AUSTIN, Texas — Georgia has firmly established itself as the elite team in the Southeastern Conference, showcasing its prowess with a commanding win over Texas. Coach Kirby Smart celebrated his 100th career victory with the Bulldogs, highlighting their dominant defensive display during the clash against the Longhorns. Georgia began the season as the No. 1 team in the Associated Press college football poll, and their strong performance in the 30-15 victory serves as a reminder of their elite status.
Smart emphasized the importance of their previous experiences in tough environments, stating, “We were able to win this game because of what we had done before this. You don’t flinch when you’ve been in these battles.” Unfortunately for Texas, this lesson came at a painful cost during one of the most anticipated home games in the school’s history.
Following their decisive victory, Georgia improved three spots in the latest AP poll, landing at No. 2. They are now the highest-ranked of the nine SEC teams. In contrast, Texas dropped four spots to No. 5. Other SEC teams in the top 10 include No. 7 Tennessee and No. 8 LSU. The Southeastern Conference remains dominant, boasting more ranked teams than any other conference, even without any undefeated teams present.
The Bulldogs head into a bye week riding a three-game winning streak after their only loss of the season, a tight 41-34 battle against Alabama on September 28. Despite initially trailing 28-0, they fought back but lost their first regular-season game since 2020. Conversely, Texas had an explosive start to the season, averaging over 495 total yards and 43 points per game during their early matches. However, against Georgia, the Longhorns found themselves down 23-0 by halftime and managed only 38 total yards in the first half, ultimately finishing with 259 yards and four turnovers, including two turnovers from quarterbacks Quinn Ewers and Arch Manning.
Longhorns senior center Jake Majors reflected on the strength of Georgia’s defense, remarking, “They know how to scheme some stuff up. We just need to watch this film and swallow the pill of wanting those plays back.”
Looking ahead, Georgia will face three consecutive SEC opponents to kick off November, beginning with Florida followed by a matchup at No. 18 Ole Miss and a home game against No. 7 Tennessee. They will close out the regular season with home encounters against UMass and Georgia Tech.
Meanwhile, Texas is preparing to take on No. 25 Vanderbilt, which will be hosting its first SEC home game since pulling off a major upset against Alabama. Despite the setback against Georgia, the Longhorns remain in contention for a spot in the new 12-team playoff structure and still have aspirations for an SEC championship game appearance.
Texas coach Steve Sarkisian expressed a positive outlook despite the loss, stating, “Losing a game like this doesn’t kill you. Everything we want is still in front of us.” He emphasized the need for his team to regroup and prepare for a challenged Vanderbilt squad eager for victory. Sarkisian aims for the team to regain momentum and effectively navigate the second half of the season, focusing on their ultimate goals.