On Saturday, the Texas Longhorns looked for revenge against Georgia following their loss at home earlier in the season. Except, this time, the stakes were higher. The two SEC powerhouse programs were meeting in the SEC Championship Game. Despite of stellar play from the Texas defense, and an explosive first half from the Texas offense, the Longhorns suffered a 22-19 loss to Georgia thanks to a barrage of penalties and undisciplined play.
The first half was a tale of two tales. Despite dominating the time of possession and yardage battles, the Longhorns entered the half up 6-3. So, what happened for the Longhorns? Penalties, dropped passes, and missed opportunities. Early in the game, Texas was marching down the field when Isaiah Bond was unable to catch a Quinn Ewers pass, resulting in an interception. On other drives, penalties pushed the team in the wrong direction at critical moments. Overall, the Longhorns were not able to capitalize on golden opportunities.
In the SEC Championship Game, Quinn Ewers looked dialed in – passing for 358 yards and a touchdown. And, while Ewers threw two interceptions (one of which on the Bond drop), the Texas quarterback looked in command and gave his team every chance of winning the game. As previously mentioned, penalties and drops (the Longhorns had six) seriously injured Texas’ chances of achieving revenge.
Meanwhile, the Texas running game cannot seem to figure out the Georgia defense. Against the Bulldogs, the Longhorns totaled 31 rushing yards. For comparison, last weekend against Texas A&M, the Longhorns rushed for 240 yards. It looked as though the offensive line was getting beat at the point of attack repeatedly, and many of Texas’ run plays were slow-developing. If Texas wants to go far in the College Football Playoff, the running game will have to be more consistent against tough teams.
Similar to all of this season, the Texas defense came to play on Saturday. Allowing only 277 yards of total offense, the team did what they needed to do to keep things close. Unfortunately for Pete Kwiatkowski’s defense, Georgia running back Trevor Etienne found his groove in the second half, ultimately scoring two touchdowns on the night.
However, a 41-yard touchdown pass from Quinn Ewers to DeAndre Moore tied up the game late. Afterwards, a Jahdae Barron interception kept Texas’ hopes alive, forcing overtime. That would be as close as Texas would get to winning, as an Etienne touchdown rush punched Georgia’s ticket as SEC Champions in overtime.
With the 22-19 loss, the Longhorns have now lost to Georgia twice this season. While the Longhorns may not face Georgia again this season, their losses to the Bulldogs prove that there is room for growth. In the College Football Playoff, only the best teams remain. If Texas wants to live up to their potential, the special teams and offense need to be more consistent.
On December 21st, the Longhorns will host Clemson in the College Football Playoff. Kickoff is currently scheduled for 3 P.M. (CT). Lastly, the game will be televised on TNT. If Texas advances, they will play Arizona State in a round two matchup.
