Awkward moment cameras catch SEC commissioner’s reaction to brutal dig from Georgia coach Kirby Smart

Georgia football coach Kirby Smart used Saturday’s SEC championship victory as an opportunity to evaluate conference commissioner Greg Sankey’s schedule for the 2024 season.

The Bulldogs had four brutal road games in conference play before defeating second-ranked Texas for the SEC Crown in Atlanta. The schedule included stops in Tuscaloosa, where Georgia fell to Alabama, as well as a trip to Austin that resulted in a 30-15 upset of the Longhorns on October 20.

When asked what Saturday’s win means considering the 11-2 Bulldogs will likely get a first-round bye in the expanded 12-team College Football Playoff (CFP), Smart took direct aim at Sankey.

“It means rest for a team that Greg Sankey and his staff have been putting out there all year,” Smart exclaimed as the cameras quickly panned to a stoic Sankey standing among a group of cheerful Georgia players.

“This team needs some rest,” Smart added as Sankey continued to stare straight ahead.

Georgia posted an eight-overtime victory over rival Georgia Tech, prompting a fan to launch his own attack on Smart.

“One option was not to play eight OTs against a mediocre ACC team,” the fan wrote on X.

The Bulldogs struggled to get anything going against Texas, and there was little reason to be hopeful of a turnaround with their quarterback crumpled on the grass. Enter a guy who had barely played during his college career.

Little-used backup Gunner Stockton came off the bench in the second half after an injury to Carson Beck and led No. 5 Georgia to an improbable 22-19 overtime victory over the No. 2 Longhorns in the Southeastern Conference championship game Saturday .

The Bulldogs won their third SEC title under coach Kirby Smart, but the trophy comes with an even bigger prize: a first-round bye in the new 12-team College Football Playoff. Georgia came into the game ranked fifth in the CFP, but is now assured of advancing to the Sugar Bowl quarterfinals on New Year’s Day in search of its third league title in four seasons.

“This team never says no,” said a jubilant Smart amid the falling confetti at the Mercedes-Benz Stadium.

Texas (11-2, No. 2 CFP) was denied an SEC title capper for its first season in the league and will host a first-round game on Dec. 20 or 21. Both losses have been to the Bulldogs. who prevailed 30-15 when the powerhouses met in Austin during the regular season.

“This stings,” Texas coach Steve Sarkisian said. “But in a few weeks, we’ll get a chance to regroup and compete in the College Football Playoff and compete for a national championship. I think we’re good enough to win it.’

The big question for Georgia during the celebration was the health of Beck, the two-year starter who went down with an injured throwing arm on the final play of the first half. Smart would only call it an “upper extremity injury” and said an MRI would determine the extent of the damage.

Stockton, a third-year sophomore, had played just six games in his college career — all just a sweep of big wins. He led the Bulldogs to a touchdown and two field goals before taking a hard hit during an overtime run that sent his helmet flying.

“This kid is a winner,” Smart said. “This boy is special.”

Beck, barely able to lift his arm, came back into the game for first-and-goal at the 4. All he had to do – and could do – was hand off to Trevor Etienne, who drove into the end zone to to end the match. first overtime game in the 33-year history of the SEC Championship.

Georgia went beyond regulation and won for the second week in a row after an eight-overtime victory, 44-42 over Georgia Tech in the regular season finale.

This one was even sweeter, especially after losing its offensive leader.

“We’re beat up, we’re tired, we’re mentally fatigued,” Smart said. ‘But I don’t know if I ever had a mentally stronger team. They just keep coming, keep coming. They never say die.’

Beck went down on a wild final play of the first half while trying to get one into the end zone. Trey Moore knocked the ball away with a right arm punch, starting a scuffle that ended with a pair of laterals and a Georgia lineman being tackled with the ball.

Even more concerning for the Bulldogs, Beck remained on the grass with his throwing arm while teammates hovered above him. He eventually trotted slowly to the locker room, but Smart said his day was over.

Not quite.

After holding Texas to a field goal on the opening possession of overtime, Stockton had to leave the game on at least one play after his first down run ended with a hit that knocked off his helmet.

One play was all the Bulldogs needed from Beck.

“When we got the play and everyone saw it was Carson, we were pretty excited,” offensive lineman Tate Rutledge said.

Etienne took over the transfer from Beck and put the center on edge. The ailing quarterback threw up his left arm in celebration, while his right arm hung at his side.

Texas quarterback Quinn Ewers threw for 358 yards but was sacked six times and had a pair of interceptions – both by Daylen Everette, who was picked as the game’s MVP.

The Longhorns had a 260-54 lead in total yards in the first half, but continually hurt themselves with penalties and led only 6-3. They finished with 11 flags for 94 yards, including a false start that canceled out a field goal.

In one of the biggest calls of the game, Georgia drove for a go-ahead goal in the fourth quarter, set up by a brave fake after punter Brett Thorson was sidelined with an injury.

On fourth-and-5 at their own 30, the Bulldogs snapped the ball to guard Drew Bobo – son of Georgia offensive coordinator Mike Bobo – who turned the ball to Arian Smith who rounded the end for a 9-yard gain that was technically considering it was a pass.

“He’ll go down with a higher success rate than his dad,” Smart joked, referencing Mike Bobo’s quarterback days for Georgia in the 1990s.

The Bulldogs were also very lucky. They fumbled twice after the fake, but recovered both times before settling for Peyton Woodring’s third field goal to make it 16-13 with 4 1/2 minutes left.