The Georgia Bulldogs played a pretty impressive regular season in the 2024 campaign, using a hard-hitting defense and their multiple offensive weapons to fuel them to a 11-2 overall record. The CFP selection committee thought highly of the 2024 SEC Champions and penciled them in with a No. 2 seed in the upcoming 12-team College Football Playoff.
And since they earned one of the top four overall seeds, the Bulldogs will get a bye during the first week, earning a week of extra rest, before facing off against their first opponent in the CFP Quarterfinals. On Sunday, Georgia players discussed the extra week of rest in the CFP.
Gunner Stockton, a little-known backup who had barely played for Georgia, came off the bench after an injury to Carson Beck and led the No. 5 Bulldogs to an improbable 22-19 overtime victory over No. 2 Texas in the Southeastern Conference championship game Saturday.
The Bulldogs (11-2) won their third SEC title under coach Kirby Smart, but the trophy comes with an even bigger prize — a first-round bye in the new 12-team College Football Playoff. Georgia came into the game ranked fifth by the CFP, but now it is assured of playing in the Sugar Bowl quarterfinal game on New Year’s Day in pursuit of its third national title in four seasons.
Texas (11-2, No. 2 CFP) was denied an SEC title capper in its first season in the league and will be forced to host a first-round game on 20 or 21. Both of its losses have been to the Bulldogs,when the powerhouse programs met in Austin during the regular season.
But the big question for Georgia amid the celebration was the health of Beck, the two-year starter who went down on the final play of the first half with an injured throwing arm.
Stockton, a third-year sophomore, had played only six games in his college career — all of them mere mop-ups of blowout wins. He guided the Bulldogs to a touchdown and two field goals before taking a hard hit on a run in overtime that sent his helmet flying.
Leave a Reply