3 Georgia players that could doom Steve Sarkisian's SEC Championship Game dreams
The Georgia Bulldogs are looking for a repeat performance of their Oct. 19 win over the Texas Longhorns, this time in the SEC Championship Game on Saturday. It was Texas' only blemish this season.
In the first go-around, Georgia jumped to a 23-0 lead in the first half, even though the Texas defense did a good job limiting the Georgia passing attack, as the visiting ‘Dawgs took complete control of the game.
Georgia will arrive at Atlanta with the confidence of that first win, even while not playing their best, and the possibility of earning a first-round bye in the College Football Playoff.
3 Georgia Bulldogs players that could pose a threat to Texas Longhorns
Round 2 will be Saturday in Atlanta, and some Georgia players could take the game into their own hands and away from Texas.
#3. Daylon Everette, Defensive Back
Could lightning strike twice in the same place? Daylon Everette took over the first game against the Longhorns, creating two turnovers to set up scoring drives for the Bulldogs. While it’s unlikely Everett will have a repeat performance, given it’s the only two turnovers he’s gotten all season, the junior cornerback is fifth on the team in tackles with 51.
Everette is also coming off a 10-tackle (seven solo) performance in the eight-overtime win over Georgia Tech. He also had seven tackles against the Longhorns and six in the loss to Alabama, so he’s kept busy in big games.
Texas comes in at No. 52 in the nation running the football, with 157.5 yards per game. In the game against Georgia, they could only manage 29 yards on the ground. If the Bulldogs' defense responds the same way and they could take an early lead, there could be opportunities for the secondary to take control of the game.
#2. Carson Beck, Quarterback
The senior quarterback did not have a good game facing the Longhorns in October. The Jacksonville, Florida, native could only complete 56% of his passes for 175 yards, no touchdowns and 3 interceptions.
But Beck looks like a completely different quarterback now and was named a finalist for the Manning Award. Coming off a 297-yard, five-touchdown performance in the win over Georgia Tech, Beck is playing his best football this season.
In his last three games, he has combined for 941 yards, with 11 touchdowns and no interceptions. For the year, he has 3,429 yards, 28 touchdowns and 12 interceptions. A good performance in Atlanta would be the perfect send-off from SEC play.
#1. Trevor Etienne/Nate Frazier, Running Back
Trevor Etienne gashed the Longhorns for 87 yards and three touchdowns in their first meeting. However, the junior running back has been out since Nov. 9 with a rib injury and is still questionable to play in Atlanta.
But even if Etienne has to miss the rematch, the Bulldogs' running game still has options, in particular in the form of Nate Frazier. The freshman running back actually leads the team in rushing yards (587) and rushing touchdowns (eight).
Frazier might not be as explosive as Etienne, but he is capable of carrying the ground game for the Bulldogs. After Texas surrendered 108 rushing yards in their first matchup, coach Kirby Smart and his staff might be confident they could take the game over through the ground.
Who do you think will win when the Georgia Bulldogs take on the Texas Longhorns in the SEC Championship Game on Saturday? Let us know your thoughts in the comments section below.