New poll sets up Georgia for Top 10 matchup against Texas

ATHENS — Kirby Smart was already texting Texas coach Steve Sarkisian on Saturday.

Not about their upcoming game but about the drive from Tupelo, Mississippi, to Starkville, Mississippi. Texas made the trip earlier this year when it beat Mississippi State, 45-38, in overtime.

Georgia had a much easier time on Saturday, winning 41-21.

“I texted with Sark today about the drive we had over here,” Smart said. “I was like, ‘this drive is an hour and five minutes.’ I couldn’t believe it. I mean, they had the same thing.”

With the win, Georgia remains No. 5 in the Week 12 AP Poll Top 25 rankings. The Bulldogs are now 8-1 on the season and 6-1 in SEC play.

Georgia will close out SEC play this week against No. 10 Texas in a game that will have major implications for both the SEC and the College Football Playoff.

Georgia is No. 5 in the College Football Playoff rankings while Texas came in at No. 11. The Longhorns are 7-2 on the season, with losses to Florida and Ohio State. Georgia is also No. 5 in the Coaches Poll as well.

It is worth noting that both of those defeats were on the road.

Texas did get the benefit of not having to play this past weekend, as the Longhorns will enjoy a rest advantage.

But for once, Georgia dominated an SEC foe, as the Bulldogs held a 38-7 lead not even six minutes into the third quarter.

That gave Georgia the chance to play a lot of younger players while also keeping some of its starters fresh.

Because of the big looming home game, some had circled the Mississippi State contest as a trap game. But Georgia made sure it handled its business.