Texas vs. Georgia: 3 key freshmen to watch in huge SEC battle during Week 8 of college football

The game of the week is almost here, as the No. 1 Texas Longhorns will host the No. 5 Georgia Bulldogs in a battle of the top SEC powers through the first seven weeks of the season.

Texas, 6-0, has beaten every team they’ve faced by at least three scores, while dethroning a pair of ranked opponents already in Michigan and Oklahoma. The Longhorns defeated with the Sooners in a 34-3 blowout last weekend in the Red River Rivalry game.

Georgia, on the other hand, had the 41-34 loss against Alabama back on Sept. 28, where they failed to mount a tough comeback, falling just short with an interception in the end zone to seal the game.

Since then, they Bulldogs have beaten Auburn 31-13 before having a 41-31 closer win over Mississippi State to improve to 5-1 on the year ahead of this weekend’s big matchup.

Texas is slightly favored heading into the weekend, as they’re 3.5-point favorites at home over the Bulldogs.

In what is expected to be a close contest, these are three players who could make a difference in the huge Texas vs. Georgia matchup.

As a true freshman, Texas wideout Ryan Wingo has quickly developed a major role, as he’s the team’s third-leading receiver behind star Isaiah Bond and tight end Gunnar Helm, who very well could be a high draft pick in 2024 as well.

Catching 13 passes for 296 yards and two touchdowns, Wingo has been a big-play machine, which makes his production more hit-or-miss.

The true freshman started hot in the opener against Colorado State with four catches for 70 yards, and had a monster game against UTSA as well, going for three catches, 127 yards, and a score in the blowout win.

This past weekend, Wingo caught a 44-yard pass, ending the day with two catches for 49 yards, while serving as an explosive machine yet again.

Standing at 6’2”, 210 pounds, Wingo will be tasked with a big role this weekend, playing against the high-level Bulldogs defense, as he could be a major difference-maker with his explosive threat ability.

It isn’t easy to start as a true freshman at a top-five program in the country, but 2024 five-star safety KJ Bolden has been an immediate contributor from Day 1, starting at safety alongside star Malaki Starks in every game.

Through six games, Bolden has accumulated seven run stops, while being fairly stout in coverage, allowing a passer rating of just 35.4.

Texas is a team filled with explosive play weapons, which means that Georgia’s secondary will be key to slowing down the passing attack for the Longhorns, and Bolden is clearly in that mix, even as a true freshman.

He notched his first career interception this past weekend against Mississippi State in a stellar performance, where he gave up just 13 yards total in 32 coverage snaps.

Bolden will be a critical piece of Georgia’s defense this weekend, as they look to make a major upset and re-claim the top spot in the AP Top 25.

While he isn’t starting for the Longhorns, true freshman defensive end Collin Simmons deserves to be on this list after wreaking havoc over the past two weekends.

Against Mississippi State, Simmons played a season-high 41 snaps, recording two sacks, five run stops, and a forced fumble in a monster game for the Longhorns.

Then, this past weekend, Simmons had two pressures on just 10 pass-rushing snaps, while recording four more run-stops on 10 run downs.

The five-star true freshman has found a groove here recently, putting together a number of good performances in a row, while showing his capabilities both as a run defender and a pass rusher.

“I’m just getting started too, that’s the crazy thing,” Simmons said back ahead of his performance against Mississippi State. “I’m just now getting started. The more comfortable I get in college football. I just got a lot in me.”

Georgia will look to be multiple on offense, and it’ll be up to key players like Simmons to help stop that offensive attack and harass quarterback Carson Beck in the pocket.