Georgia fans loathe Alabama’s existence. How much pain has the Crimson Tide caused them over the years? Even after Nick Saban’s retirement, Alabama found a way to defeat the Bulldogs a few months ago. Georgia coach Kirby Smart, as spectacular a resume as he has, is notably 1-6 against Alabama.
Perhaps now Bulldogs fans are enjoying the other side of such a situation. Texas might be developing a Georgia problem.
The Bulldogs, shorthanded and outplayed much of the night, defeated the Longhorns 22-19 in overtime in Saturday’s SEC Championship game at Mercedes-Benz Stadium. The triumph came 49 days after Georgia strutted into Austin and whipped No. 1 Texas, 30-15 (after leading 23-0).
Texas went 11-2, twice bested by the SEC champs (the only currently ranked opponent they faced). The Longhorns have a clear hurdle to overcome through one season of SEC play: the team in Athens, which is three victories from a third national championship in four years.
Texas, while qualifying for the four-team playoff a year ago, hasn’t participated in the national title game since Vince Young’s heroics in January 2006. It holds itself to the same standard as Georgia. Like the Bulldogs with Kirby Smart, it’s coached by a former Saban coordinator in Steve Sarkisian. Like Georgia, it has the resources to outbid the field for anybody (just ask five-star defensive lineman Justus Terry). Like Georgia, it has a demanding fan base that won’t settle for consolation prizes.
Ultimately, both these teams should make the 12-team CFP, so Saturday’s defeat won’t eliminate Texas from its grandest aspirations. But the day’s events should fairly make one wonder when — and how — Texas can truly reach Georgia’s stratosphere. It’s fair to say almost everybody has a “Georgia problem” in recent seasons, but Texas suffering two losses to the same team while its record is otherwise pristine is cause for deeper look.
“I’m not sure (what separates us),” Bulldogs linebacker Jalon Walker, who had the game of his life earlier this year in Austin, said Saturday. “We’re just two great football programs who battle it out. The SEC is where you learn to play football at. Two good teams, they were the No.-1 ranked team (when Georgia went to Texas). We’re a ranked team as well. We played a good football game and had the opportunity to win.”
The Longhorns failed to pull away in a first half they statistically dominated. They outgained Georgia 260 yards to 54, running twice as many plays (42-21) and producing 13 first downs to Georgia’s five. Texas hurt itself with eight penalties for 80 yards, though. Georgia is 57-4 since 2020; it’s hard enough to beat the Bulldogs without committing mindless errors.
Texas kicker Bert Auburn missed two field-goal attempts, the first of which came after his make was negated by a false start. The Longhorns failed to recover two fumbles on Georgia’s go-ahead drive late in the fourth quarter. In fact, Georgia fumbled four times, but Texas recovered only one — at the end of the first half with time expired.
Georgia quarterback Carson Beck was injured on the play and didn’t return until overtime when his replacement, Gunner Stockton. was forced to exit after having his helmet removed. Beck handed off to running back Trevor Etienne for the winning score.
Stockton was OK, going 12-for-16 passing for 71 yards and leading three scoring drives (excluding overtime) against the Longhorns’ fierce defense. But he also made a senseless third-down throw from the Longhorns 31 that Texas intercepted with 2:30 remaining. It robbed Georgia of what could’ve become a 19-13 lead, which would’ve required Texas getting a touchdown on its final possession.
All those breaks went Texas’ way, and it wasn’t enough. This Georgia team has flirted with disaster much of the season. Aside from its two losses to Alabama and Ole Miss, it narrowly defeated Kentucky, had to sweat it out against Florida (which had a 10-7 lead before losing its starting quarterback) and needed eight overtimes to beat seven-win Georgia Tech.
Yet the Longhorns, who secured 10 of their 11 wins by double digits, flounder against these mortal Bulldogs. Georgia supporters remember multiple games in which their team “should have” defeated Alabama. Texas fans will look at Saturday and wonder how their team squandered it.
“I’m not in their locker room, I don’t know what they have,” Georgia safety Dan Jackson said. “But I know what we have on the field and the fight we have on this team. We’re going to show that every week. I don’t know how connected they are, but I know we’re probably the most connected team I’ve been on and we’re going to play for each other to the very end.”
Texas’ highly acclaimed offensive line surrendered 13 sacks (six Saturday) and 25 tackles for loss in two games (though left tackle Kelvin Banks missed the SEC Championship game).
Quarterback Quinn Ewers’ lack of mobility hurt the Longhorns at times — maybe future starter Arch Manning changes that equation — and Texas has been hopeless running the ball on Georgia. The Longhorns had 60 rushing yards on 55 attempts over two contests. That’s 1.1 yards per carry against a unit that surrendered 226 rushing yards to Massachusetts two weeks ago (the Longhorns averaged 4.7 yards per rush in the regular season, which included the first game with Georgia).
That’s simply not good enough for Sarkisian’s group. Ewers hasn’t proved dynamic enough to carry their team throughout the season. Texas, despite its on-paper talent, hasn’t yet matched Georgia’s trench play (something Ole Miss achieved last month in its 18-point victory).
“Texas is a good football team coached by good coach,” Walker said. “Amazing players on their roster. We just came to the occasion. It’s the SEC Championship where legends are made. We had an opportunity to do so and become a legendary team.”
It’s possible the Bulldogs and Longhorns meet for a third time in the coming playoff. They’ll definitely meet next season in Athens. This matchup has the potential to become a compelling rivalry — as long as it doesn’t remain one-sided. Whether it’s next month or next season, the programs will face off with high stakes again.
Then the masses will see if Georgia remains the Longhorns’ red-and-black roadblock.
“I’m sure it’ll be a great game,” Etienne said of a potential third matchup with Texas this season. “They have a great defense, a great offense. They’re explosive. They play high-caliber football and they’ve played it all season. So I’m sure it’d be another great one.”
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