Two of the nation’s best run defenses will be squaring off between the hedges on Saturday.
Steve Sarkisian’s Texas Longhorns, who allow the fewest rushing yards per game in the SEC at 78.7, will come to Sanford Stadium looking to avenge the two losses Georgia handed them last season while keeping their College Football Playoff hopes alive.
Georgia however has allowed 100.2 yards per game on the ground, the fourth-fewest in the SEC and 12th-fewest nationally.
Tabbed as one of the biggest games of the whole college football season before the year, the matchup looked like it might lose a bit of its luster after Texas had an uninspired 14-7 loss to Ohio State in Week one and an even uglier one to Florida in Week six. But the Longhorns have since rattled off four straight wins, including two over then-top 10 teams Vanderbilt and Oklahoma, and are now back in the AP top 10 themselves. The colossal matchup everyone envisioned is back on.
Dominant rush defense will control Georgia vs Texas matchup
Both of these defenses have had shaky performances so far this year. Georgia allowed 41 points to Tennessee and barely escaped Neyland Stadium with a win while Texas surrendered 38 points in an overtime win over Mississippi State and 31 to Vanderbilt, who nearly made a frantic comeback in the fourth quarter. But when both defense have been at their best, it’s because they’ve both shut down the run.
“They were really effective in that area last year,” Smart said of Texas' run defense. “They’re built on the line of scrimmage. They’re built to be physical. They fit things really well.”
Texas linebacker Anthony Hill Jr. is one of the best run defenders in the entire country. He has true game-wrecking potential, and brings great instincts, violent hitting and rare lateral quickness for his size. He has 63 tackles so far this season including 6.5 for loss.
Edge rusher Colin Simmons is also one of the most disruptive players in the country and a future first-round pick. He has 9.5 tackles for loss including eight sacks so far this year.
Interior lineman Hero Kanu is one of the better run stuffers in the country, and Ethan Burke and Brad Spence have also turned in solid seasons. Texas has plenty of depth.
“They’ve got big, physical, good players on the line of scrimmage, which allows you to stop the run,” Smart said.
But for all their defensive struggles this season, Georgia has fared well against the run too.
Georgia's run defense has been just as dominant
The Bulldogs’ best performance stopping the ground game occurred during their 43-35 win over Ole Miss. They held the SEC’s second-leading rusher, Rebels running back Kewan Lacy, to just 31 yards on 12 attempts while limiting Ole Miss to 3.7 yards per carry as a team.
Georgia’s trio of inside linebackers, CJ Allen, Raylen Wilson and Chris Cole, had a lot to do with that. Allen has a team high 75 tackles including 6.5 for loss and has been one of the nation’s best at his position.
Wilson is having a breakout year of his own with 54 tackles and 4.5 for loss. Cole, who lines up both off the ball and as an edge rusher, has 31 tackles and 4.0 for a loss. He’s one of the most versatile defenders in the country.
“We've got to do a great job of identifying those guys and minimizing their ability to affect the game,” Sarkisian said of Georgia’s linebackers. “I think we have one turnover in the last four games on offense, and so our ability to continue to protect the ball is paramount.”
Texas rush defense will be challenged by Georgia
The Longhorns have stuffed the run about as well as anyone this year, but will have their work cut out for them Saturday. Georgia has the fourth-best rushing attack in the SEC, averaging 197.2 yards per game on the ground.
Chauncey Bowens and Nate Frazier have been a formidable backfield duo, supplemented by contributions from Josh McCray, Dwight Phillips Jr. and Cash Jones. Quarterback Gunner Stockton also adds an element with his legs that Texas will be forced to account for as well.
“They've got a very balanced offensive attack,” Sarkisian said. “I think Gunner Stockton has done a fantastic job of running that offense and creating explosive plays with his arms, with his legs. They're running the football effectively.”
Both teams have athletic quarterbacks who can do damage on the ground. Stockton has rushed for 321 yards and a team-high seven touchdowns, while Texas quarterback Arch Manning has 203 rushing yards and six touchdowns as the Longhorns’ second-leading rusher.
The quarterback run game adds an extra wrinkle to both offenses and allows them each to get inventive with the way they deploy their runners.
“We have to be able to get some situational runs, red area, third down, goal line, whatever you call it,” Smart said. “You need creative ways to run the ball to stay ahead.”
Georgia's rushing attack is getting healthy at the right time
Although they both have good runners at the quarterback position, the difference in these two rushing attacks lies upfront. The Bulldogs dealt with several injuries along their offensive line to start the year, but the group has since gotten healthy and most recently gashed Mississippi State for 303 yards on the ground.
But Texas’s offensive line has struggled all season to both protect Manning and carve out rushing lanes. The Longhorns rushed for just 72 yards against that same Mississippi State team three weeks ago and haven’t had a 100-yard rusher in a game all season, even with talented back Quintrevion Wisner headlining the backfield.
Georgia however hasn’t had a problem getting their running backs going. Frazier and Bowens both have over 470 rushing yards this season and have each posted 100-yard games, while Texas doesn’t have anyone with more than 338 rushing yards.
If the game is anywhere near as physical as last year’s pair of matchups, that could make all the difference. Both teams are going to want to control the ball and stay ahead of the sticks, a tall order with two elite run defenses on either side.
Whichever offense manages to remain on schedule and sustain drives will have the upper hand in this one. Georgia has done that all season, while Texas has had to rely more on the big play. It’ll really be worth monitoring which team, if any, can impose their will on the ground Saturday.