The Texas Longhorns take the field this weekend after getting the opportunity to sit back and get healthy during their second bye week.

Coming out of that break, the Longhorns face a big-time clash as they travel to Athens for the first time in program history to take on the No. 5 Georgia Bulldogs under the lights at Sanford Stadium. 

It's a matchup that will influence the College Football Playoff hopes for each team.

Texas will need to do some heavy lifting and get some help to pad its resume before its regular-season finale against the Aggies, and this is the final SEC matchup for the Bulldogs.

Steve Sarkisian is emphasizing his team's focus on Georgia wideout Zachariah Branch.

On Thursday's SEC teleconference, Sark spoke about defending Georgia's offense, with one player's name sticking out, star receiver Branch. Sarkisian detailed at length about how the Bulldogs use him and his effectiveness in many aspects of the game.

"He's an electric player," Sark said. "He's got elite speed, elite change of direction. They do a really nice job of getting him the ball on advantage throws, bubble screens, hit screens, and receiver screens. They utilize him down the field, but I htink they do a nice job of complementing plays off of those screens, and the end goes to the tight ends or different players, and os you got to be mindful of it's all about him, and then they hurt you with the tight ends or the other receivers in behind him," Sarkisian added.

"He's also a factor in the return game, punt return game, kick return game. He's electric there as well. So has definitely garnered a ton of attention from us."

Branch is in his first season in Athens, with the speedy wideout transferring after two seasons at USC.

In his first season as a Bulldog, Branch has been an infusion into the Georgia offense as the wideout leads Georgia in every receiving statistic.

The junior has recorded 53 catches, which is 30 more receptions than the team's second-leading wideout, 542 yards and three scores.

And, as Sark mentioned, Branch has been heavily involved in the return game with six punt returns totalling 59 yards and eight kickoff returns accumulating 162 yards, with his longest being 28.

With Branch doing a lot of damage from inside the slot, the assignment would fall on budding star and true freshman Graceson Littleton, who has emerged as one of the Horns' best players in coverage with 31 tackles, a pair of interceptions and two pass deflections on the season.

The matchup in the slot and between the Horns and Dogs is set tokick off Saturday at 6:30 p.m. CT on ABC.