NEW ORLEANS, Louisiana —
FINAL: TEXAS DEFEATS GEORGIA 28-21
In a game where no one outside of Texas gave the Longhorns a true shot of winning, the Big 12 runner up came out of the gate swinging.
Texas scored the first 17 points of the game before Georgia quarterback Jake Fromm marched down the field in 12 plays to score the Bulldogs' first points of the game. Before the half concluded, Texas tacked on another field goal to take a 20-7 halftime lead.
In the second half, Ehlinger struck again with a one-yard touchdown run to give TRexas a 28-7 lead. Fromm quickly answered, however, scoring in six plays to narrow the Texas lead to 28-14 with just over 10 minutes left.
Fromm narrowed the Texas lead to 28-21 with 14 seconds left. Texas recovered the onside kick and secured its first 10-win season since 2009.
4TH QUARTER
***TEXAS WINS 28-21***
TEXAS
Texas recovered the onside kick and knelt out the remaining 14 seconds. Texas wins 28-21.
GEORGIA (OWN 28)
Fromm completed a pass over the middle for a short gain. On the next play, Fromm scrambled for a short gain, but was hit late. The late hit was offset by a holding penalty, but a personal foul after the play tacked on extra yardage for the Bulldogs' offensive drive. On first and 10 from the Texas 34-yard line, Fromm threw a deep pass to the left, which was broken up by the Texas defense. On second down, Fromm threw another incomplete pass, but a holding penalty backed up the Bulldogs offense and second down needed to be repeated. Fromm completed a pass over the middle to Godwin for a first down. Fromm checked the ball down to Swift and got another first down. Fromm checked the ball down again and Georgia narrowed the Texas lead to 28-21 with 14 seconds left.
TEXAS (OWN 35)
Watson picked up five yards on first down and was stopped for no gain on second down. On third and five, Ehlinger completed a pass over the middle to Humphrey for six yards and a first down. Watson rushed the ball up the middle for a two-yard gain. Ingram picked up two more yards and Georgia used its last timeout to stop the clock with 4:20 remaining. Ehlinger completed another pass to Humphrey for another first down conversion to the Georgia 34-yard line. Ingram carried the ball up the middle for a gain of three yards. On third and eight, hit Johnson on a shallow cross. Texas ran the clock down to 1:15 left and called a timeout. Dicker missed the field goal with 1:10 left in the game.
GEORGIA (OWN 15)
On first down, Fromm was sacked for a loss. Fromm got hit hard on his second down pass, which fell incomplete. On third and 14, Fromm threw a deep pass down the left sideline and overthrew his receiver. Georgia punted the ball to the Texas 35-yard line.
TEXAS (OWN 25)
Ehlinger threw the ball to Beck, but the tight end dropped the pass. Watson carried the ball up the middle for a first down run. Ingram picked up three yards on an inside zone read. Ehlinger scrambled for another three yards. On third and four, Ehlinger was sacked inside the 40-yard line. Texas punted the ball to the Georgia 15-yard line.
GEORGIA (OWN 34)
Fromm completed a pass over the middle to the tight end for a big gain. Fromm checked the ball down on the next play to Swift for a gain of five yards. Swift caught another pass in the flat, made a defender miss and picked up a first down to the Texas 34-yard line. Fromm took a shot down the right sideline and the pass fell incomplete. Fromm found Holloman on a shallow cross and he picked up a big gain to the Texas three-yard line. On a quick snap, Fromm completed a touchdown pass to Mecole Hardman. Texas leads 28-14 with 10:25 remaining in the game.
TEXAS (CONT)
A false start backed up the Longhorns five yards. Ehlinger took a shot at the end zone, and the pass intended for Johnson fell incomplete. Ehlinger picked up a few yards on second down on a quarterback keeper. On third and 10, Ehlinger scrambled for 10 yards to pick up a first down to the Georgia one-yard line. On first and goal, Ehlinger took a quarterback power up the middle and he was tackled close to the goal line. The referees went to the booth to see determine if Ehlinger scored. After review, the referees determined Ehlinger was tackled short of the goal line. Ehlinger was stopped short on second and third down also. Texas went for it on fourth down and Ehlinger punched it in for a touchdown, but the play was reviewed. After review, the play call stood. Texas went for two and converted. Texas leads 28-7.
3RD QUARTER
***TEXAS LEADS 20-7***
TEXAS (OWN 30)
Ehlinger scrambled in the backfield and tackled for no gain. Watson bounced a carry around the right end for a first down run. Ehlinger took a deep shot down the right sideline for his 6-foot-6-inch receiver Collin Johnson and completed the pass for a big gain into Bulldogs territory. To avoid an offsides penalty, Georgia called a timeout with 18 seconds left in the third quarter. On third and four, Ehlinger ran around the right end for a gain of three yards. On fourth and one, Texas took a quick snap and Ehlinger rushed up the middle for a first down as the clock ran out in the third quarter. Texas leads 20-7.
GEORGIA (OWN 6)
Fromm threw a deep pass down the left sideline intended for Holloman, which fell incomplete. Swift rushed the ball up the middle for a gain of three yards. On third and seven, Fromm scrambled up the middle but was stopped short of the first down. Georgia punted the ball to the Texas 30-yard line.
TEXAS (OWN 6)
Ingram lost one yard on first down. Ehlinger took a quarterback blast up the middle for a gain of six yards. Ehlinger completed a slant route to Humphrey for a first down. Ehlinger threw a swing pass to the right to Ingram for a gain of six yards. Ingram took a quick handoff up the middle for another first down to the 31-yard line. Watson took a zone read handoff up the middle for a gain of six yards. Ehlinger threw a swing pass to the left to Watson for a gain of two yards. On third and two, Ehlinger called his own number on a quarterback power for a first down. Ehlinger tried a deep shot for Duvernay, but it fell incomplete. Ingram caught a swing pass on the right side for a gain of four yards to the Georgia 47-yard line. On third and six, Ehlinger threw up a jump ball for Duvernay and it was intercepted by the Bulldogs. The interception was then reviewed by the referee booth. After review, the interception ruling was reversed, but that set up fourth down for the Longhorns. Texas punted the ball to the Georgia six-yard line.
GEORGIA (OWN 15)
Holyfield ran up the middle and hurdled a Longhorns defender on a first down carry. Swift picked up another first down on the ground with an 11-yard carry up the middle. Fromm connected with Ridley on a quick out for six yards. Swift rushed the ball up the middle for a short gain and did not pick up the first down. On third and one, Fromm threw a quick out to Herrien for a first down just shy of midfield. Fromm looked deep over the middle for Godwin and he overshot the pass. Herrien gained five yards on a carry up the middle. On third and five from the Texas 47-yard line, Fromm sailed another pass over the receiver's head. Georgia punted the ball to the Texas six-yard line.
TEXAS (OWN 39)
Ehlinger started the first driving with a pass intended for Humphrey, which fell incomplete. Ehlinger connected with senior tight end Andrew Beck on a flat route for a gain of five yards. On third and five, Ehlinger scrambled for three yards to midfield. Texas punted the ball to the Georgia 15-yard line.
GEORGIA (OWN 41)
Kicking off from midfield, Texas attempted an onside kick to start the second half. Georgia recovered the ball at the 41-yard line. Holyfield started the half strong with an 11-yard run to cross midfield. On the next play, Holyfield was stopped for a loss of three yards. Herrien ran up the middle for two yards. On third and 11 from midfield, Fromm took a shot downfield and it was intercepted by P.J. Locke.
HALFTIME: TEXAS LEADS GEORGIA 20-7
2ND QUARTER
***TEXAS LEADS 20-7***
TEXAS (OWN 9)
Watson took a zone read up the middle and was stopped for a loss of one yard. As the clock ticked down under a minute, Watson took another carry up the middle and Georgia called a timeout with 13 seconds left in the half. On third and three, Watson lost three yards and Georgia used its final timeout with nine seconds left. Texas punted the ball to the Georgia 33-yard line and the punt ran out the rest of the clock. Texas leads 20-7 at half. Georgia was called for a personal foul, which will be enforced on the kickoff at the beginning of the third quarter.
GEORGIA (OWN 25)
Fromm took a shot down the left sideline intended for Jeremiah Holloman, which fell incomplete. Holyfield bounced a rush to the left for a gain of nine yards. On third and one, Holyfield picked up a first down. Swift fumbled the ball again, but Georgia recovered the fumble for a loss of three yards. Fromm connected with Ridley for a big gain after breaking a tackle in open space. Fromm took another shot down the right sideline with a fresh set of downs, but he over threw the receiver. Holyfield ran the ball up the middle on second down for a gain of four yards to the Texas 38-yard line. On third and six, Fromm connected with Ridley again to convert the first down to the Texas 31-yard line. On first down, Fromm threw a slant to the left which fell incomplete. Fromm sailed his pass on second down. On third and 10, Texas sacked Fromm to bump the Bulldogs out of field goal range. Georgia punted the ball to the Texas nine-yard line.
TEXAS (OWN 25)
Ehlinger completed a pass short to the left to Jerrod Heard for five yards. Watson picked up the first down with back-to-back carries on second and third down. Ehlinger dodged a sack and scrambled to the left for a big gain of 24 yards to cross midfield. Watson broke a tackle in the backfield and picked up another big gain to the Georgia 15-yard line. Ehlinger threw the ball away on a rollout to the left on first down. A speed option to the left was stopped for a loss of two yards to the Georgia 17-yard line. On third and 12, Ehlinger threw a screen pass to the left to Ingram, but did not pick up a first down. Dicker connected on a 30-yard attempt to give Texas a 20-7 lead.
GEORGIA (OWN 25)
Holyfield picked up four yards on first down. Fromm completed the second down pass for a short gain, but was stopped short of a first down. On third and one, Brian Herrien picked up the first down. Herrien took a carry up the middle, ran over a Longhorns defender, and gained __ yards. Fromm followed up the Herrien carry with an easy completion to the right, which moved the chains again. Fromm found a rhythm on this drive and connected with Holyfield on a check down pass for seven yards. Holyfield moved the chains again with a carry up the middle to the Texas 29-yard line. Fromm scrambled to his left for a gain of two. On third and 11, Fromm connected with Ridley for a first down to bring the Bulldogs offense inside the Texas 20-yard line for the first time in the game. Fromm got the Bulldogs on the board when he connected on a 17-yard touchdown pass to Herrien. Texas leads 17-7.
TEXAS (CON'T)
Ehlinger scored on a quarterback draw on third and seven. Texas leads 17-0.
1ST QUARTER
***TEXAS LEADS 10-0***
TEXAS (UGA 12)
Texas tried some trick-er-ation on first down, with Humphrey connecting on a pass to Ehlinger for a short gain. Ehlinger was sacked on second down and that ended the first quarter. Texas leads 10-0 after one.
GEORGIA (OWN 10)
Fromm attempted a pass to Riley Ridley, but the wide receiver dropped the easy pass. On second down, D'Andre Swift fumbled on a carry up the middle and the Longhorns recovered the fumble at the Georgia 12-yard line.
TEXAS (MIDFIELD)
Ehlinger found Duvernay on first down for a gain of eight yards and then connected with Humphrey on second down for a first down. A speed option pitch to Ingram picked up four yards to the Georgia 32-yard line. A false start backed up the Longhorns offense to the Georgia 37-yard line. Ehlinger fumbled on the handoff exchange with Ingram, but recovered it shortly after. On third and 12, Ehlinger looked Collin Johnson's way and Johnson dropped a high pass. Texas intentionally took a delay of game to give the punter a little more room to work with and try to pin the Bulldogs offense in. Texas punted the ball to the Georgia 10-yard line.
GEORGIA (OWN 35)
Holyfield carried up the middle for a gain of five yards. Holyfield got the ball again on second down and picked up two yards. On third and three, Fromm threw a swing pass to the right, which was stopped for a loss of three yards. Georgia punted the ball to midfield.
TEXAS (UGA 27)
The referees marked the punter's knee down before he kicked the ball, so the ball was spotted at the Georgia 27-yard line instead of at the Texas six. The Longhorns gained over 60 yards of field position because of the call. Ehlinger threw his first pass incomplete and Watson gained three yards on a run up the middle. Ehlinger scrambled up the middle on third down, but was stopped short. Cameron Dicker converted the field goal and gave Texas an early 10-0 lead. The field goal set a UT all-time record for field goals made by a freshman in a season with 17.
GEORGIA (OWN 25)
The Texas defense started the drive with a tackle for loss. Jake Fromm connected with Elijah Holyfield for a short yard gain. On third and six, Fromm found Terry Godwin for a first down to move the chains. Fromm completed a short pass to the right on first down and scrambled up the middle for a short gain of three yards on second down. On third and nine, Fromm was flushed out to his right and he had to throw the ball away. Georgia punted the ball away to the Texas six-yard line.
TEXAS (OWN 20)
Sam Ehlinger started the game with a seven-yard swing pass to Tre Watson. Ehlinger moved the chains after finding Lil' Jordan Humphrey for a big gain. Watson gained two yards on a sweep to the left and the Longhorns crossed the 50. Ehlinger hit Watson for four yards to the Bulldog 43-yard line. On third and four, Keaontay Ingram caught a swing pass for a first down to the Georgia 27-yard line. Ingram took a carry up the middle to bring Texas just outside the 10-yard line. On third and seven, Ehlinger hit Humphrey on a slant to the two-yard line for a first down. Ehlinger capped off the opening drive with a two-yard touchdown run. Texas leads 7-0.
PREGAME
It's game day, folks. Texas and Georgia will square off in the Allstate Sugar Bowl in "The Big Easy" at 7:45 p.m. on ESPN.
Each team has had its own unique path to New Orleans.
Texas began its season with an odd upset loss to Maryland, then strung together a handful of wins against ranked opponents -- including the 48-45 thriller against rival Oklahoma in the Red River Rivalry -- but ultimately lost its chance at the college football playoff with back-to-back losses to Oklahoma State and West Virginia. Texas dropped its third loss of the season in the Big 12 Championship against Oklahoma, who nearly edged out the Georgia Bulldogs in the final college football playoff rankings.
Georgia enters this bowl game with the disappointment of being the "first team out" of the playoff at the No. 5 spot in the rankings. The Bulldogs fell from No. 4 to No. 5 after they suffered a loss 35-28 loss to No. 1 ranked Alabama, who may end up being the national champions if the Tide roll on Clemson Jan. 7.
Regardless of how each team got to this point, this game shows promise for some New Years fireworks. Both teams just lost in their respective conference title games and will have chips on their shoulders. Both teams average over 30 points per game and possess big play potential. Two prolific offenses will take the field and who wins may be a testament to which defense steps up to make a key play.
Texas will sport the all white uniforms for the Sugar Bowl.
ESPN gives Texas a 22.4 percent chance to defeat the Georgia Bulldogs, according to its football power index.
In the hour before the game, Bevo charged at the Georgia Bulldogs mascot.