The Georgia Bulldogs defeated the Texas Longhorns in what was an instant classic SEC Championship game. In the first half, neither team was able to pull away due to the opposition’s elite defensive play. While the two quarters were somewhat uneventful, the most important play of the game took place. Rather than trying a 59-yard field goal attempt, Georgia elected to take a shot at the end zone, resulting in quarterback Carson Beck getting hit and injuring his shoulder. Bulldog Nation immediately took to social media to hear the news of their starting quarterback’s status but ultimately found out when Gunner Stockton jogged on the field to open the second half. To our surprise, Stockton and the Bulldogs marched right down the field for the first touchdown of the game. A few drives later, the Longhorns woke up after Ewers found DeAndre Moore Jr. for a 41-yard touchdown to tie the game at 13 early into the fourth quarter. A Peyton Woodring field goal put the Dawgs back in front, which was followed by another Daylen Everette interception. With a chance to put the game on ice, Stockton made his lone mistake of the game, throwing a costly interception to give the ball right back to Texas in prime position to win. The Junkyard Dawgs held Texas to a field goal on the final drive in regulation, and Smart’s team found themselves in overtime for the second straight game. The Longhorns got within the 15-yard line, but settled for their fourth field goal of the game to give the Bulldogs a chance to win with a touchdown. Trevor Etienne scored his second touchdown of the game to seal the deal in Mercedes-Benz Stadium.
Unfortunately for Beck, question marks surround his status for the remainder of the season, though it is evident that he will not play in the upcoming Sugar Bowl against the Irish. However, Dawg fans should have plenty of confidence in not only Stockton but this entire team’s ability to win big games. There were many points throughout the season where it seemed like the Bulldogs would be defeated or eliminated from playoff contention, but they prevailed through the highs and lows for an SEC Championship title and the chance for the program’s third national title in the last four seasons. Say what you want about this year’s Bulldogs, but they are arguably the most resilient team we’ve seen in a long time. No matter the heart rate fans may have jumped to at certain moments in the season, the Dawgs’ low moments have benefited them in the long run.
Looking into the matchup with Notre Dame, the Irish defeated Indiana by a score of 27-17 in the first ever home-site College Football Playoff game. Since their embarrassing loss to Northern Illinois back in September, Coach Freeman’s team has run the table and found themselves back in the Playoff for the first time since 2020. Georgia looks to maintain their undefeated record against the Fighting Irish. While the opening games of this year’s expanded Playoff have been less than entertaining, this matchup looks to be one of the most intriguing. Many analysts have the winner of this game making it to the national title game. Maybe this is just what the sport needed, a first round to eliminate teams that believed they deserved it, allowing for the top eight most talented teams to fight it out for the championship.
Hot Take of the Week:
Our hot take of the week involves the mix of both a player and a coach. We believe Mike Bobo will draw up an offense that provides Gunner Stockton with an opportunity to carry the ball often. With that being said, we think Gunner Stockton will score two touchdowns, on his feet alone. This prediction revolves around the assumption that Coach Bobo will take a page or two out of the playbooks of past Georgia opponents this season. Dynamic offenses with pre-snap motions have proved to be a challenge for even the most talented defenses in the sport. Indiana struggled to run the ball much at all against Notre Dame’s defense. If Georgia wins, we believe it will be won on the ground. The offensive line will have a major role in setting up the run game.