In a game that seemed to be slipping away for No. 5 Georgia, a crucial injury to starting quarterback Carson Beck opened the door for backup Gunner Stockton to emerge as the unlikely hero. The third-year sophomore, who had seen limited action in his college career, stepped in during the second half and guided the Bulldogs to a stunning 22-19 overtime victory over No. 2 Texas in the Southeastern Conference championship on Saturday night.
The win not only gave Georgia (11-2) its third SEC title under head coach Kirby Smart, but also secured a first-round bye in the newly expanded 12-team College Football Playoff. As the No. 2 seed, the Bulldogs will head to the Sugar Bowl quarterfinals on New Year’s Day in pursuit of their third national championship in four seasons.
“This team never, ever says no,” Smart said, beaming with pride as confetti fell around him at Mercedes-Benz Stadium.
Texas (11-2, No. 2 CFP) was denied a storybook finish to its first season in the SEC. Despite the loss, the Longhorns are still headed to the College Football Playoff, where they will host a first-round game on Dec. 20 or 21. This marks their second defeat to Georgia this season, as the Bulldogs had won the regular-season meeting 30-15 in Austin.
“This stings,” Texas head coach Steve Sarkisian admitted. “But we get a chance to regroup in a couple weeks and get into the College Football Playoff. I think we’re plenty good enough to go win that.”
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The most pressing concern for Georgia, however, was the health of Beck, who was injured on the final play of the first half. As Beck attempted a deep pass into the end zone, Texas’ Trey Moore struck his throwing arm, knocking the ball loose and sparking a chaotic scramble. Beck remained on the turf holding his arm and eventually made his way to the locker room, but Smart described the injury as an “upper extremity” issue and said an MRI would be needed to assess the damage.
With Beck sidelined, Stockton took the reins and helped the Bulldogs find their rhythm. He directed Georgia to a touchdown and two field goals, but a brutal hit during an overtime run forced him to briefly leave the field after his helmet was knocked off. In that moment, the Bulldogs turned back to Beck, who returned for one critical play.
“When we got the play and saw it was Carson, we were pretty juiced up,” said offensive lineman Tate Rutledge.
Beck, clearly in pain and unable to fully use his injured arm, handed off to Trevor Etienne, who barreled into the end zone for the game-winning touchdown in the first-ever overtime game in SEC Championship history.
“This team is mentally tough,” Smart said after the win. “We’re beat up, we’re tired, we’re mentally fatigued, but I don’t know if I’ve ever had a more mentally tough team. They just keep coming, keep coming. They never say die.”
The game’s turning point came late in the first half when Beck went down on a wild play. Moore’s hit on Beck caused the quarterback to lose control of the ball, triggering a scramble that ended with Georgia being tackled after a couple of laterals. With Beck down, the Bulldogs faced a difficult second half, but Stockton’s calm and composure gave Georgia hope.
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The Bulldogs defense also played a critical role, holding Texas to a field goal on the opening overtime possession and keeping the Longhorns off the scoreboard in the extra period.
Texas quarterback Quinn Ewers threw for 358 yards and Texas’ only touchdown, but was under constant pressure. He was sacked six times and threw two interceptions, both of which were grabbed by Georgia’s Daylen Everette, who was named the game’s MVP.
Despite a dominant first-half performance that saw Texas outgain Georgia 260-54 in total yards, the Longhorns struggled with penalties, finishing with 11 flags for 94 yards. A false start penalty even nullified a field goal attempt, which proved costly in a game that was decided by mere inches.
Georgia, however, was the team that came through when it mattered most, with Stockton stepping up and the Bulldogs clinching the SEC Championship with a dramatic overtime victory.
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