After then-No. 15 Texas conquered No. 5 Georgia in the 2019 Sugar Bowl 28-21, Texas quarterback and MVP of the game Sam Ehlinger claimed Texas football was back. “Longhorn Nation, we’re back!” Ehlinger yelled out after the game.

Now, five seasons and a lot of ups and downs later, Texas is ranked No. 1 for the second week in a row as the only undefeated team left in the SEC.  The Longhorns are now preparing to take on No. 5 Georgia on Saturday.

This might be the highest ranked team sitting on Texas’ schedule, but the team is treating this the same as every other week and staying focused on themselves.

“We need to continue to stay enamored with us,” head coach Steve Sarkisian said. “What we need to do is focus on the task at hand, and not get caught up in what you guys are talking about, or anybody else is talking about. It’s not what other people say. It’s about what we do.”

However, while junior defensive back Michael Taaffe is preparing the same as he would any other week, he said these intense matchups are why he came to Texas. 

“(In) my position, how I came to University of Texas, walking on, you passed up on scholarship offers to come play in these games,” Taaffe said. “People thought I was crazy when I said ‘I want to go to the University of Texas to play and to change the narrative,’ even when I was a freshman walk on, that was my goal.”

While the team may not choose to acknowledge the higher caliber of Georgia as compared to previous opponents, it is obvious the Bulldogs have one of the top defenses in the country. Georgia has a solid third down pressure that could make it difficult for Texas to create any offensive momentum. On top of that, Georgia has a successful offense behind Heisman contender redshirt senior quarterback Carson Beck. Beck has led the team to a 5–1 record and in their only loss, threw for 439 passing yards against Alabama. 

However, Texas’ defense is excited for the challenge that lies ahead and is ready to prove that they are one of the best defenses in the country.

“We’re giving all the attention to Georgia, and only Georgia,” senior defensive back Jahdae Barron said. “I mean, we respect them, but at the end of the day, we don’t fear them. It’s gonna be a heck of a game.”