The University of Georgia was trying to keep their hopes alive for the College Football Playoff on Friday night. And while they eventually got the job done, their game against Georgia Tech lasted long into the Athens night, and wound up being one of the longest games in the history of the sport.
Georgia Wins In 2nd-Longest College Football Game Ever
Down 17-0 at halftime, it looked like the postseason hope for the Bulldogs was slipping away. But after outscoring the Yellow Jackets 27-10 in the second half, Georgia was able to force an overtime period despite having just a 1.6% chance of victory with 4 minutes left to play.
But the fun was just getting started at that point. The teams went back and forth for the better part of an hour of real time, alternating scores in the overtime periods. But neither side was able to put together a score and a stop on consecutive tries, and a 42-42 tie eventually bled in to an 8th overtime. It was Georgia that wound up converting the final two-point try to secure the much-needed victory, but not before the game itself set conference and national records.
GEORGIA COMES BACK TO TAKE DOWN GEORGIA TECH IN 8OT 😳
YES… 8 OVERTIMES 🤯 pic.twitter.com/08dSpLkDs3
— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) November 30, 2024
The eight overtimes made it the longest game in the history of the SEC, and the second-longest (in terms of amount of overtimes) in the history of college football.
Overtime has only been a thing in college football since 1996. Games before that would simply end in a tie. Illinois and Penn State set the all-time mark back in 2021 with their epic battle that lasted through 9 overtime periods, a mark that hasn’t been touched since. But Georgia and Georgia Tech got close on Friday night, surpassing the 7-OT mark that occurred in six different contests between 2001 and 2022.
The win will keep the 7th-ranked Bulldogs firmly in the hunt for the 12-team playoff field. Kirby Smart’s team is certainly not the dominant force that we’ve become accustomed to seeing in recent years, but should have a shot at yet another championship run. They will play in the SEC Championship game, with their opponent being the winner of the matchup between Texas and Texas A&M.
