Texas fell short of a rematch win against the Georgia Bulldogs.
Texas fell short in the SEC Championship game to the Georgia Bulldogs in an overtime thriller. 22-19 was the final from Atlanta, as now the only two losses on the UT season have come at the hands of the Bulldogs.
Georgia claims the SEC Championship and the first-round bye. Trevor Etienne sealed the victory for the Bulldogs, scurrying into the end zone for the game-winning touchdown run in the first overtime.
The Longhorns opened the scoring midway through the first quarter. Bert Auburn nailed a 41-yard field goal with 5:17 remaining, capping a methodical 9-play, 64-yard drive that chewed up over four minutes of clock. Texas took an early 3-0 lead and maintained their edge into the second quarter.
Auburn was back in action early in the second quarter, extending the Longhorns’ lead to 6-0 with a 42-yard field goal at the 10:22 mark. The impressive 14-play, 56-yard drive spanned over seven minutes.
Georgia responded with a scoring drive of their own, as kicker Peyton Woodring drilled a 44-yard field goal with 6:32 remaining in the half, narrowing the score to 6-3.
Texas dominated the first half statically. Just before halftime, Georgia quarterback, Carson Beck, went down holding his arm. He got up and walked off the field. Kirby Smart said that staff would look at him during the break.
Steve Sarkisian was visibly frustrated at halftime, making his displeasure with the officiating crew known. The Texas head coach addressed what he perceived as biased calls, stating, “Hopefully they call them [Georgia] for a holding one of these times.” Sarkisian didn’t elaborate further, but the pointed comment spoke volumes, reflecting the tension on the field.
From here on, it was straight to Gunner Stockton, Georgia’s backup quarterback, a redshirt sophomore from Tiger, GA. The Bulldogs seized momentum in the third quarter. Running back Trevor Etienne broke free for a 10-yard touchdown run, and Woodring added the extra point to give Georgia a 10-6 lead at the 10:27 mark. The drive, which covered 75 yards in 10 plays, gave the Bulldogs their first lead of the game.
Georgia added to their advantage in the closing moments of the quarter when Woodring converted a 24-yard field goal with 16 seconds left, capping a 61-yard drive and extending the lead to 13-6.
Texas refused to go quietly into the fourth quarter. Less than two minutes into the final frame, quarterback Quinn Ewers connected with wide receiver DeAndre Moore Jr. for a stunning 41-yard touchdown pass. Auburn’s extra point tied the game at 13-13 with 13:54 remaining.
However, the Longhorns faced a near disaster as Georgia mounted a clock-draining drive, maintaining possession from 13:54 to 4:32. Despite several tense moments, including fumbles that gave the Bulldogs additional opportunities, Texas’ defense held firm but could not keep Georgia from pushing the lead to 16-13 with a field goal.
With just under four minutes remaining, Texas aimed to mount a comeback. However, quarterback Quinn Ewers struggled under pressure, failing to convert on three consecutive drives. On a critical 3rd-and-17 following a sack, Ewers threw an interception to Georgia’s Daylen Everette, giving the Bulldogs possession with 3:35 left on the clock.
Georgia’s subsequent drive was cut short when quarterback Gunner Stockton threw his first interception of the game, picked off by Texas defensive back Jahdae Barron. This turnover gave the Longhorns another opportunity with limited time remaining. As Texas advanced downfield, a deep pass from Ewers drew a defensive pass interference call on Georgia’s Daylen Everette, positioning the Longhorns favorably as the clock wound down.
Texas Burt Auburn kicked from 37-yards out, leveling the game out at 16 a piece. Georgia drained the clock after the return and to overtime the game went. In overtime, Georgia won the toss, deferred to Texas. Arch Manning was at the helm for the first play, rushing on his first drive for five. Ewers was swapped for the second play. From there, the Georgia defense held Texas to a kick from Burt Auburn from 32-yards.
Georgia’s redshirt sophomore backup quarterback, Gunner Stockton, stepped up for the Bulldogs, leading them to a championship win that dashed Texas’ hopes for a first-round bye in the College Football Playoff (CFP). Selection Sunday is slated for tomorrow, and the Longhorns are projected to secure a 5th or 6th seed in the rankings.
Returning to Austin with potentially one more game on the horizon, Texas remains a strong contender for the National Championship for the second consecutive year. Texas, has some homework to do, and, I’m sure they’ll do just that.
