Texas Football vs. Georgia: 5 Sugar Bowl keys to victory

1. Capitalize on all red zone possessions

Compared to other top 25 ranked teams in the nation, Texas football is pretty average in terms of red zone conversion. The Horns sit at slightly above 80 percent in red zone conversions this fall. Of the 46 times the Horns made it inside the opponent’s 20-yard line, the offense scored 37 times with mostly touchdowns.

Of those 37 scoring drives for the Horns, 30 were touchdowns and only seven were field goals. Even with the lack of field goals coming in the red zone this season (largely thanks to some aggressive play-calling by Herman games like the win over the Tulsa Golden Hurricane), freshman kicker Cameron Dicker is likely going to play a big role in the outcome of this game.

Setting the goal to capitalize on every red zone possession might seem like a lofty marker for some, but it should be something the Horns strive for each and every game. Especially since the Horns did not convert well in the red zone against non-conference opponents previously during the regular season, the emphasis on red zone efficiency in the Sugar Bowl matters a lot.

In its non-conference slate this fall, Texas converted on just 67 percent of its red zone drives. Finding pay-dirt on just five-of-nine red zone possessions against opponents outside of the Big 12 is a trend that needs to change for the Horns heading into the Sugar Bowl. Red zone production also cost Georgia in the SEC Championship Game loss to the Alabama Crimson Tide. Both teams should know the importance of efficiency this close to the goalline by now.