On paper, an 80-78 loss to the No. 10 team in the country doesn’t look terrible, but the way Oklahoma let that game slip away against Texas A&M tells a different story. The Sooners squandered an 18-point first-half lead, and despite a stellar 34-point performance from Brycen Goodine, they couldn’t hold off a second-half Aggie surge.

Without their star player Wade Taylor, Texas A&M capitalized on Oklahoma’s offensive struggles and turnovers in the closing minutes. It was a game that seemed ripe for the taking, yet it slipped through the Sooners’ fingers.

Now sitting at 13-2 (0-2) in SEC play, the No. 17 Sooners must regroup as they head on the road to face the Georgia Bulldogs, 13-2 (1-1), fresh off an 82-69 victory over No. 6 Kentucky.

Let’s break down what the Bulldogs bring to the table and what Oklahoma must do on Saturday night (5:00 p.m. CT, ESPN2) in Athens, Georgia, to secure their first conference win—and an important road victory.

Much like Oklahoma, Georgia is powered by a standout true freshman, Asa Newell, who is averaging 15.5 points, 6.9 rebounds, and 1.3 blocks per game. In the Bulldogs’ upset win over Kentucky, Newell delivered 17 points and seven rebounds on 5-of-9 shooting from the field, including 2-of-5 from deep.

At 6-foot-11, Newell is a versatile forward who operates primarily as a center but can play both forward spots. He anchors a formidable frontcourt alongside RJ Godfrey and fellow freshman Somto Cyril, providing the Bulldogs with size and strength inside. However, what truly stands out about this Georgia team is their dynamic backcourt.

Mike White’s guard rotation features five tall guards, three of whom average double figures, with the other two not far behind. De’Shayne Montgomery (6’5”) leads the way with 12.6 points per game, followed by Dakota Leffew (6’5”) at 12.2 points, and Silas Demary Jr. (6’5”) at 12.1 points. Tyrin Lawrence (6’4”) chips in 9.9 points per game, while Blue Cain (6’5”) adds 8.5 points.

Against Kentucky, it was Cain who scored 15 points, Demary Jr. who added 14, and Leffew who came off the bench to contribute 11 points, showcasing Georgia’s depth and scoring versatility.

The Bulldogs’ height — ranking as the 12th tallest team in the nation — translates to dominance on the offensive glass. Georgia excels at offensive rebounding, ranking 8th nationally in offensive rebounding percentage (39.0%), while Oklahoma has struggled in that area, ranking 322nd in giving up offensive boards.

Defensively, Georgia uses their length to great effect, ranking 20th in defensive efficiency. So, how do they stack up statistically across various categories? Let’s take a closer look:

In a matchup featuring two future one-and-done first-round picks, both leading their teams in scoring, Oklahoma will need their true freshman, Jeremiah Fears, to come out on top.

Fears managed just 13 points on 4-of-8 shooting, with four turnovers and three assists in 21 minutes against Texas A&M. This followed a 17-point outing against Alabama, where he scored only one point in the first half before finding some rhythm later.

He’s shown flashes but seems to struggle at times against teams with length. That said, he had no such trouble against Michigan. His minutes have fluctuated in these early games, making it difficult to find a consistent rhythm. Against Georgia, Fears will need to push the pace and use his speed to his advantage, forcing the Bulldogs into uncomfortable situations in transition.

There will undoubtedly be freshman moments with Fears — we’ve seen those recently — but this is a game where he needs to minimize them as much as possible. Georgia’s length will present a challenge, and Oklahoma will need Fears locked in from the start if they hope to secure a road win.

Rebounding has been a hot topic since the Sooners were dominated on the glass last Saturday, giving up 51 rebounds to Alabama’s 26—including a staggering 22 offensive boards. Facing the No. 1 offensive rebounding team in Texas A&M on Wednesday, Oklahoma fared slightly better, losing the rebounding battle 32-27 but still surrendering 17 offensive rebounds.

Now, the Sooners face another strong rebounding team in Georgia, who excel at creating second-chance opportunities. Oklahoma will need to limit those chances to avoid giving the Bulldogs a path to capitalize where Texas A&M couldn’t.

One bright spot against Texas A&M was the increased minutes for Mohamed Wague, who played 14 minutes after logging just 4 against Alabama. The Sooners may need to lean on Wague and Luke Northweather together off the bench to counter Georgia’s size and athleticism—two elements that could help Oklahoma hold its own on the boards.

How Did Oklahoma Blow an 18-Point Lead? Turnovers. A team that’s been reliable at taking care of the ball all season suddenly unraveled, committing 18 turnovers—twice as many as Texas A&M. In the SEC, turnovers like that make road wins even tougher to come by.

Oklahoma must clean up its ball security and get back to the discipline it showed in the Battle 4 Atlantis. Even when Fears had some freshman slip-ups, the rest of the team managed to keep turnovers in check, preventing them from becoming a serious issue.

On paper, this matchup against Georgia should allow for better ball control. The Bulldogs don’t generate many steals or force non-steal turnovers. However, their length could present problems. The Sooners’ guards struggled against Texas A&M’s size, leading to a flurry of turnovers. That simply can’t happen against Georgia if Oklahoma wants to leave Athens with a win.

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