Can Georgia afford to lose to No. 1 Texas?

In the game of the College Football weekend, No. 5 Georgia will head to the Lone Star State to play No. 1 Texas in an SEC showdown. The teams last met in the 2019 Sugar Bowl with Texas winning 28-21. That was the game in which Bevo charged at Uga and Sam Ehlinger declared that Texas was finally back.

Five seasons and some conference realignment later the two teams meet in a game that will go a long way in determining who plays in the SEC Championship. Georgia has already taken a conference loss, losing at Alabama 41-34 in a classic.

If the Bulldogs lose this weekend at Texas they can almost certainly kiss their chances at an SEC Championship, and a top-four seed in the College Football Playoff, goodbye. Two conference losses is probably the nail in the coffin for a trip to Atlanta with Texas A&M, Texas and LSU undefeated in SEC play, and five teams, including the Bulldogs, with one loss.

ESPN College Football contributor Paul Finebaum thinks if Georgia loses, its standing as top dog, or Dawg, in the SEC would evaporate.

If Georgia indeed loses, not all is lost. A two-loss SEC team with losses to Alabama and Texas would likely still get into the expanded College Football Playoffs but they could potentially be the 9-12 seed and have to play the first round on the road.

The Bulldogs' schedule isn't all cupcakes after Texas either. They still have to go on the road to play Ole Miss and a week later they play at home against Tennessee, whose defense hasn't allowed more than 20 points in a game. Tennessee has its own test this weekend at home against Alabama. If Georgia drops a third, well it can kiss a CFP appearance goodbye.

For Texas, a similar story presents itself. If the Longhorns lose this weekend they still have a shot to make the SEC Championship. Texas has a relatively easy schedule following this weekend's clash. Looking ahead at their schedule the Longhorns' biggest remaining game is the final weekend of the year when they renew their rivalry with Texas A&M at Kyle Field.

Even though Texas can afford to take a loss more than Georgia, a win almost guarantees that they'll play in Atlanta for the SEC Championship. Kickoff is Saturday night at 7:30.