SEC Chaos was alive and well in Week 12. Yet, through the madness, Georgia remained calm. Giving proof through the night that the Dawgs were still there and not going anywhere. Before we look at Georgia’s 35-10 win over Texas, let’s take a look at the SEC chaos that characterized the SEC on Saturday.
SEC Chaos
Around The League
The SEC chaos was scattered across the SEC viewing windows. Greg Sankey said earlier this week that as many as eight SEC teams should be in the Playoff. The SEC Chaos made it seem like it might have been more of a directive than a hallucination from the SEC Commissioner. Here is a quick recap of the chaos:
- Gamecocks embarrassed by the 12th Man: South Carolina went into halftime up 30-3 on Texas A&M. SEC teams were 0-286 since 2004 when facing a deficit of 27 or more. Saturday could have served as a beacon of hope in a disappointing season for Carolina. Not quite! The Aggies would score the game’s next 28 points to upset Carolina and possibly send Shane Beamer packing.
- Alabama Soonered: Kalen DeBoer and Alabama have a Sooner problem. For the second straight year, the Tide were unable to knock off the Sooners. While this loss may not be fatal, needing a win at Jordan-Hare in the Iron Bowl to get into the Playoff could be…
- Lane Doesn’t Take the Gator Bait: Ole Miss had two bad losses in 2024. A last-minute loss to Kentucky and an embarrassing loss in the Swamp. Add to the intrigue that Kiffin is the favorite to land the vacancy in Gainesville at the end of the season. No wonder the game in Oxford was so chaotic. Ole Miss found themselves down 24-20 at halftime. Lane was fired up, but this time his rebels did not falter. The Rebels held Florida scoreless and found just enough to secure a virtual lock in the Playoffs.
YouTubeTV and ESPN made the right call, and their deal worked out. We are sure the numbers will be big and crooked when they come out this week. Now, about those Dawgs.
Georgia Stands Tall Amid the SEC Chaos
Throughout all of the Chaos, Georgia didn’t flinch. Linebacker CJ Allen went out with a lower-body injury. Georgia didn’t flinch. They were as calm and cool as their quarterback, Gunner Stockton. Georgia continued to do just enough to build an early lead and then took their game to another level in the fourth quarter to deliver the knockout punch to Arch Manning and the Longhorns. Here are three keys that helped tell the tale of Georgia’s win.
- QB1: Stockton is a difference-maker. He may not get the love or press he deserves, but Gunner is one cool customer. Stocton finished the night 24 of 29 with four touchdowns through the air and one running. He did throw his third interception of the year, leading to Texas’s only touchdown on the night. Stockton has shown the ability to rise to the occasion in big games, something his predecessor could not do.
- Onside Kick: Georgia and Kirby Smart went for the kill in the 4th quarter. Smart said as much after the game. “You got to be aggressive to win.” Georgia did that early in the fourth quarter. On their second play of the fourth quarter, Stockton hit Landon Humphreys for a 30-yard touchdown to put Georgia back up 11 points. Rather than kick it deep, Cash Jones recovered an onside kick to shock fans and Texas. Nine plays later, Stockton again found Lawson Luckie in the end zone to extend the Dawgs’ lead.
- Another Strong Defensive Performance: Georgia’s defense is starting to answer the questions that many, including this author, have had about its play. Georgia limited Texas to ten points and under 300 yards in the game. Arch Manning struggled to find any momentum in the game.
Georgia will play Charlotte next week before heading to Atlanta for some “Clean Old-Fashioned Hate.”
Who wants to go to Atlanta?
That is the question in the Southeastern Conference. All of the SEC Chaos will make for some fantastic Week 14 viewing. We will not know who will be going to Atlanta until the games are over. What about a spot in the CFB Playoffs? After sending only three teams in 2024, the SEC has a chance to send as many as six. Here are some of the key games that will help determine who plays in Atlanta and in more meaningful games in December.
- Ole Miss is playing in Starkville in the Egg Bowl.
- Alabama is playing in the Iron Bowl at Jordan-Hare Stadium.
- Pavia and Vandy are heading to Knoxville.
- The Longhorns are making a case for a three-loss team as they host the Aggies.
- Oklahoma has to outscore a bad LSU offense.
Main Photo: Brett Davis-Imagn Images
