No. 10 Texas runs out of answers as No. 5 Georgia dominates 35-10 in Athens

ATHENS, Ga. — Texas walked into Sanford Stadium on Saturday believing it could trade blows with one of college football’s modern heavyweights. For three quarters, the Longhorns hung close enough to make it interesting. But in a punishing fourth quarter, Georgia delivered the decisive swings — and then kept swinging.

The result was a 35–10 loss for No. 10 Texas, a game that began with promise and ended with the Longhorns staring at the scoreboard as Georgia’s celebrations echoed across a sold-out stadium.

From Texas’ perspective, this was a night defined by almosts and not-quites — a defensive stand here, a momentum swing there, flashes of sharp quarterback play from Arch Manning. But every time the Longhorns nudged their way into contention, the Bulldogs had an answer waiting.

"That was a really good game until the start of the 4th quarter," Texas head coach Steve Sarkisian said. "It was 14-10, they get the ball, they convert two fourth downs, they score, they onside kick, they score, they pop a kickoff down there, we get pinned inside the 10, shank a punt, they score again. It was 21-0 in the fourth quarter. Great job by Georgia."

Here are three takeaways from Texas' loss to Georgia:

A Good Start That Didn’t Last

Texas opened the game with poise, marching down the field for a field goal and an early 3–0 lead. It wasn’t flashy, but in a stadium where visitors rarely start fast, it was enough to plant a flag.

But the margin for error against Georgia was razor-thin, and the Longhorns couldn’t capitalize on the early score. The run game sputtered, and drive-extending penalties undercut the promising rhythm Manning briefly found. When Texas needed manageable third downs, they too often found themselves behind the chains.

Georgia’s front seven controlled the line of scrimmage, and Texas’ run game never materialized. The Longhorns finished with just 23 rushing yards — not nearly enough against a defense that feasted on predictable passing situations.

"I actually think we ran it pretty good," Sarkisan said. "We just didn't get enough opportunities."

Missed chances compounded the issues. A stalled red-zone trip. A handful of third downs that came and went without conversions. And a Georgia offense that slowly found its rhythm.

A Flicker of Life in the Third

Trailing 14–3 in the third quarter, Texas received its best chance to turn the game. Linebacker Anthony Hill jumped a route for an interception deep in Georgia territory, setting the Longhorns up with a short field.

Arch Manning capitalized, hitting Ryan Wingo for a 7-yard touchdown to trim the deficit to 14–10. For a brief stretch, momentum swung. Texas’ defense got a stop. The offense moved the ball. The game felt like it might tilt toward a tense finish.

Instead, the opposite happened.

Georgia Slams the Door

The fourth quarter belonged entirely to the Bulldogs. Georgia ripped off 21 unanswered points, executing with a level of efficiency Texas couldn’t match. A surprise onside kick recovery kept the Longhorns on their heels. Fourth-down conversions extended drives that should have ended.

Georgia quarterback Gunner Stockton turned in a near-flawless performance, finishing 24-of-29 for 229 yards and four touchdowns. He added a rushing score, accounting for all five of Georgia’s trips to the end zone.

"I'll give him his props, he's a great player," Texas defensive end Colin Simmons said of Stockton. "He's a hell of a player. He played hard, did what a quarterback was supposed to do, made plays, and hit his targets."

Texas had no counterpunch. With the run game nonexistent and the pass rush closing in, Manning was forced into difficult throws. His 251-yard day was overshadowed by a costly red-zone interception and relentless pressure that stalled several drives before they began.

"They played better than us in all three phases tonight," Manning said.

A Step Back for Texas

The loss snaps a four-game winning streak and dents Texas’ playoff aspirations. More troubling was how the game unraveled late — a reminder that the Longhorns are still working to close the gap on the sport’s elite programs.

Missed tackles, mental mistakes, and an offense stuck searching for rhythm left players visibly frustrated afterward.

"You have a two-game season from now on," Longhorns defensive back Michael Taaffe said. "They beat us. They kicked our butts in all three phases. And we handed it to them."

Up next:

Texas returns home needing to regroup, rediscover balance on offense, and avoid letting the loss spiral into something bigger. Georgia, meanwhile, exits with another résumé-building victory and a reminder of why it remains one of the toughest road environments in the nation.

For Texas, this one will sting — not just because of the score, but because the Longhorns saw what it looks like to keep pace with Georgia for three quarters… and what it looks like when you can’t in the fourth.

From the Longhorns’ point of view, Saturday was a glimpse of how close they can be — and how far they still have to climb to finish games like the one that slipped away in Athens.