Joel Klatt predicts final score, winner for Georgia-Texas matchup

Georgia and Texas meet in a top-10 showcase with major College Football Playoff implications. FOX analyst Joel Klatt laid out why he trusts Georgia to close at home and why Texas must play a complete game to pull off the upset. Kickoff is 7:30 p.m. ET on ABC at Sanford Stadium, with Georgia listed at No. 5 and Texas at No. 10 in the CFP rankings. Oddsmakers pinned the spread in the 5 to 6 point range in favor of the Bulldogs, with a game total in the high 40s.

Klatt begins his case with what happened last year. Georgia beat Texas twice in 2024 — 30-15 in Austin during the regular season and 22-19 in overtime for the SEC title — while piling up pressure on Quinn Ewers. The regular season matchup had seven sacks, and the SEC Championship had six. "Kirby and that defense for Georgia did an incredible job of unlocking the pass protection, getting after Quinn Ewers... He held them under 20 points in both of those games," Klatt said this week.

Georgia enters 8-1 with a top-5 ranking and a defense that pairs with an improving offense. The Bulldogs are in the low 30s nationally in yards per play allowed and inside the top 30 in total defense.

Texas has improved up front, yet protection remains the week-to-week question that will decide whether Arch Manning can get things going. Klatt noted the in-season shuffle that included moving veteran Cole Hutson to left guard. The tweak helped after a bumpy start, but it comes against a Georgia front that is one of the best in the nation.

Georgia Bulldogs running back Nate Frazier | Wesley Hale-Imagn Images

Road form is the other piece of Klatt's argument. "Texas on the road this season has not been good. Two losses, two overtime wins," he said. Texas lost 14-7 at Ohio State in the opener, fell 29-21 at Florida, and survived overtime at Kentucky and at Mississippi State. Those games caught the attention of Klatt.

Klatt's look at the game revolves around trust. "Which team do you trust in this game? I trust Georgia... I don't trust this Texas team because we haven't even seen them put together a full 60 minutes," he said. He added that beating Georgia in Athens has required an "otherworldly" quarterback half — pointing to Alabama's Ty Simpson this year — and he challenged Manning to match that level.

Texas Longhorns quarterback Arch Manning | Scott Wachter-Imagn Images

Joel Klatt's pick for Georgia-Texas

"I have not seen evidence that Texas can go in and beat Georgia... I'm taking Georgia in this one. Georgia wins this one 31-24. They cover the five and a half," Klatt said.

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Georgia Bulldogs head coach Kirby Smart | Matt Pendleton-Imagn Images

Joel Klatt's pick for Georgia-Texas

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