What more does the 2024 kickoff has to serve up? Already top programs like Alabama and FSU are struggling with underdogs claiming the spotlight. Now identity crisis too enters the chat. Thanks to CBS Sports analyst Josh Pate for coming up with a new narrative walking into Week 8. It’s time for Kirby Smart and Georgia Bulldogs to bear the blow. Well, it had to be this way. After all, No.2 Georgia got outlasted by No.4 Alabama. Now Pate believes that the Texas Longhorns have already imbibed the Dawgs’ culture, more thorns await as Steve Sarkisian emerges as the villain breaking Smart’s 50-game streak. 

October 19 is indeed going to be a Big Day. While stepping into the 2024 season, Smart and the Dawgs were at No.1 while Steve’s Longhorns were at No.4. And look how the rankings flipped over the course of 8 weeks. Now Texas enjoys the No.1 spot while Georgia has been pushed to No.4. Now Pate poured in to share his take, “I did say that this year’s Texas team looks more like Georgia than this Georgia team looks like past versions of Georgia, all the stuff that Georgia normally brings to the table. I think this Texas team brings and I will not apologize for that because it’s true.” 

Even before Smart and Co. faced off Kalen DeBoer’s Tide, Pate had been confident enough to turn himself away from the Dawgs and pin his hopes on Bama. After the 41-34 blunder, the analyst had a message for the Dawgs HC. “It’s terrible that you dug yourself the hole or you allowed them to dig the hole and then throw your body in the first half that’s not good,” Pate sounded disappointed.

But what exactly did go wrong for Smart’s Dawgs? Looks like Georgia took too long to start their play. This landed Bama enough opportunity to come off with a 28-0 lead. As ex-Minnesota Vikings WR Tavarres King pinpointed, “I’ve never seen a Georgia team where ba-ls are being caught underneath and there was nobody two to three yards.” Well, more bad news for the Dawgs. As they are yet to recover from the Alabama trauma, Sarkisian is all armed to give them a hard time.  

Steve Sarkisian serves Kirby Smart and Georgia a harsh reality check

2024 has not been Smart’s season and it’s not even going to be anytime soon. And the Longhorns HC just dropped in to give the reality check. Georgia has always witnessed being on the dominant side. Time for them to get the taste to be not being able to enjoy the limelight. All thanks to Sarkisian. As per the data, before the Dawgs vs Longhorns face-off, Smart’s program has been listed as an underdog.

Well, this is not at all a common spectacle and is happening for the first time since the 2021 season opener. They will be facing off Texas as a 3.5-point underdog. The over/under for the game is currently at 56. Back in 2021, they were a 2.5-point underdog but they surprisingly aced a 10-3 victory.  

But things are slightly different this time. Texas Longhorns are moving into Week 8 with zero losses this season being SEC’s last unbeaten team. To maintain the streak, Steve Sarkisian who helped the program to be No.1 for the first time in 16 years might very well dig into the coaching tactics he learned under GOAT Nick Saban’s tutelage in Alabama. Interestingly, Kirby Smart too has this advantage. Let’s see who makes the most out of the working under Saban experience.