One of the most anticipated series of the college baseball season is set for this weekend as the third-ranked Georgia Bulldogs (29-2, 8-1 SEC) travel to Austin to face the fifth-ranked Texas Longhorns (23-4, 8-1 SEC) in a battle between two of the nation’s elite teams.
Texas enters the series boasting one of the most dominant pitching staffs in Division I baseball. The Longhorns rank third nationally with a 3.22 team ERA and eighth in hits allowed per nine innings at 7.15. Their weekend trio of Jared Spencer, Ruger Riojas, and Luke Harrison has been nothing short of elite, combining to allow just 33 earned runs over 99 1/3 innings. Opponents are hitting a mere .225 against them, and they’ve fanned 112 batters.
That elite staff will be tested like never before by what might be the most explosive lineup in college baseball. Georgia leads the country in both home runs (79) and runs scored (306), while also ranking sixth in total hits (322). The Bulldogs’ offensive power is headlined by Ryland Zaborowski, Robbie Burnett, and Slate Alford. All three are hitting .349 or better, have driven in 40 or more runs, and present constant pressure to opposing pitchers. Zaborowski has been especially sensational, hitting .448 on the year, while Burnett’s 15 homers are tied for the national lead.
The matchup will hinge on which strength wins out: Texas’s pitching or Georgia’s bats.
On the mound, Georgia is beginning to find its rhythm after a shaky start to the year. Head coach Wes Johnson made a key move by inserting Brian Curley into the starting rotation over the past two SEC series. The results have been encouraging—Curley has thrown five solid innings in each of his last two starts, striking out 11 combined while providing much-needed stability.
This series has implications for the SEC and national seeding for the postseason. With both teams red-hot and evenly matched in conference play, it could come down to timely hitting, bullpen execution, and defensive discipline.
Georgia vs. Texas in April feels like Omaha in June—and fans won’t want to miss it.