We have a special treat this week as my great friend Cutts Benedict gives us his insights on the Georgia-Texas game Saturday. Cutts was a standout golfer at Texas and played with Mark Brooks and Brandel Chamblee. He’s a longtime PGA Teaching Pro and has enjoyed a distinguished career, much of which was spent in Athens. He loves his Longhorns and loves the Bulldogs. Cutts has been heard for decades on the airwaves of Athens with both David Johnston and yours truly offering his insight and expertise on golf and football. He is “semi-retired,” now living in Destin, Florida with his beautiful wife Ginny and their handsome dog Bevo.

What is the excitement level for the Longhorns faithful for the Georgia game?

Extremely high. I’d say Texas fans have this game on a level of being the biggest home game in the last 20 years. We recognize what Georgia has accomplished in the “Kirby era” and as the old saying goes, “to be the best, you gotta beat the best”. The opportunity to play Georgia in Austin, as we try to make a run at an SEC Championship is just thrilling for all Longhorns.

Can you talk about the energy in the city with the game and the race coming up this weekend?

Of course Austin is already jacked-up on game weekends, but with the Formula 1 race in town, it’s going to be all-out crazy. The football crowd will arrive early, and we know Georgia fans travel, so Friday and Saturday pregame will likely have the feel of a bowl game. Thankfully the main race isn’t until Sunday, but the merging of football and race fans on 6th street, and around downtown, will be quite a scene.

How about the job Coach Sark has done, getting Texas back to the top?

Yes indeed. Talk about the right man at the right time. Sark has done a masterful job in taking what he learned from his time at Alabama, USC and Washington, and truly changed the culture at Texas. He’s recruited well, hired a great staff and much like Coach Saban and Coach Smart, his emphasis on the process has shown up on the scoreboard.

What does Texas need to do to win?

For starters, Texas needs the crowd to affect the game. Impact Georgia on offense with communication at the line and create some false starts. Another intangible is that the players need to “get over” the OU game. The Longhorns must put that win behind them. I imagine it’s going to be a very physical game between two very physical teams. On offense, Texas must be able to run the ball with moderate success to set up their pass game.

Similarly, the Texas defense must limit Georgia’s success rushing, making Georgia one- dimensional. It’s a “pick your poison” deal though, we saw what UGA QB Carson Beck is capable of during the second half against Alabama.

What is your take on Georgia?

Georgia looks like the typical Kirby Smart-coached team. The defense has speed everywhere and is physical. It will be interesting to see how Sark attacks the Georgia defense. On offense, I think the Georgia running game is key. If the Dawgs have success on the ground, it opens up the playbook for coach Bobo, and the Longhorns are in for a long day if Beck gets into a rhythm throwing.

Are most Texas fans happy to be in the SEC?

100% yes. The opportunity to compete in the best conference is so exciting. Bringing back the Texas-Texas A&M football game is tremendous for the state of Texas. There are just so many positives with making the move to the SEC. Longhorn fans cannot wait for those fall trips to iconic venues like Sanford Stadium, The Swamp, Death Valley and Neyland Stadium.

And it’s not just with football. When you consider the strength (and depth) of the SEC in all sports, like baseball, softball, men’s and women’s Basketball, volleyball, men’s and women’s swimming, golf, tennis, etc. It’s a welcome challenge across the board.

Give us your background on your love for the two schools, my friend.

Being a three-year letterman on the golf team at Texas, it’s natural that I bleed burnt orange.

I’ll never forget the feeling in April 1981, as we came down I-35 from Tyler, only to see the tower lit orange – acknowledgement to us as conference champions. So for sure, the Longhorns are my No.1. But, when you live in Athens, Georgia for 25+ years, it’s just so easy to embrace the Dawgs.

I’ve been blessed to know so many coaches and shared 18 holes with several of them.

Our love for the Bulldogs hit stride during the Mark Richt era and so here we are, BIG Dawg fans. And of course, there’s my old friend, longtime Men’s golf coach Chris Haack. “Haacker” is one of the all-time best. It’s not short of amazing what coach Haack has accomplished at Georgia – just check out any PGA Tour leaderboard.

So now, with Texas in the SEC, the question is, whose shirt do I wear when these games are played? Hook ‘Em and Go Dawgs!