As of Sunday afternoon, Georgia was a slight underdog to Texas by 3.5 points with a point total of 53.5 for their game in Austin this Saturday. It will mark the first time in 50 games—since the 2021 season opener against Clemson—the Bulldogs are the underdogs entering a contest.

Matchup: Georgia is 5-1 straight up this season but 1-5 against the spread, having dropped five in a row ATS for the first time since 2015. In their last game, the Bulldogs defeated visiting Miss. State, 41-31, but didn’t cover as a 34.5-point favorite. Texas is 6-0 straight up and an impressive 5-1 ATS for the season. In their last game, the Longhorns defeated Oklahoma in Dallas, 34-3, as a 16.5-point favorite.

Coaching Trends: For his last eight seasons, Kirby Smart has been an underdog for just six games: 2017 at Notre Dame, 2017 vs. Alabama (national title game), 2018 vs. Alabama (SEC title game), 2019 vs. LSU (SEC title game), 2020 at Alabama, and 2021 vs. Clemson (Charlotte). For his Georgia career, Smart is 7-4 ATS when the underdog, having pulled four outright upsets (2016 vs. Auburn, 2016 vs. TCU, 2017 at Notre Dame, and 2021 vs. Clemson). Including his coaching stints at Washington (2009-2013) and USC (2014-2015), Texas head coach Steve Sarkisian has been especially strong ATS at home, going 40-24 (62.5%) compared to 45.2% on the road. Since he’s been at Texas, Sarkisian is 65.2% ATS in Austin compared to 45.5% ATS on the road.

Series History: Georgia is 1-4 straight up and 2-3 ATS all-time vs. Texas. In their initial meeting, the 1949 Orange Bowl, the Bulldogs lost 28-41 as a 7-point favorite. Facing the Longhorns in Atlanta in 1957, Georgia lost 26-7 as a 6-point underdog. The following season in Austin, the Bulldogs lost 13-8, but covered as a 7-point underdog. In the 1984 Cotton Bowl, Georgia pulled a 10-9 upset over the second-ranked Longhorns as 7.5-point underdogs. Finally, in their last meeting, Georgia, a 12-point favorite, was upset by Texas 28-21 in the 2019 Sugar Bowl.