Fresh off a successful road trip in Arkansas, Georgia returns home for its SEC home opener this weekend against Oklahoma.
While the history between these two schools is not very long- this will be just the second all-time meeting- the previous outing was one of the most iconic games in college football history.
Georgia and Oklahoma collided in the 2018 CFP semifinal at the Rose Bowl Game, where the Bulldogs won an action-packed 54-48 double-overtime thriller to advance to the national championship game.
Eight years later, these now-SEC foes will take the field inside Sanford Stadium at 3:30 p.m. on Saturday.
This year’s clash has lost some of its luster given Oklahoma’s early-season struggles. The Sooners enter at 2-1 but have struggled offensively in their last two games, scoring just 24 combined points against Michigan and New Mexico.
Still, the Sooners have plenty of capable playmakers on offense, starting with quarterback John Mateer and wideout Isaiah Sategna III.
But this game will be won or lost at the line of scrimmage. These are two of the most physical teams in the country, especially on the defensive line.
Georgia coach Kirby Smart spoke this week about the physicality Oklahoma’s defense brings each play and the challenge it poses for his offensive line.
“The way they go about their business, they are violent. They play hard,” Smart said. “They play with a purpose. They are very intelligent. They know what they’re doing as well as you know what you’re doing. They do a great job of formationing things and understanding what your tendencies are. They play really hard. When you get good, talented players playing with fundamentals, they don’t get blocked. They might get blocked, but they don’t stay blocked. They get off blocks. They’re hard to block.”
This will likely be one of Georgia’s biggest home games this season, as it will be the Bulldogs’ first real test. Luckily, a lively crowd is expected, as the game will be billed as a stripe-out - similar to the 2025 Ole Miss game.
