The Georgia Bulldogs and Texas Longhorns squared off for the right to be called SEC Champion on December 7. The two teams were also fighting for the right to secure a bye week in the College Football Playoffs. So the stakes were higher than ever.
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Georgia QB Gunner Stockton Suffers Brutal Hit
Georgia quarterback Carson Beck suffered an injury in the first half that sidelined him for the rest of the game. He was replaced by backup quarterback Gunner Stockton.
Stockton balled out, leading the Bulldogs to the win. In the fourth quarter, he sealed the win for Georgia with a crucial conversion for a first down but took a brutal hit that sent his helmet flying across the field in the process.
GUNNER STOCKTON GETS ABSOLUTELY BLASTED! BUT HE PICKS UP THE FIRST DOWN! pic.twitter.com/nfdfLkBqVQ
— Mr Matthew CFB (@MrMatthew_CFB) December 8, 2024
Luckily Stockton was okay after the play.
Kirby Smart Gives Credit to Longhorns
For years Texas had found success in the Big 12 conference. So you can imagine it was a head-scratcher when they decided to leave and join a loaded SEC conference that features some of the biggest heavyweights in the college football.
But in just year one, the Longhorns find themselves competing for the conference title. Ahead of their matchup against Texas, Georgia head coach Kirby Smart gave credit to the Longhorns for earning the opportunity that they have ahead of them.
"Yeah, they earned it. I mean, they played an SEC schedule. They won the most games of any SEC team this year," Smart said.
"They have a tremendous program. They're built that way. They're built to do that. They've got a tremendous amount of talent and they've done a great job building to that, recruiting to that, really, that fan base or that team and they've done a great job of that."
Smart also noted that the SEC game is a "significant marker," for how the College Football Playoff shakes out.
"Well, I certainly think so because I'm a SEC enthusiast that believes in an SEC title as a significant marker to your season and the kind of season you had. It also gets you a bye, and it gets you an opportunity to rest and recover while others play formidable opponents and tough opponents and removes you from that. So you're playing for an opportunity to rest, possibly," he added.
