The No. 5 Georgia Bulldogs (11-2) have played in intense games against tough opponents this year, but none was more important than the SEC championship. Georgia squared off against the No. 2 Texas Longhorns (11-2), a team the Bulldogs beat in the regular season.
Many critics, such as Joel Klatt, considered Georgia an underdog, but Georgia snagged victory out of the jaws of defeat. The Bulldogs’ prospects looked pretty grim in the first half. Texas led 6-3 and Carson Beck left the game with injury. However, the Bulldogs relied on Trevor Etienne to storm back, gaining a 13-6 lead in the third quarter.
In the fourth quarter, Texas tied it at 13 with a 41-yard pass from quarterback Quinn Ewers to DeAndre Moore Jr.. Georgia kicked a field goal, taking the lead with 4:35 left, and the Bulldogs should’ve sealed it with an interception of Ewers with 3:44 left to go. However, Gunner Stockton threw his own interception to give Texas one last shot to drive the field and kick a field goal, which sent the game into overtime tied at 16.
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In overtime, Georgia stopped Texas at the 15-yard line, so the Longhorns kicked a field goal. The Bulldogs capped their drive with a Trevor Etienne rushing touchdown to win, 22-19.
This was somewhat a must-win game for Georgia. If the Bulldogs were 10-3, they could’ve risked having to travel in the playoff first round or miss the field entirely. With the selection committee’s decision to leave Florida State out of the playoffs last year partially due to Jordan Travis’ injury, the same fate could’ve happened to Georgia with Beck getting hurt had the Bulldogs lost.
Now, Georgia will get a first-round bye for winning the SEC. This marks the third time in four years Georgia has won the SEC title.
Texas will host a home playoff game, but the Longhorns would’ve been much better off had they received a bye.
HERE ARE FOUR KEY TAKEAWAYS FROM GEORGIA’S WIN OVER Texas:
The Status of Carson Beck
It was great for Georgia fans to see Georgia win the SEC championship once again, but the status of Beck looms over the playoff possibilities for Georgia. Beck came back to hand the ball off to Etienne for the game-winning score, but his injury status will be something to monitor.
Will Beck be forced to miss a game or the rest of the season? After Beck’s first-half injury, Georgia fans received their first extended look at Gunner Stockton. Stockton made some highlight plays and was a legitimate runner, but he threw a ghastly interception under pressure. Regardless of Beck’s up-and-down season against SEC opponents, he has much more experience than Stockton.
The bye week will be huge for Beck’s recovery, but if he misses time, the Bulldogs will have to rely on unproven options at quarterback. It has worked before for Alabama, so could it work for Georgia.
Trevor Etienne’s presence was much needed
Regardless of the quarterback play, the Bulldogs were able to rely on a stout running game. The lead back was Etienne, who put on a stellar performance of 122 total yards and two touchdowns, including the game-winner, on 21 touches (16 carries and five receptions). Safe to say, he didn’t appear affected by the rib injury that kept him out the past three games.
Etienne’s presence allowed Nate Frazier to be an effective change-of-pace back. He accrued 47 yards on six carries.
Georgia’s front seven was electric
In Georgia’s last matchup against Texas, the front seven was the story of the game. The Bulldogs produced seven sacks and forced four turnovers in the Week 8 matchup. Georgia allowed 29 rushing yards on 27 attempts.
With Texas’ standout tackle Kelvin Banks Jr. ruled out, the script was similar in this game. Georgia racked up six sacks of Quinn Ewers. While the passing game was pretty effective for Texas, the Longhorns’ running game was stifled again. Georgia allowed Texas to gain 31 rushing yards on 28 attempts.
Daylen Everette had a legacy game
Daylen Everette was also a big story from Georgia’s Week 8 game against Texas. He had a forced fumble, a sack and an interception.
This game was similar, except he was best in coverage. He picked off Ewers twice, and if it weren’t for Stockton’s interception, his pick could’ve sealed the game. Everette had a legacy game against Texas again. He took home the SEC championship MVP as a result.
