The No. 5 Georgia Bulldogs (5-1) hit the road this week for an SEC showdown in Austin, TX against No. 1 Texas Longhorns (6-0).
It's the first time in 18 years that two top-five teams have played at Darrell K Royal-Texas Memorial Stadium. The last top-five matchup at DKR was in 2006 when a No. 2 ranked Texas fell 24-7 to No. 1 Ohio State Buckeyes.
Georgia has a lot to prove against what head coach Kirby Smart calls a "complete team."
"I mean, the most complete team that we've seen or faced this year, and probably in multiple years," Smart said this week. "When you look at what they're doing, defensively, offensively, and special teams, they are clearly one of the best teams in the country."
With that said, A to Z Sports’ Texas insider Brian Davis answers three burning questions ahead of the marquee matchup of the week.
Three important questions to ask for Texas vs. Georgia
Quarterback Quinn Ewers is doing well, and it appears he’s doing well. But why doesn’t Arch Manning play more? Do you think he’ll play against the Dawgs?
Coming into the season, there was a clear-cut distinction over who was the starter and who was the backup. Ewers was QB1, no doubt. And that was OK because everyone knew Manning would take over in 2025 and potentially be a two- or three-year starter. But Ewers missed 2 1/2 games with a strained abdominal injury and Manning went wild, throwing for nine touchdowns and nine passes for at least 30 yards or more. Steve Sarkisian, a former quarterback himself, never let a controversy fester. He maintained Ewers was the starter. Against Oklahoma, Ewers was rusty early but settled in. Fans won’t see Manning again unless something goes drastically wrong with Ewers or the score gets out of hand.
Isaiah Bond is supposed to be Texas’ best and fastest receiver. If he can’t play, who will fill that role?
Bond is the most-used and most-targeted receiver on the roster, no question. He’s also the fastest. Does that make him the best? It’s subjective because coaches think this is the deepest receiver room Texas has assembled in years. The best case scenario is that Bond will be slowed by an ankle injury suffered against Oklahoma. He won’t be full speed if he’s cleared to play at all. Thus, the Horns must lean more on Matthew Golden, Ryan Wingo or even tight end Gunnar Helm. Surprisingly, Silas Bolden (10 catches, 77 yards, one TD) hasn’t been more involved with the offense. After he chased down Quintrevion Wisner’s fumble into the end zone against OU, coaches may reward him with more opportunities.
The Horns don’t have many household names on defense. Who should Georgia fans really watch to make an impact on Saturday?
Texas has the nation’s No. 1 scoring defense and No. 1-ranked total defense without having anyone that would be a first-round draft pick next spring. LB Anthony Hill Jr. is a potential All-American in the making. He had a team-high 11 tackles against OU and was darn near everywhere, including the SEC co-Defensive Player of the Week. But fellow LBs David Gbenda and Liona Lefau are gaining momentum. Up front, DE Colin Simmons is a potential superstar, but he’s just a freshman. Veterans Alfred Collins and Vernon Broughton have played better than most thought. On the back end, Jahdae Barron can play corner or safety. Malik Muhammed is quietly having a strong season at corner, as are safeties Michael Taaffe and Andrew Mukuba. This group simply needs more big-game exposure, and Georgia will provide that aplenty.
Related: Georgia's Kirby Smart shares optimistic update on RB Branson Robinson
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