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The No. 2 Georgia Bulldogs are set to host the No. 24 Oklahoma Sooners at 3:30 p.m. ET on Sept. 26 at Sanford Stadium in Athens, Georgia. The game will be broadcast on ESPN. This marks the SEC home opener for Georgia and the first SEC contest of the season for Oklahoma.
The matchup features two teams with contrasting offensive starts. Georgia leads the nation in scoring, averaging 59.3 points per game. Oklahoma, meanwhile, has struggled offensively over its past two games, averaging just 12 points per contest—a 17-10 road loss to Michigan and a 14-6 home win over New Mexico.
Despite the disparity in offensive production, both squads boast strong defenses. Oklahoma leads the SEC in scoring defense, allowing only 7.7 points per game. Georgia tops the SEC in total defense, giving up 211.3 yards per game, with Oklahoma close behind at 215.3 yards allowed per game. The Sooners also have the SEC's best pass defense and will look to contain quarterback Gunner Stockton and the explosive Georgia offense.
Georgia head coach Kirby Smart spoke highly of Oklahoma head coach Brent Venables. "We go way back, and he's probably been one of the premier defensive coaches in all of college football for a long time," Smart said. "They have a really good football team, and it's a great matchup."
ESPN's matchup predictor, which factors in team performance, football power index, and other key variables, gives Georgia an 83.4% chance to win. Oklahoma has a 16.6% chance of pulling off the upset. ESPN considers Oklahoma to be Georgia's most likely home loss for the remainder of the regular season.
Key Analysis
Georgia enters the game as a two-touchdown home favorite, reflecting its dominant start and high-powered offense. However, Oklahoma's stout defense could pose a challenge, especially if the Sooners can slow down the Bulldogs' scoring machine. The contrast between Georgia's prolific offense and Oklahoma's defensive strength adds intrigue to this SEC showdown.
Georgia's 2026 schedule to date includes a 63-3 win over Tennessee State on Sept. 5, a 70-20 victory over Western Kentucky on Sept. 12, and a 45-17 road win at Arkansas on Sept. 19. Following the Oklahoma game, the Bulldogs will host Vanderbilt on Oct. 3, travel to Alabama on Oct. 10, host Auburn on Oct. 17, take a bye week on Oct. 24, face Florida in Atlanta on Oct. 31, visit Ole Miss on Nov. 7, host Missouri on Nov. 14, travel to South Carolina on Nov. 21, and host Georgia Tech on Nov. 28.
For more Georgia football coverage, follow UGA Wire on Instagram, Facebook, X (formerly Twitter), or Threads. This article originally appeared on UGA Wire: ESPN predicts the winner of Georgia football vs Oklahoma.
Originally reported by yahoo.