Georgia Bulldogs are battling quite a few injuries ahead of the Texas Longhorns game at 7:30 p.m. on Saturday, Oct. 19. Georgia is expected to be without linebacker Smael Mondon (foot), running back Roderick Robinson (toe), running back Branson Robinson (knee) and offensive lineman Tate Ratledge (ankle).

However, Ratledge appeared as questionable on the injury report, so he may be able to give it a go.

Georgia has a few questionable pieces for the Texas game. Georgia defensive lineman Jordan Hall (stress fractures) is battling back and is probable to play, but won’t be 100%.

“Jordan (Hall) has done more than he has the last two weeks. He has been out there repping, taking reps with us and getting better,” said Georgia head coach Kirby Smart. “I mean, Jordan has just been a long, hard process. And he’s having to get comfortable with the pain that he has.”

“It might just hit him on a rep and that’s kept him from being able to take the rep load that he would like to take,” continued Smart. “But he was out there today (Tuesday) doing more this week than he did last week.”

Georgia center Jared Wilson missed the Mississippi State game and it is up in the air if he will play at Texas. Wilson’s status is trending up according to Georgia head coach Kirby Smart.

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“Yeah, Jared (Wilson) has been good,” said Smart. “Jared has been practicing. Seems to be doing more the last two days than he has in the previous weeks. Looks good and repped out there today.” Georgia has been starting Drew Bobo in place of Jared Wilson.

Georgia Bulldogs defensive lineman Mykel Williams has not looked fully healthy since Week 1 against Clemson. Brett Davis-USA TODAY Sports

Georgia has been particularly beat up along the defensive line to start the season.

“We’re not injury free,” said Smart. “Warren’s (Brinson) battling injury. Jordan’s (Hall) battling injury. Mykel (Williams) has been battling injury. And Christen (Miller) has been battling injury. He’s not able to complete the work week every week, in and the week out, but he’s able to go out and play.”

Georgia has had one defensive lineman who has remained healthy, but Nazir Stackhouse is not exactly Georgia’s top pass rusher. However, he is a good run defender.

“Naz (Stackhouse) has been the most reliable and dependable in terms of staying injury free, but when you’re beat up in one area, it usually means… Xzavier McLeod missed all that time. There’s not really a guy that hasn’t missed time at that position,” said Smart.

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Georgia has just 11 sacks through six games. Defensive end Tyrion Ingram-Dawkins leads Georgia with three sacks, but UGA’s lack of pass rush production has definitely hurt the Georgia secondary.

Georgia wide receiver Colbie Young is also suspended indefinitely.

Georgia football injury report

Center Jared Wilson: Probable

Guard Tate Ratledge: Questionable

Defensive lineman Jordan Hall: Probable

Running back Branson Robinson: Out

Running back Roderick Robinson: Out

Linebacker Smael Mondon: Out

Paul Finebaum names Texas football’s biggest threat

ESPN Paul Finebaum names the biggest threat for the Texas Longhorns

ESPN analyst Paul Finebaum has long praised the Georgia Bulldogs, and he went on “SportsCenter” again to discuss how tough an opponent they will be against the Texas Longhorns.

“Georgia has not looked good but remember what we saw yesterday, perhaps a look ahead to the weekend in Austin. Carson Beck is playing well; there are elements to Georgia’s team that are not,” said Finebaum. “But they will be a formidable foe for Texas. Texas has seen some good teams but they have not seen anyone quite like the Dawgs.”

With this quote, he hinted at a potential offensive showcase, and it’s understandable. Georgia has averaged 33.5 points per game, including more than 35 points per game in the past three games, while Texas has averaged over 43 points per game.

Georgia has more at stake in this one. The Bulldogs already have one loss, so Georgia would have an uphill battle to make the SEC championship if it lost to Texas.

“Another loss (for Georgia) would almost be incalculable,” Finebaum said.

However, there is a discrepancy in the defense. Texas is ranked No. 1 in the country in scoring defense, only an average of 6.3 points per game. Georgia has allowed 17.2 points per game, ranked 20th in the country. Georgia has been on a disturbing slide recently, as they’ve allowed 28.3 points per game in the past three games. We’ll see if the defense, especially the secondary, can get back to early season form against the Longhorns.

Georgia facing former UGA DL transfer, who is now on Texas

Georgia transfer defensive lineman, who is now on Texas, will play his former team on Oct. 19

The Georgia Bulldogs will play against former Georgia defensive lineman Bill Norton on Saturday. Norton played at Georgia from 2019-2022.

He compiled 12 tackles over four seasons at Georgia before transferring to the Arizona Wildcats for the 2023 college football season. With Arizona, Norton posted a career-best 31 tackles, three pass deflections and two forced fumbles.

After the 2023 season, Norton transferred to the Texas Longhorns. The 6-foot-6, 335-pound defensive lineman has recorded four tackles for the Longhorns this season, including two in their most recent game against the Oklahoma Sooners.

Georgia football head coach Kirby Smart spoke about Norton’s time in Athens.

“What a great kid man, this guy worked his tail off here and worked really hard,” said Smart. “One of his key roles was with special teams, he played on our field goal protection unit and was the best at doing it.”

Norton’s contributions on special teams may not show up in the box score, but there’s no doubt it is an important role.

“He was a backup defensive tackle and played some snaps,” continued Smart. “That was his role then and I want to say maybe in the Ohio State game or one of the games we lost somebody, and he had to go in, take over and play a role at that and he did it with great pride. He was always positive and enjoyed practice and was fun to be around, funny guy.”

Norton is unlikely to play heavy snaps against Georgia. He is part of Texas’ defensive line rotation, but he does not have any sacks this season. The Longhorns have the No. 1 scoring defense in the country, 6.3 points per game.

“Now he’s been I guess two places, and he’s playing for them and he’s doing a really good job,” said Smart. “He subs in and rolls in it’s one of their backup DTs.”

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Norton, who wears No. 15, will play against his former team as No. 1 Texas hosts No. 4 Georgia.

Paul Finebaum ‘all-in’ on the Georgia Bulldogs

ESPN college football analyst Paul Finebaum explains that he is “all-in” on UGA football

With the Georgia Bulldogs now being No. 1 on the US LBM Coaches Poll, there are several people considering them as the favorites to win the national championship. One of those people is ESPN anchor Paul Finebaum, and a few days ago, he doubled down on it. According to a recent interview he did on SportsCenter, he is “all-in” on Georgia football.

“I’m all-in, and I know that is saying a great deal after watching Texas play (against Michigan), but I feel like Georgia is a notch above,” Finebaum said.

“They’ll get each other in the middle of October and we can settle that. By the way, there’s a chance Georgia and Texas could play three times this year: in October, in Atlanta in December, and some time, probably for the national championship. I think they are that elite, but I think Georgia is in a class of its own and that’s why I am all-in.”

It appears that Paul Finebaum is not straying away from his preseason national championship prediction. He predicted that Georgia would win it all ahead of the 2024 college football season.

It’s interesting that he mentions the Texas Longhorns, considering that some people, like Joel Klatt, consider them on the same tier as Georgia. Texas is currently No. 3 on the US LBM Coaches Poll.

ESPN names Georgia game as best first-time conference matchup

ESPN ranks the Georgia-Texas game as the best first-time conference matchup of the year

ESPN ranks Georgia’s Oct. 19 road trip to Austin, Texas, to face the Texas Longhorns as college football’s best first-time conference matchup of 2024.

Georgia will be facing Texas for the first time since the Dawgs fell to the Longhorns on Jan. 1, 2020 in the Sugar Bowl. Georgia’s program has won a pair of national championships since then.

Texas fans will be hyped up for the Georgia game. The Longhorns and quarterback Quinn Ewers should be among the nation’s best in 2024. In fact, USA TODAY projects that Georgia and Texas will be ranked No. 1 and No. 2 this fall.

“In what could be a preview of playoff participants, the Bulldogs make their second-ever trek to Austin — and first since 1958,” wrote ESPN’s Jake Trotter. Georgia and Texas are among the favorites to win the national championship.

With a 12-team College Football Playoff, both Georgia and Texas could easily make the playoff. The Georgia-Texas game could also be a preview of the SEC championship. However, the loser of the game will have a tough time making the SEC championship since the conference is 16 teams. It’s hard to imagine a two-loss (in conference play) team making the SEC championship.