Georgia Reasserts Its Dominance in Texas Showdown: Bulldogs Prove the SEC Still Belongs to Them

AUSTIN, Texas — Georgia's Trevor Etienne, covered in dirt and grass stains, stood surrounded by cameras after No. 5 Georgia's 30-15 win over No. 1 Texas. His words were calm and collected, but the message on his eye black spoke volumes: "Why not us?"

20 October 2024 - 19:39

Etienne, a transfer from Florida, may be new to the Bulldogs program, but he's already embraced the relentless motivation instilled by head coach Kirby Smart, a mindset that has propelled Georgia to powerhouse status over the past decade. For the first time since September 2021, Georgia entered a game as the underdog—and they were fully aware of it. The media had heavily favored the Longhorns, with many pregame shows doubting Georgia’s ability to pull off a win.

"We felt disrespected," said Etienne. "We came into this game with something to prove."

Georgia (6-1) responded with a performance reminiscent of their championship runs in 2021 and 2022, after some shaky starts against Kentucky, Alabama, and Mississippi State in earlier conference matchups. The Bulldogs' dominance along the line of scrimmage, a key feature of their top-ranked recruiting classes, was finally on full display. While their defense had struggled early in the season—ranking 44th in rushing yards allowed and 83rd in sacks—things clicked into place in Austin.

Texas had allowed just six sacks in its first six games, but Georgia exploded for seven sacks on Saturday night. The Bulldogs consistently attacked Texas' standout offensive linemen, Kelvin Banks and Cameron Williams, completely neutralizing the Longhorns’ rushing game, limiting them to just 1.1 yards per carry.

Texas swaggered into the game riding high on its rise as an SEC contender, but Georgia reminded them that success in the SEC starts—and often ends—in the trenches.

"They never got their run game going," said Smart. "In this league, if you can't run the ball, you're one-dimensional, and that's where we got them."

Smart downplayed using the media's doubts as motivation for his team. Instead, he emphasized preaching "intention" to his players. “We told them to attack and be aggressive,” Smart explained, a strategy that was evident in his decision to go for it on fourth down late in the game, despite being up by 15 points. Although Etienne failed to gain the yard needed, Smart saw it as a learning opportunity: “When we need a yard, we have to get that yard.”

The most concerning takeaway for the rest of college football? Georgia’s victory was far from perfect. Quarterback Carson Beck, a preseason NFL Draft favorite, threw three interceptions. Receivers dropped several passes, and the defense missed multiple interception opportunities. Smart even referred to their mishandling of these chances as “comical.” The Bulldogs plan to focus on correcting these errors in practice.

Despite these issues, Georgia still managed to score more points against Texas than Michigan, Mississippi State, and Oklahoma combined. Even in a season where no team looks invincible, the Bulldogs showed flashes of their dominant selves, proving that they remain one of the most dangerous teams in college football.

Texas entered the game with one of the fastest offenses in the country, having racked up explosive plays of 20-plus yards all season. Yet Georgia limited them to just four such plays, three of which came after the Bulldogs had built a commanding 23-0 lead.

Although Georgia remains a work in progress, this win demonstrated the Bulldogs are a force to be reckoned with. Every team in the SEC has suffered at least one loss, but Georgia's display of power reminded everyone why they’ve long been the team to beat in the conference. As Kirby Smart cautioned after the game, "Humility is only two weeks away," with a bye week looming, but the Bulldogs are looking as scary as ever.

Etienne, when asked about his eye black’s message, simply smiled and said, "We try not to pay attention to the outside noise. But we do hear it."Georgia's Bite Still Sharp: Bulldogs Silence Doubters in Texas ShowdownGeorgia reclaimed its dominance with a 30-15 win over top-ranked Texas, proving that the SEC—and perhaps college football—still belongs to the Bulldogs. Behind Trevor Etienne's strong performance and Kirby Smart's aggressive coaching, Georgia reminded everyone they are far from finished.