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College football fans, media react to Georgia’s dominant first half vs. Texas
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Georgia has a commanding lead over Texas at halftime of what was a highly-anticipated showdown in Austin.
Georgia is up 23-0 at the break — a significant surprise considering Texas closed as a 4-point favorite over the Bulldogs at most sportsbooks.
Georgia quarterback Carson Beck had a rough start to the game and threw 2 interceptions in the first half. But UGA’s defense bailed him out each time he made a mistake — and forced Texas quarterback Quinn Ewers into a couple turnovers as well.
Ewers threw an interception and lost a fumble in the first half. Those giveaways led directly to 14 points from Georgia.
Ewers was Texas’s quarterback for the first 6 drives of the game. The Longhorns gained 26 yards on their opening drive of the game before having to punt. On UT’s next 5 drives, it lost a combined 11 yards. Texas averaged 0.7 yards per play over those first 6 series.
Arch Manning entered the game for Ewers on the seventh series with just under 5 minutes remaining in the half. Texas gained 13 yards on Manning’s first series, but ultimately was forced to punt it away. Manning got one more opportunity before the end of the first half, but that series ended with a lost fumble. Texas ended the first half with 38 total yards of offense on 34 plays.
Georgia’s offense wasn’t exactly stellar, either. UGA averaged just 4.4 yards per play before the break. However, the Bulldogs were able to take advantage of UT’s numerous mistakes in the first half.
Texas is the last remaining undefeated SEC team. A loss would significantly complicate the SEC standings as Texas, Georgia, Tennessee, Texas A&M and Missouri would all have a chance to enter Week 9 with exactly 1 conference loss. The winner of Saturday’s LSU-Arkansas game will also go into next week with just 1 SEC defeat.
Here’s some of the reaction to what has unfolded over the first 30 minutes in Austin:
Unless Quinn Ewers is injured you ride or die with your guy. What the hell is Arch Manning gonna do against Georgia down 20? That’s not a great spot to put the young Manning in AT ALL. https://t.co/aCf1b4nroU
— Robert Griffin III (@RGIII) October 20, 2024
Georgia’s defense has a speed and power that Texas wasn’t ready for.
— Matt Miller (@nfldraftscout) October 20, 2024
Buddy, putting Arch Manning in against a pissed off Georgia defense that has a 20 point cushion is a decision.
— Peter Burns (@PeterBurnsESPN) October 20, 2024
Three straight games where the Texas offense has done absolutely nothing in the 1st quarter.
— CJ Vogel (@CJVogel_OTF) October 20, 2024
Man, Georgia is absolutely bullying Texas' offense tonight.
23 plays, 15 yards.
— Max Olson (@max_olson) October 20, 2024
Georgia's defense heard the talk
— Mike Golic Jr (@mikegolicjr) October 20, 2024
Texas offense is embarrassing. Two games in a row of absolute ass.
— Quinn Ewers’ Heisman Trophy (@Wandering_USA) October 20, 2024
Hard to blame the defense when the only scores are from the offense giving Georgia the damn ball in the redzone
— Nash (@NashTalksTexas) October 20, 2024
Kirby and Schumann have the Texas offense in the depths of hell
— Anand Nanduri (@NanduriNFL) October 20, 2024
Steve Sarkisian was asked during the week by @ThomasJonesAAS what would it take to make an in-game QB switch and he defiantly shut down the question.
Well, we’ve met the criteria.
— Eric Henry (@EricCHenry_) October 20, 2024
Spenser is a news editor for Saturday Down South and covers college football across all Saturday Football brands.
