Tag: Texas Football

Steve Sarkisian, and then Kirby Smart, absolutely lost it over chaotic Texas-Georgia penalty sequence

Steve Sarkisian and Kirby Smart threw understandable sideline tantrums over pass interference calls.

Things got heated and controversial late in the third quarter of No. 5 Georgia’s road game against No. 1 Texas on Saturday.

After a dominant first half, the Bulldogs had a 23-8 lead over the Longhorns through much of the third quarter. On third-and-10 from Georgia’s 31-yard line, Texas defensive back Jahdae Barron picked off quarterback Carson Beck and returned it 36 yards just nine shy of completing a pick-six.

But officials called it back for a pass interference flag against Texas, which outraged the fans at DKR-Texas Memorial Stadium in Austin. So they threw water bottles and maybe other things on the field.

After Texas coach Steve Sarkisian went over to the crowd and told them to stop, he returned to the sideline and had a proper tantrum over the questionable penalty.

The game didn’t immediately resume, and eventually, after a notably long amount of time and the field was cleaned up, officials reversed the penalty call back in Texas’ favor. So then it was time for Georgia coach Kirby Smart to lose his cool on the officials.

While college football coaches have a solid history of overreacting and freaking out on the sidelines, Sarkisian and Smart, for different reasons, were understandably livid. It was a debatable call in the first place, and then to reverse it after so long is wild.

Texas ended up scoring on its next drive to shrink Georgia’s lead to 23-15.

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Officials reward Texas after Longhorn fans throw trash on the field

The officials reward Texas with reversal of penalty against Georgia after Longhorn fans throw trash on the field

The Georgia Bulldogs were subject to an unlucky change of events late in the third quarter with a pass interference penalty. Georgia wide receiver Arian Smith initiated contact with Texas Longhorns defensive back Jahdae Barron, who intercepted Georgia quarterback Carson Beck.

Initially, the officiating crew called Barron for defensive pass interference. After the call, the game had a lengthy delay because Texas fans threw bottles and trash on the field.

During the delay, the officials huddled and discussed the call. Ultimately, the officials elected to reverse the pass interference penalty against Texas, so the interception stood.

The controversial decision merited immediate criticism. Georgia head coach Kirby Smart could not believe the officials when they announced the change. The officials rewarded Texas fans for throwing trash on the field, which prevented Georgia from running another play. Remember, penalties are not reviewable plays.

“They tried to rob us of calls,” said Kirby Smart after Georgia’s 30-15 win over Texas.

The optics of the overturned penalty are awful. Fans are now more likely to throw trash on the field after controversial plays because that behavior has been rewarded.

“The problem with that is every student section in America saw that, no penalty on them for throwing objects on the field and it bought their team time. Goodness,” said college football expert Rusty Mansell.

Here’s a look at the controversial penalty reversal!

https://www.instagram.com/p/DBVFaEPxM1e/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link

There’s no doubt the SEC will fine Texas following the game, but it may be too little, too late.

Texas fans seemingly bullied refs into reversing a pivotal pass interference call by throwing bottles

This Georgia-Texas sequence was absolutely wild.

No. 1 Texas football caught a huge break on a reversed call in the third quarter during its marquee game against No. 5 Georgia on Saturday night.

As the Bulldogs were driving down the field and the Longhorns were down 23-8 in the third, Texas defensive back Jahdae Barron snagged a colossal interception and ran it back into Georgia territory to set up his team in the red zone.

However, the referees called defensive pass interference on Barron as he was covering wide receiver Arian Smith. There was jockeying between both players on the route, which doesn’t typically draw a flag.

Texas fans were absolutely enraged by the call and began to throw trash on the field to express their displeasure.

Longhorns coach Steve Sarkisian was also extremely irate over the call, though he made a gesture to the fans to stop throwing trash onto the field.

The stoppage in play must have sparked a change of heart for the officiating crew, as the flag was soon rescinded to set up Texas for an eventual touchdown.

In a game with plenty of dramatics, this might have taken the cake.

Did the trash-throwing fans force the refs into changing this call? The world may never know, but it’s funny to think that it may have.

AUSTIN, TEXAS – OCTOBER 19: Texas Longhorns fans throw bottles onto the field after a defensive pass interference call overturned an interception against the Georgia Bulldogs during the third quarter at Darrell K Royal-Texas Memorial Stadium on October 19, 2024 in Austin, Texas. The call was reversed giving Texas the ball. (Photo by Alex Slitz/Getty Images) 

Feature image courtesy of ESPN. 

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Why Texas temporarily benched Quinn Ewers for Arch Manning against Georgia

Texas made a huge change at quarterback against Georgia.

This story has been updated. 

No. 1 Texas fell behind to No. 5 Georgia early at home on Saturday night and decided to make a quarterback change before halftime.

The Longhorns opted to bench quarterback Quinn Ewers in the game’s second quarter. Ewers struggled in the first half against the Bulldogs’ defense, which sent quarterback Arch Manning into the game.

Ewers only had 17 yards of passing and an interception before he was pulled from the contest. Rather than keep Ewers in, Texas chose to give Manning a chance to lead the Longhorns back into the game.

At halftime, Texas coach Steve Sarkisian explained to ESPN’s Holly Rowe why he made the quarterback switch without reveling if he’d put Ewers back in.

However, Ewers returned to the game after halftime to start for Texas.

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7 celebrities in attendance for Georgia-Texas, including Matthew McConaughey and Kevin Durant

The stars were out in full force for Georgia-Texas.

Georgia-Texas is one of the biggest college football games of the year, and the celebrities were out in full force for Saturday night’s marquee matchup between the No. 5 Bulldogs and No. 1 Longhorns.

Famous Texas and Georgia fans were among those who attended the big game at Darrell K Royal-Texas Memorial Stadium.

There were plenty of sports going on in Austin this weekend, including the Formula 1 United States Grand Prix, which may have made this game even more intriguing for the folks already in town.

Let’s see who was in attendance for the Longhorns and Bulldogs’ game.

Matthew McConaughey 

Glen Powell 

Quavo 

Kevin Durant 

Kelly Slater

Drew Brees 

Ben Herbstreit 

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Georgia vs Texas kickoff time, injury report

Injury report, television and kickoff time for the Georgia Bulldogs at Texas Longhorns game

The Georgia Bulldogs travel to Austin, Texas, to play the Texas Longhorns at 7:30 p.m. ET on Saturday, Oct. 19. The Georgia at Texas game will be televised on ABC.

Both Georgia and Texas have their fair share of injuries ahead of their clash. No. 4 Georgia (5-1) and No. 1 Texas (6-0) are both among the top teams in the SEC.

Georgia is underdogs for the first time in 50 games according to ESPN’s “College GameDay”. Speaking of GameDay, everyone in the crew picked against Georgia.

Georgia Bulldogs injury report

Running back Roderick Robinson: Out (toe)

Running back Branson Robinson: Out (knee)

Defensive lineman Joseph Jonah-Ajonye: Out

Linebacker Smael Mondon: Out (foot)

Offensive lineman Tate Ratledge: Questionable (knee, ankle)

Defensive lineman Jordan Hall: Probable (leg)

Center Jared Wilson: Probable (knee)

Texas Longhorns injury report

Wide receiver Isaiah Bond: Probable

Running back CJ Baxter: Out

Running back Christian Clark: Out

Running back Velton Gardner: Out

Offensive lineman Trevor Goosby: Out

Defensive back Derek Williams: Out

The SEC will release an updated injury report 90 minutes before kickoff.

Uga-Bevo beef put on hold as Georgia mascot won’t accompany team to Texas

We won’t be seeing a sequel to the live mascot battle at the 2019 Sugar Bowl as Uga XI won’t be traveling to Austin.

The highly anticipated rematch between college football live mascot heavyweights has, unfortunately, been put on hold.

With Georgia heading to Austin to face No. 1 Texas in a battle between top-five SEC squads, we were excited to see Bevo the Longhorn go face-to-face with Uga the Bulldog for the first time since the former charged the latter on the sideline before the 2019 Sugar Bowl.

But we’ve been robbed of that. According to a report from The Atlanta Journal-Constitution’s Chip Towers, Uga XI — whose real name is “Boom” — will not accompany the team to Austin for Saturday’s premier matchup.

The decision was reportedly made by Uga’s owner, who cited the dog’s youth and lack of experience on planes or busses. It’s worth noting that Uga XI replaced Uga X, the mascot involved in the 2019 altercation, in 2023 and the owner denied that the decision had anything to do with the ongoing beef.

Saturday night’s game is sure to be exciting, pitting two of the nation’s best teams against each other in primetime. But we won’t be getting the long-awaited sequel to the biggest feud in the live mascot world.

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Five reasons Texas beats Georgia

There are many reasons Texas will beat UGA football to remain No. 1 and undefeated

The No. 4 Georgia Bulldogs play the No. 1 Texas Longhorns is Austin, Texas, on Saturday, Oct. 19 at 7:30 p.m. The winner of the Georgia-Texas game will have an inside track to reach the 2024 SEC championship game.

Georgia enters the Texas game as slight underdogs. The Bulldogs have looked much more inconsistent compared to Texas. Yes, Georgia has played a challenging schedule, but Georgia simply has not been as dominant as Texas.

Here’s why Texas will defeat Georgia football

Turnovers

Texas has a turnover margin of plus-3. The Longhorns have forced 11 turnovers this season and have eight giveaways.

Georgia has a turnover margin of minus-1. Georgia has only forced five turnovers this season. UGA quarterback Carson Beck has all six of Georgia’s turnovers this year, but two were not necessarily his fault. We think Georgia, which had four turnovers in its last road game, loses the turnover battle again in this one.

Texas has a better offensive line

“The better offensive line in this game is Texas,” said college football expert Joel Klatt. “They’re more experienced, they’re healthier and I just think that they’re better overall.”

Georgia is missing offensive guard Tate Ratledge, but the Bulldogs have struggled to run the ball at times this season. In fact, Texas rushes for 55 more yards per game than Georgia (189 to 134 rushing yards per game).

Texas’ offensive line has allowed six sacks this season, which is second-best in the SEC. The Longhorns have a number of NFL prospects on their offensive line including tackles Kelvin Banks Jr. and Cameron Williams.

Texas has a better pass rush

Kevin Jairaj-Imagn Images

Texas has the third-most sacks (tied) in the SEC with 19 through six weeks. The Longhorns have the best scoring defense in the country thanks in large part due to their ability to disrupt opposing quarterbacks. Linebackers Anthony Hill and Collin Simmons both have four or more sacks for Texas.

Georgia has 11 sacks this season, which is second-to-last in the SEC. The Bulldogs have elite pass rushers Jalon Walker and Mykel Williams, but they have just 1 1/2 sacks combined this year.

Texas’ defense proves itself again

Mikala Compton/American-Statesman

The Texas Longhorns have the top defense in the country per a number of different metrics. Texas has the No. 1 scoring defense and allows an average of 6.3 points per game. The Longhorns have allowed the fewest passing touchdowns (one) and yards (756) of any team in the country.

Texas also has the second-best red zone defense in the country. Texas has allowed only seven red zone trips all season and just one red zone touchdown. Texas has a challenge against Georgia’s high-powered offense, but the Longhorns will show they are capable of rising to the occasion.

Quinn Ewers, Isaiah Bond are too much for UGA’s secondary

Tim Warner/Getty Images

Texas quarterback Quinn Ewers and wide receiver Isaiah Bond, an Alabama transfer, are projected to be a first-round picks in the 2025 NFL draft. Bond burned Georgia in the 2024 SEC championship, and we think he does it again on Saturday.

Ewers is primed to shred a Georgia secondary that gave up massive plays, 31 points and a lot of yardage to a Mississippi State team that has only won one game all season. Look for Texas head coach Steve Sarkisian to put Ewers in numerous favorable situations. The Georgia defense will be confused at times due to Sarkisian’s motions.

Looking back at Bevo’s attempted gore of Uga

Bevo should be suspended for the Georgia at Texas game for his attempted goring of Uga in the 2019 Sugar Bowl

A lot of college football fans have been pushing for Georgia Bulldogs head coach Kirby Smart to be suspended for the Texas Longhorns game. SEC commissioner Greg Sankey made it clear that Smart should have been penalized for his shove to Mississippi State quarterback Michael Van Buren, but did not elect to suspend Smart.

However, perhaps one overlooked figure in the Texas-Georgia game that should be suspended is Texas mascot Bevo XV (we are kidding; well, kind of).

In the 2019 Sugar Bowl, Bevo launched an unprecedented, unprovoked attack on Georgia football’s legendary mascot, Uga. Fortunately, Uga was too elusive for the Texas Longhorn steer, who weighs over 1,500 pounds.

There’s no doubt that Bevo was intending to gore Uga. In Bevo’s path were numerous innocent bystanders.

Nobody knows exactly why Bevo wanted to gore Uga. Was it because he was jealous of Uga’s recent 2017 SEC championship victory? Or was it because Bevo knew that Uga and the Georgia Bulldogs would go on to win back-to-back national championships just a few years later?

“I don’t know what his problem was that one day. Maybe he wasn’t happy to see the cute, little puppy,” said Danny Davis of the Austin-American Statesman.

There’s no way Texas would suspend its own mascot for a home game, but now would be the appropriate time with Uga and Bevo reuniting in the same place for Georgia’s game on Saturday at Texas.

Here’s a look back at Bevo’s attempt to gore Uga.

The one thing we do know is that Uga and Bevo will not be taking pictures together anytime soon.

SEC commissioner sounds off on Kirby Smart’s apparent shove

SEC commissioner Greg Sankey comments on Kirby Smart’s controversial shove of Mississippi State quarterback

SEC commissioner Greg Sankey released a statement following Georgia Bulldogs head coach Kirby Smart’s shove of Mississippi State quarterback Michael Van Buren.

“Coaches cannot make contact with an opposing player. This play should have resulted in enforcement of an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty,” said Sankey. “I am confident the contact was not intentional, and the clear expectation is this conduct won’t happen again.”

Smart was lucky to not get penalized, but once he saw what he did he made amends. Smart made it clear that upon reviewing a replay of the incident that he felt badly. He called Mississippi State coach Jeff Lebby to discuss the moment.

“I went back and watched it. Didn’t even realize that I had run into him (Mississippi State quarterback Michael Van Buren),” said Smart on Monday. “I reached out to Lebby that night and talked to him. He said the kid was great. Yesterday, I talked to Mike (Van Buren Jr.) and told him I had no intentions or ill will toward him at all. If you ever been on the sideline in a game, it’s pandemonium.”

Smart is constantly moving around to communicate with players and coaches. Georgia has a get-back coach for Smart, who is almost always animated on the sidelines.

“It’s really pandemonium when you’re trying to change personnel, and you only got three to four seconds to do it,” continued Smart. “We were in a bad personnel grouping against empty that we actually had messed up the week before. I was trying to get to Schumann to get that changed, but I reached out to the kid (Van Buren). He was great. He’s a really good player. ”

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It does not appear Smart will face any punishment from the league for his shove. However, the league has previously suspended coaches and players for making contact with officials and opposing players. Smart and No. 1 Georgia play No. 4 Texas on Saturday, Oct. 19 at 7:30 p.m. ET.