Georgia vs. Texas Picks & Predictions for PrizePicks, CFB DFS
There are a few notable matchups for Week 8 in college football, but Georgia vs. Texas is the marquee matchup with major CFB Playoff implications.
The Longhorns have faced a few tests and passed them, and they have truly looked like the best team in the country, worthy of their No. 1 ranking. They cannot step off the gas though, even against a one-loss Georgia program. Georgia still has a championship pedigree and the ability to keep up.
We’ll give you the best picks for PrizePicks and CFB DFS for this headline SEC matchup between Georgia and Texas and analyze their impact on this game.
Be sure to also check out the Cheat Sheet for the full Saturday slate of CFB games, plus picks for the other top SEC matchup, Alabama vs. Tennessee.
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No. 5 Georgia vs. No. 1 Texas: Time, TV channel, Location
Date: Saturday, October 19, 2024
Time: 7:30 p.m. ET kickoff
Location: DKR-Texas Memorial Stadium, Austin, Tex.
TV: ABC/ESPN+
Georgia vs. Texas Picks for PrizePicks
Here are the best picks for Georgia vs. Texas on PrizePicks. Find more player projections on the PrizePicks CFB board.
- Georgia RB Trevor Etienne 63.5 Rushing Yards — Less
- Georgia QB Carson Beck 1.5 Interceptions — More (Demon)
- Texas QB Quinn Ewers 22 Pass Completions — More
- Texas WR Isaiah Bond 4 Receptions — More
Georgia RB Trevor Etienne 63.5 Rushing Yards — Less
Georgia coach Kirby Smart admitted this week that Texas is as good as his National Championship teams were. The numbers don’t lie; they are seventh in the nation in points scored per game (43.2), lead the nation in points allowed (6.3), and are the top team on Pro Football Focus’ Power Rankings. This is one of those teams where it’s difficult to identify weaknesses.
Georgia used to be that team, but that isn’t the case anymore. Go back to the last National Championship when they had James Cook and Zamir White in the backfield — they don’t have that now.
Etienne isn’t working out as the Bulldogs hoped. His 335 rushing yards rank 105th in college football, and he missed a game, but his 67 rushing yards per game rank 69th. Texas is 14th in PFF Run Defensive Grade (89.7), allowing only one running back to go over 50 rushing yards.
He won’t even get the volume to sniff this projection, and it’s unlikely he’ll break off any game-changing runs against this defense.
Georgia QB Carson Beck 1.5 Interceptions — More (Demon)
We won’t see Etienne get volume because we will see Carson Beck moving the ball with his arm more than anything. It has been a pressure-filled season for Beck, asking him to always throw, but that’s the situation for the Bulldogs.
Georgia has an experienced offensive line and is one of the better units at picking up blitzes, so it relies on the passing game.
Lately, Beck's problem has been interceptions. He was picked off three times against Alabama and twice against Mississippi State. It's not a coincidence that those were the two games he’s thrown more than 35 times — he’s projected for 33.5 here.
This game will never be in hand for Georgia to the point where they can run out the clock.
Texas’ base defense allows their edge rushers to drop back into coverage, enabling their corners to play more bump-and-run coverage, so Beck will be throwing into tight windows.
The more Beck throws, the closer we get to that inevitable pick.
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Texas QB Quinn Ewers 22 Pass Completions — More
We rarely have a team where the starting quarterback gets hurt, and the fans have zero worries. That was Texas because they knew Arch Manning was there when Quinn Ewers was out.
Ewers returned for the Red River Rivalry and threw for a modest 199 yards and a touchdown. Oklahoma doesn’t have the same type of passing attack, and the Longhorns held a significant lead at halftime, allowing the game script to shift away from the pass.
This week could be different for the Heisman Candidate QB, mostly because Beck is on the other side. It’s possible that Ewers could see more opportunities with the ball in his hands.
We talked about the Georgia defense not being what it once was, and the Bulldogs’ 79.3 PFF Coverage Grade ranks a modest 65th in college football. They’re also allowing 19.0 passing completions per game (74th), having played against more mobile quarterbacks; Ewers is a traditional pocket passer, so he’ll look to throw first.
Ewers has gone more than this line in only one of four games this year, but that's in four wins all by at least three scores. In two games he went less than this projection, he had 20 completions. Last year, in games decided by two possessions or less, Ewers averaged 22.8 completions.
Texas WR Isaiah Bond 4 Receptions — More
WR Isaiah Bond, coming off a great year at Alabama and in line to be a top target, still elected to transfer to Texas. They couldn’t be any happier, especially when they needed to replace Xavier Worthy and Adonai Mitchell.
Nick Saban always complimented his speed and ability to get vertical for big plays, and that’s been his role for the Longhorns
Bond’s streak of a 20+ yard catch was broken last week as he left the game early due to a hamstring injury. He is listed as probable in this game, and if he’s on the field, you have to be confident that Ewers will look in his direction consistently.
To be frank, Texas has yet to play a competitive game for all 4 quarters this season, allowing them to take their foot off the gas and run the ball late in games. This could be Bond’s chance to erupt against a Georgia secondary that has shown some weakness, including Alabama QB Jalen Milroe’s 374-yard passing game.
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Get Georgia vs. Texas Action on PrizePicks
All eyes will be on this game this week, whether you’re fans of either team or not. It could be a look into the CFB Playoff, just midway through the season.
Take these picks to help you make your CFB DFS lineup on PrizePicks with players who will play a huge part in the matchup, then sweat it out.
PrizePicks is the easiest way to play CFB DFS; just pick more or less for two or more players, put them in your lineup, and win real money during this top-five matchup. Keep returning to the Playbook for more analysis on CFB DFS.
Follow John Supowitz for more CFB Picks: @ImThatSupi
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