ATLANTA — Texas is coming, however the previous guard, it seems, isn’t fairly prepared to surrender its maintain on the SEC.
Georgia rode a backup quarterback, a pretend punt and an endless wave of Texas penalties to drag off a 22-19 time beyond regulation win and take residence the SEC Championship — and maybe most significantly the league’s bye within the College Football Playoff — Saturday at Mercedes-Benz Stadium Saturday. Georgia gained’t play once more till the quarterfinals, possible within the Sugar Bowl, on Jan. 1. Texas will host a first-round recreation in two weeks.
Here are 5 takeaways from a recreation through which the Longhorns appeared to dominate statistically, however damage themselves usually with penalties:
Where will Texas fall?
While Georgia will nearly definitely be the No. 2 seed within the CFP bracket, it will likely be fascinating to see how far Texas falls. Do the Longhorns, who’ve solely misplaced to 1 staff this yr, merely swap spots within the rankings with Georgia, which entered the sport No. 5 (however because the projected No. 7 seed)? It would appear tough to see a situation through which Texas fell behind any groups that didn’t play on Saturday. No. 4 Notre Dame, which doesn’t play in a convention, was the best ranked staff to not play Saturday.
With convention championship byes and a fifth-place spot for Notre Dame, it means Texas will possible end with the No. 6 or 7 seed and host a first-round recreation in Austin on both Dec. 20 or 21.
Here’s a thought for later tonight: SMU loses to Clemson, however hangs on to a playoff spot because the No. 11 seed, paving the way in which for a first-round matchup with the Longhorns?
Longhorns’ run recreation struggles
Texas, which bruised opponents during the last six weeks, with its operating recreation, didn’t run early and by no means obtained the operating recreation going. Part of it was maybe as a consequence of Quinn Ewers’ quick begin, however when Texas wanted to floor out yards, it couldn’t.
Texas, which has averaged 189 yards a recreation towards each opponent not from Georgia, has gained 60 yards on 55 carries in two matchups towards the Bulldogs this season, a median of 1.1 yards per carry. It
Texas had run for over 200 yards in every of its final two video games and Georgia’s run protection gave the impression to be primed for the taking. The Bulldogs allowed 260 yards to Georgia Tech in an eight-overtime 44-42 win eight days in the past and had allowed a median of 145.5 yards per recreation to all different opponents this season. Texas.
On the opposite hand, Ewers did throw for a season-high 359 yards, however he threw an interception late within the fourth quarter (Texas then reciprocated by selecting off Georgia’s Gunner Stockton) and couldn’t get the Longhorns in the long run zone in time beyond regulation. Texas started the OT with Arch Manning attempting a keeper for 5 yards, however then Ewers was capable of decide up solely six yards on two completions in 5 additional makes an attempt. Flower Mound’s Bert Auburn kicked a 32-yard discipline purpose, his fourth discipline purpose of the sport, to provide Texas a 19-16 lead.
Georgia offense hums underneath Stockton
Georgia gained with out quarterback Carson Beck making a major contribution. Beck had solely 54 yards at halftime, was sacked on the ultimate play of the primary half and spent many of the remainder of the sport on the sideline. At occasions, there was an ice pack on his elbow after it was pulled again on the sack by Trey Moore.
But with out Beck, Georgia truly obtained transferring behind backup Gunner Stockton, who led the Bulldogs on a 75-yard landing drive to start out the second half. It gave Georgia the lead, regardless that Texas had dominated the primary half statistically.
Beck did return for one play – the ultimate one of many recreation. He handed off to Trevor Etienne who bulldozed his method into the top zone from 4 yards out for the rating. On a quarterback draw, Stockton had his helmet knocked off by Andrew Mukuba, who was initially referred to as for concentrating on, however, upon additional evaluation, the flag was withdrawn.
Longhorns caught unexpectedly
Georgia caught Texas unexpectedly – when it shouldn’t have – on a vital pretend punt within the fourth quarter from its personal 30. Georgia had misplaced punter Brett Thorson to an damage on a sort out alongside the sidelines within the third quarter. Thorson had tried each punt for the Bulldogs this yr.
So, with backup Charlie Ham deep for the snap, Georgia as an alternative snapped the ball to backup offensive lineman Drew Bobo, son of offensive coordinator Mike Bobo, who tossed it to receiver Arian Smith coming across the finish. Though Smith had a few drops on passes, he caught the toss and raced 9 yards for a first-down that prolonged the drive and led to the Bulldogs’ 21-yard go-ahead discipline purpose by Peyton Woodring with 4:30 left.
Sloppy play dooms Longhorns
The Longhorns’ receivers might need been the one factor preserving them from operating away with issues within the first half. There have been too many vital penalties and sloppy drops.
Isaiah Bond twice drew penalties for offensive go interference and a maintain on first down performs from contained in the Georgia 25. On each events, the penalties stalled the drives and Texas needed to accept Bert Auburn discipline targets.
But Matthew Golden, Ryan Wingo and Gunnar Helm all had egregious drops. It made Ewers 228 first half passing yards stand out that rather more.
We also needs to level out that Bond hardly stood out on the penalty entrance. Texas was penalized eight occasions for 80 yards (and there have been a few extra negated as a result of they have been both a part of offsetting fouls or have been declined). Put it this manner: Texas had extra yards in penalties within the first half than Georgia had in precise yards (54). And whereas Bond’s penalties could have turned potential landing drives into discipline purpose drives, Malik Agbo’s false begin on an Auburn 37-yard discipline purpose pushed Texas again 5 yards and made Auburn go at it once more. The second time round, he was extensive left.
The penalties clearly pissed off Texas coach Steve Sarkisian, who, in his halftime walkoff interview stated: “Well, hopefully they name them for a maintain considered one of these occasions too.”
Spoiler alert: Things didn’t change dramatically within the second half. Texas ended with a season-high 11 penalties for 94 yards. The solely time they have been penalized extra yards this season was towards Vanderbilt once they have been charged with 10 fouls for 107 yards.
Georgia drew 5 penalties for 49 yards.
See photographs from Texas’ SEC Championship showdown towards Georgia
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