In Athens on Saturday, No. 5 Georgia routed No. 10 Texas 35-10, dealing a significant blow to the Longhorns’ playoff hopes and improving Georgia’s standing in the SEC. The Bulldogs pulled away late, posting three fourth-quarter touchdowns to seal the victory and move to 9-1 overall and 6-1 in conference play. Texas, the AP preseason No. 1, fell to 7-3 overall, casting serious doubt on any remaining College Football Playoff contention. The game featured standout performances from Georgia QB Gunner Stockton and a decisive special-teams onside kick sequence that shifted momentum in the fourth quarter.
Key Takeaways
- Final score: Georgia 35, Texas 10 — Georgia improves to 9-1 (6-1 SEC); Texas drops to 7-3 (4-2 SEC).
- Gunner Stockton finished with 229 passing yards, four passing touchdowns, 29 rushing yards and one rushing touchdown; he has 19 passing TDs this season and 13 in his last three games.
- Georgia produced three fourth-quarter touchdowns, including a surprise onside kick recovery by Cash Jones that led to an immediate scoring drive.
- Texas trimmed the lead to 14-10 in the third quarter after an interception-return possession culminated in an Arch Manning-to-Ryan Wingo touchdown.
- No. 4 Alabama’s 23-21 loss to No. 11 Oklahoma opened a path for Georgia to stake a claim on a top-four CFP slot with a convincing resume-building win.
- Earlier on Saturday, No. 3 Texas A&M mounted the biggest comeback in school history, rallying from a 27-point deficit to beat South Carolina 31-30; Marcel Reed threw for 439 yards and three TDs.
Background
The matchup in Athens had major postseason implications: Georgia entered 8-1 (6-1 SEC) and Texas 7-2 (4-1 SEC), with both teams seeking position toward conference titles and College Football Playoff consideration. Texas began the season as the AP preseason No. 1 but stumbled early and then recovered with a four-game winning streak heading into the trip to Sanford Stadium. Georgia, under coach Kirby Smart, had rebounded from its lone loss to Alabama in Week 5 and arrived with momentum from five straight wins.
Both programs carry heavy national expectations stemming from recent seasons — Georgia as a perennial SEC contender and Texas as a program chasing elite status after joining the conference. The SEC race was reshaped in the hours before kickoff when No. 4 Alabama fell to Oklahoma, increasing the stakes for Georgia’s home result. Recruiting, conference positioning and CFP seeding were all part of the subtext for a game that drew large local support and national attention.
Main Event
Texas opened the scoring with an efficient 13-play, 59-yard drive that resulted in a 33-yard field goal, orchestrated by Arch Manning’s early distribution to multiple targets. Georgia answered with a 9-play, 75-yard march capped by a 17-yard touchdown reception by Noah Thomas; Gunner Stockton was 6-of-7 for 57 yards on that drive. The Bulldogs’ first-half execution produced a 14-3 halftime advantage, aided by superior time of possession (16:22) and a Texas offense that failed on six third-down attempts in the half.
The third quarter saw a momentum swing for Texas when Anthony Hill Jr. intercepted Stockton, setting up Arch Manning’s seven-yard touchdown pass to Ryan Wingo and cutting the deficit to 14-10. That rally was short-lived. Georgia responded with a sustained drive finished by a 30-yard touchdown catch by London Humphreys to put the Bulldogs back ahead, 21-10.
Moments after that score Georgia executed a surprise onside kick, recovered by Cash Jones at Georgia’s 47-yard line, immediately returning the Bulldogs to the red zone. Stockton capitalized on the sudden possession, finding tight end Lawson Luckie for a six-yard touchdown to extend the margin. Later in the fourth, Stockton added a four-yard rushing touchdown, and with just over two minutes left he was replaced by backup Ryan Puglisi. The Bulldogs’ late flurry turned a one-possession game into a decisive 35-10 final.
Analysis & Implications
Georgia’s victory deepens the Bulldogs’ claim to a College Football Playoff berth and strengthens their case for a top-four spot. With Alabama’s loss to Oklahoma, Georgia (now 9-1, 6-1 SEC) appears well positioned to represent the SEC in the playoff picture if it continues to win and the conference race resolves favorably. The quality of Georgia’s win — a road rout over a ranked opponent in Texas — is the kind of resume-building result the CFP committee values.
For Texas, the loss is a critical blow. The Longhorns entered with slim margin for error after a turbulent start to the season and four straight wins, but falling to 7-3 likely eliminates realistic CFP hopes absent multiple unlikely outcomes elsewhere. Arch Manning’s offense showed flashes, but inefficient third-down conversions and turnovers proved decisive. Texas will need near-perfect play in its remaining games and favorable results around the country to revive any postseason bid.
The game also highlighted Gunner Stockton’s development as a multi-dimensional threat: his four touchdown passes and a rushing score demonstrated his ability to manage Georgia’s offense and finish drives. Special teams were decisive; the onside kick call and recovery were high-leverage decisions that altered possession dynamics and underscored Georgia’s game-management aggressiveness late. Longer-term, recruiting narratives and coaching assessments will reference this result as evidence of Georgia’s readiness to compete on the national stage again.
Comparison & Data
| Team | Ranking (pregame) | Record (pre → post) | SEC record |
|---|---|---|---|
| Georgia | No. 5 | 8-1 → 9-1 | 6-1 (unchanged) |
| Texas | No. 10 | 7-2 → 7-3 | 4-1 → 4-2 |
The table above shows the immediate impact of the final score on each team’s record and conference standing. Georgia’s win preserves a one-game edge over Alabama in the SEC loss column (Alabama is 8-2 overall after losing to Oklahoma), while Texas’ defeat drops the Longhorns closer to the middle of the SEC pack. The result also favors Georgia’s strength-of-schedule and quality-win metrics, two factors the CFP committee weighs when comparing closely ranked teams.
Reactions & Quotes
Coach reactions and player comments after the game reflected relief on Georgia’s sideline and frustration in Austin. Georgia staff emphasized execution and situational aggressiveness; Texas players cited missed opportunities on third downs and turnovers as decisive factors.
“Total team effort.”
Coach Kirby Smart
Smart used that brief characterization to credit contributions across offense, defense and special teams; the phrase was offered as a summation during the postgame media availability and underscores the program’s depth emphasis this season.
“The SEC championship, that’s all the motivation we need for this game.”
Colin Simmons, Texas edge rusher (pre-game)
Simmons’s pregame remark framed Texas’s stated objectives; postgame, teammates acknowledged the loss undercut those goals and said they would regroup to pursue remaining objectives in the season.
Unconfirmed
- Whether Georgia has formally secured a top-four CFP spot remains unconfirmed until the committee’s weekly rankings are released and remaining results play out.
- Any internal injury details or off-field roster developments reported elsewhere about either team’s players were not confirmed through official team releases at game time.
Bottom Line
Georgia’s 35-10 win in Athens is a resume-enhancing road victory that strengthens its path toward the SEC title game and the College Football Playoff conversation. The late onside-kick sequence and fourth-quarter scoring surge turned a competitive game into a decisive statement win for the Bulldogs, highlighting their balance across phases of play.
For Texas, the loss significantly diminishes CFP hopes and shifts the narrative toward rebuilding consistency and cleaning up situational execution — particularly third-down offense and turnover avoidance. Both teams face consequential remaining schedules; Georgia will be watched for sustained performance as it seeks conference supremacy, while Texas needs near-perfect finishes and favorable external outcomes to resurrect postseason ambitions.