WATCH: Georgia LB Tae Crowder ‘prepared for everything’ at Sugar Bowl

Georgia inside linebacker Tae Crowder figures to be a key figure in Tuesday night's Sugar Bowl game against Texas.

Bob Andres/AJC

Posted 2 years ago

NEW ORLEANS — Texas coach Tom Herman has made it clear that his players have the necessary confidence to compete with Georgia, and it’s just a matter of execution.

Georgia inside linebacker Tae Crowder says the Bulldogs’ defense is ready for whatever Herman and the Longhorns throw at them.

“Big 12 teams are usually smaller than SEC teams, so they’ll try to go uptempo and go fast, but we’ll be prepared for everything,” Crowder said. “We definitely will do what we’ve been doing, same scheme, nothing’s changed.”

The No. 5-ranked Georgia football program (11-2) takes on No. 15 Texas (9-4) at 8:45 p.m. on the Sugar Bowl at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome.

Herman, who was the Ohio State offensive coordinator when the Buckeyes upset Alabama with Kirby Smart as the defensive coordinator in this same building in 2015, has made his feelings clear on this matchup.

“For the first time in a long time, I think we understand that our best is good enough,” Herman said. “If we play our best, we can play with and/or beat any team in the country.”

Crowder said Georgia expects a team that’s similar to the Oklahoma group the Bulldogs beat last year in the College Football Playoff semifinal at the Rose Bowl.

“They are a downhill team, they like to spread the ball out and try to be physical,” Crowder said. “They remind me a lot of Oklahoma, but they are definitely a physical Big 12 team.”

Crowder, who moved to linebacker from running back, figures to be a key to how the Bulldogs defend Texas dual-threat QB Sam Ehlinger.