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The Texas Longhorns’ bid for a College Football Playoff spot took a sharp hit in Athens, where the Georgia Bulldogs pulled away late and closed the game 35–10. A dominant fourth quarter, special teams miscues and costly penalties turned a tight contest into a decisive loss for Texas.
Ground attack shut down: just 23 rushing yards
Georgia’s defensive front neutralized Texas’ run game all night.
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- Texas finished with 23 rushing yards on 17 carries, an average of 1.4 yards per attempt.
- That output marks season lows for the Longhorns in key ground-game categories.
- Across the last two seasons against Georgia, Texas has managed only 83 total rushing yards in three meetings.
Largest loss under Sarkisian: a 25-point defeat
The scoreboard reflected a swing that defined the evening for Texas.
- The final margin was a staggering 25 points, the biggest loss of the Sarkisian era.
- Texas was outscored 21–0 in the fourth quarter for the second straight week.
- An onside-kick recovery failure early in the fourth helped Atlanta pull away without Texas’ offense returning to the field.
Penalty woes persist: nine flags in Athens
Discipline and rankings
Penalties became a recurring theme and an uphill drag on Texas’ chances.
- Texas was flagged nine times, while Georgia had just one penalty.
- That brought Texas’ season total to 82 penalties.
- At 8.2 penalties per game, Texas now ranks second-worst in the FBS and worst among Power 4 teams.
What’s next on the schedule for Texas
No. 17 Texas (7–3, 4–2 SEC) returns home to seek a rebound.
- Opponent: Arkansas (2–8, 0–6 SEC).
- Kickoff: Saturday at 3:30 PM ET (2:30 PM CT).
- Expect emphasis on cleaning up special teams and penalties before kickoff.
SEC headlines to watch
- Kirby Smart outmaneuvers Texas, with Gunner Stockton playing a pivotal role in Georgia’s SEC push.
- Oklahoma shakes up conference and playoff races with a 23–21 upset of No. 4 Alabama.
- Texas A&M heats up at the right moment as they chase late-season momentum.
- Paul Finebaum drops hints about Lane Kiffin’s potential next steps in coaching chatter.
