David HaleNov 28, 2025, 08:29 PM ETCloseCollege football reporter.Joined ESPN in 2012.Graduate of the University of Delaware.Follow on X
Zachariah Branch hauls in game’s first TD for Georgia (0:24)Gunner Stockton connects with Zachariah Branch who darts into the end zone for a 7-yard TD vs. Georgia Tech. (0:24)
A year ago, Ohio State did not qualify for its conference championship game, but the Buckeyes got hot and won a national title.
Meanwhile, the four conference champions who all earned first-round byes last season struggled mightily in their first playoff games, with all four top seeds losing.
But Smart wasn’t sold on that logic for this season’s playoff after Georgia’s 16-9 win over Georgia Tech on Friday.
Georgia left Mercedes-Benz Stadium on Friday knowing its regular-season loss to Alabama meant it needed help to earn an SEC title game berth. The Bulldogs needed either an Alabama loss to Auburn on Saturday or a Texas A&M loss to Texas on Friday night.
The Bulldogs didn’t have to wait long to get their answer, as the Longhorns upset the Aggies 27-17 later Friday night.
It means the fourth-ranked Bulldogs will return to Atlanta in eight days to defend their SEC title. Alabama can clinch the other spot should it win at Auburn, while a Crimson Tide loss means Ole Miss will face Georgia.
Given Ohio State’s success without playing in last season’s Big Ten title game, the thought of taking next week off could have been a preferential option for some coaches, who would prefer to see their team get healthy and avoid added injury risk from an extra game.
At least some of Georgia’s offensive struggles Friday were a result of injuries. Center Drew Bobo left the game early, and his absence seemed to limit the Bulldogs’ passing attack. Smart didn’t put the blame on Bobo’s departure but did note that quarterback Gunner Stockton needed to respond better.
Stockton finished 11-of-21 passing for only 70 yards — the lowest passing output for a Georgia team since 2019. Stockton’s early interception set up a Georgia Tech field goal attempt, and his downfield shots were all off the mark.
“It wasn’t great,” Smart said of the passing game. “There was some drop eight in there, there was some pressure he took on, some batted balls. He’s got to do what he’s coached to do. That’s the toughest thing. … There were a couple plays that were out there we didn’t make. He’ll watch the tape and grow from it and get better, and so will the rest of the team.”
Georgia’s players weren’t exactly lobbying for anything either, and when it came to possibility of playing in the SEC title game, the feeling was a bit more muted.
The question of whether Georgia players would prefer some time off elicited a pregnant pause from the four starters at the dais after Friday’s win before Stockton finally spoke up.
Zachariah Branch hauls in game’s first TD for Georgia (0:24)Gunner Stockton connects with Zachariah Branch who darts into the end zone for a 7-yard TD vs. Georgia Tech. (0:24)
Gunner Stockton connects with Zachariah Branch who darts into the end zone for a 7-yard TD vs. Georgia Tech. (0:24)
CloseCollege football reporter.Joined ESPN in 2012.Graduate of the University of Delaware.Follow on X
“We’ll just be ready to play,” he said, “whenever we’re [scheduled].”
It turns out that will be back in Atlanta next Saturday for the SEC title game.