ATLANTA — The Georgia Bulldogs had a tough time against Texas, but with their quarterback crumpled on the turf there was little reason to expect an upset. Here comes a guy who barely played in his college career.
In Saturday's Southeastern Conference championship game, backup Gunner Stockton, who was barely used in the second half due to an injury to Carson Beck, came off the bench to lead No. 5 Georgia to the No. 2 Longhorns. He led them to an impossible victory, 22-19 in overtime.
The Bulldogs (11-2) won their third SEC title under coach Kirby Smart, but this trophy comes with an even bigger prize. It's a first-round bye in the new 12-team College Football Playoff.
Georgia entered the game ranked No. 5 in the CFP rankings, but was assured of a spot in the Sugar Bowl quarterfinals on New Year's Day, seeking its third national title in four seasons.
“This team never says no,” a jubilant Smart said as confetti fell at Mercedes-Benz Stadium.
Texas (11-2, No. 2 CFP) was denied the SEC title capper in the league's first year and will host a first-round game on Dec. 20 or 21. Both losses were to the Bulldogs. When the powerhouse programs met in Austin during the regular season, they won 30-15.
“This stings,” Texas coach Steve Sarkisian said. “But we have a chance to rebuild our team in the next few weeks and get to the College Football Playoff and compete for a national championship. I think we have what it takes to come out and win.”
Amidst the celebration, the big question for Georgia was the health of second-year starter Beck, who went down on the final play of the first half with an injured pitching arm.
Smart referred to it only as an “upper extremity” injury and said an MRI scan would determine the extent of the injury.
Stockton, a third-year sophomore, has only played in six games in his collegiate career, all of which were narrow wins. He led the Bulldogs to a touchdown and two field goals, but his helmet was blown off by a hard hit on an overtime run.
“This kid is a winner,” Smart said of his backup. “This child is special.”
Beck, who could barely raise his arm, returned to the game with the first goal in his fourth at-bat. All he had to do, and all he could do, was give Trevor Etienne a hand. Etienne powered into the end zone to end the game. It was the first overtime game in the 33-year history of the SEC Championship.
Georgia State defeated Georgia Tech 44-42 in eight overtimes in the final game of the regular season, winning for the second straight week beyond regulation.
This game was even sweeter, especially after losing their offensive leader.
“We're devastated, we're tired, we're mentally exhausted,” Smart said. “But I don't think there was ever a team that was this mentally tough. They just keep coming, keep coming. They never say die.”
Beck was brought down on a rough play near the end of the first half as he tried to put a point in the end zone.
Trey Moore flicked the ball away with a right-handed shot, sparking a wild scramble and several lateral shots that allowed Georgia linemen to wind up the ball.
Even more concerning for Georgia, Beck remained on the turf with his throwing arm while his teammates hovered over him. At the end, as he slowly trotted off the field, Smart said his day was over.
Not completely.
After holding Texas to a field goal early in overtime, Stockton had a first-down run ended in a helmet-flying hit and had to be ejected from the game.
“When the play was called and everyone knew it was Carson, we were pretty excited,” offensive lineman Tate Rutledge said.
Etienne took the handoff from Beck and powered up the middle. The ailing quarterback threw up his left arm in celebration, his right arm hanging at his side.
Texas quarterback Quinn Ewers threw for 358 yards, but was sacked six times and allowed two interceptions.
The Longhorns had a 260-54 edge in total yards in the first half, but penalties continued to hurt them and they only led 6-3. He finished with 11 flags for 94 yards, including a false start that nullified a field goal.
fake out
One of the biggest calls of the game, Georgia went for the go-ahead field goal in the fourth quarter with a little trickery and a lot of luck.
With punter Brett Thorson out with an injury, the Bulldogs called a gut fake with their own 30 points and four outs and 5th base.
This short snap was fired by protector Drew Bobo, the son of Georgia offensive coordinator Mike Bobo, who flipped it and passed it to end Arian Smith, technically a pass. It was a 9 yard gain.
“He's going to go down with a higher passing percentage than his father,” Smart quipped, referring to Mike Bobo's time as quarterback at Georgia in the 1990s.
The Bulldogs fumbled twice after the fake, but managed to recover both and settle it with Peyton Woodring's third field goal, making it 16-13 with 4 1/2 minutes remaining.
