ATHENS, Ga. — The Texas Longhorns never got going.
And Georgia opened up a can.
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Who knew that Texas would score on its first drive Saturday, but then stall out for the rest of the game? Maybe Georgia did.
Saturday’s 35-10 loss came in a sea of red that drew football crimson in the SEC rankings because Texas’ College Football Playoff livelihood took a savage hit. At 7-3, the Horns are a wounded bunch that’s one more punch to the temple from official second-class citizen status in the biggest big-boy league in college football. And at 4-2 in league, their chances to making to the SEC championship game are slim and none.
It’s not that Georgia beat Texas, but how the Bulldogs did it.
This is not a great Georgia team compared to recent Kirby Smart productions, but there’s something about playing Texas that brings out the world beater in this team. Worse yet, the head coach had no answers late. Steve Sarkisian fell to 0-3 against Smart and this one was easily the most embarrassing.
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Texas Longhorns running back Quintrevion Wisner (5) runs the ball during the game against Georgia at Sanford Stadium on Saturday, Nov. 15, 2025 in Athens, Georgia.
Aaron E. Martinez/Austin American-Statesman
Texas’ frustrations were summed up one humbling stretch of the early fourth quarter. After quarterback Gunner Stockton hit London Humphreys with a 30-yard touchdown for a 21-10 lead after converting two fourth downs, Smart plunged the knife into Sarkisian’s back with a surprise onside kick. The message was clear: “This is my house and my conference, and the SEC runs through Athens.”
Of course, Stockton threw a TD pass, his fourth, a few plays later and the message was sent.
The Bulldogs didn’t beat the Horns. They punked them.
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Once again, Texas couldn’t run it. The Horns rushed seven times for 33 yards on the opening drive and somehow managed to total minus-10 yards on their final carries carries. Through three losses to the Bulldogs, Texas has totaled only 83 rushing yards on 62 carries. That won’t cut it in an adult beer-league flag football league, let alone in the SEC against a team that’s won two national championships over the last four seasons.
The Longhorns are not a good bet to play in the CFP, but aren’t dead mathematically. They must beat Arkansas and Texas A&M and get help from elsewhere. But it feels like this season is over from a postseason perspective.
“We’ve got a two-week season in front of us,” Sarkisian said. “Let’s go play.”
Championship teams close out games and the Horns haven’t been that squad after getting outscored 42-0 in the fourth quarter of the last two games.
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“It was a really good game until the start of the fourth quarter,” said Sarkisian referring to Texas being down only 14-10 through three quarters.
Their rivals won but the Longhorns came out flat
On a day when the Oklahoma Sooners shocked Alabama to remain in contention and Texas A&M overcame a 30-3 deficit to pull off the biggest comeback win in that program’s history, the Horns have been pushed to the brink.
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“It’s very humbling, but we have to keep fighting at the end of the day,” UT edge rusher Colin Simmons said. “I have the utmost confidence in our team. I think we can take over.”
This came after they got taken out back to the woodshed after being in a four-point game entering the money quarter. There was a feeling on the visitor’s side that they had finally figured some things out after Manning’s touchdown pass to Ryan Wingo with 5:27 left in the third quarter.
Texas Longhorns head coach Steve Sarkisian walks the sideline during the game against Georgia at Sanford Stadium on Saturday, Nov. 15, 2025 in Athens, Georgia.
Aaron E. Martinez/Austin American-Statesman
Manning didn’t have a lot of help from his pass catchers early. He completed 11 of his first 16 passes, but four of the incompletions were drops that came in the first 13 minutes, including a third down throw to Wingo that would have kept the initial driving going. The Horns settled for a field goal, something they could ill afford in a high-stakes game in the conference’s most hostile environment.
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“We have to play well in all three phases to beat a team like that,” Manning said. “I’m frustrated we didn’t play better.”
With two games left, is it realistic to believe the Horns are a CFP contender with with three losses? It doesn’t feel realistic though SEC Commissioner Greg Sankey believes the league can land five of the 12 spots. I don’t see one of them being the guys from Austin.
Not when they play like this.
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Former NFL quarterback Peyton Manning walks the sideline ahead of the Texas Longhorns game against Georgia at Sanford Stadium on Saturday, Nov. 15, 2025 in Athens, Georgia.
Aaron E. Martinez/Austin American-Statesman