Georgia’s quarterbacks – one injured, the other untested – managed to lead the Bulldogs to another SEC championship

Championship football can create massive moments of pressure on the most unlikely players at the most unlikely times.

When their numbers came up Saturday in the Southeastern Conference (SEC) championship game, the University of Georgia’s Gunner Stockton and Carson Beck both answered the call in a way neither of them would have imagined.

First it was Stockton, who entered the game early in the second half after Beck injured his shoulder on the final play of the second quarter. The senior Beck, a starter for the Bulldogs the past two seasons and one of the winningest QBs in the country, landed hard on his shoulder when he was sacked by Trey Moore of the University of Texas.

As the teams headed to the locker rooms, Beck was in pain on the Mercedes Benz Stadium turf, surrounded by Georgian medical staff. ABC cameras filmed his mother in the stands, watching with her own pain as her son was helped to the locker room by team doctors.

At that point, Texas led 6-3 in what was a defensive struggle. The Dawgs had already struggled to move the ball and Beck was now ruled out for the rest of the game. Georgia’s hopes for another SEC championship and a first-round bye in the College Football Playoff now rested on Stockton, who had thrown a total of 16 passes all season before Saturday’s game.

The sophomore from Tiger, Georgia, was more than ready.

Georgia head coach Kirby Smart said after the game that his team was motivated at halftime and the offense in particular was ready to rally behind the replacement.

“This team never says no. Never die, man,” Smart said.

What had once been a lifeless Bulldogs offense came to life with Stockton under center, scoring a touchdown to take the lead on the first drive of the third quarter. Using both his arm and his legs, the redshirt freshman brought the partisan Atlanta crowd to its feet and suddenly the Dawgs had all the momentum.

After Georgia scored a field goal to take a 16-13 lead with just four and a half minutes remaining, it looked like it would be up to UGA’s nasty defense to hold off Quinn Ewers and the powerful Longhorn. offense. And it looks like they did — Daylen Evertte’s interception with 3:36 left in the game appeared to have sealed a conference championship for Georgia.

But Stockton made its only misstep of the contest a few plays later. On a 3rd-and-13 play from the Texas 31, the QB floated a ball that was ripe for an interception, and Texas’ Jahdae Barron recovered the ball and gave his team a chance. The Longhorns drove down the field and scored a field goal to tie the game on the next drive, sending the game into overtime.

It was during the extra session that Beck – who had been shown on the sidelines without his helmet, mingling with his teammates and looking to everyone like a man whose night was over – once again entered the melee.

On 2nd and 8 from the Texas 12-yard line, Stockton took off from the pocket and burst through the middle of the Longhorns defense for a first down. The quarterback appeared about to run into the arms of a Longhorn defender before Texas defensive back Andrew Mukuba closed in and delivered a devastating hit that sent Stockton’s helmet flying and dropping him on the turf, knees buckling as his body twisted and staggered from the impact. He got up under his own power, although he seemed to stumble once he stood.

The referees determined the hit was off target and Mukuba stayed in the match, but Stockton couldn’t. Because he lost his helmet, the quarterback was forced to sit out at least one play. And suddenly, all eyes were on Beck.

The senior quarterback was back in his helmet, practicing taking snaps under center on the sideline. But when he ran onto the field, the extent of his situation became clear: his right arm, the one he throws with, hung limply at his side and bounced with each step, a clear sign that he would not throw the ball. .

He didn’t have to. Beck got under center and used his injured right arm to hand the ball to running back Trevor Etienne, who broke through the line and ran four yards for the game-winning touchdown, giving the Dawgs a 22-game victory. 19.

“Both of them are great competitors,” Smart said when asked about his quarterbacks.

He also shouted to the big men up front who helped ensure Beck didn’t need to make another play and Stockton didn’t need to re-enter the scrimmage after the big hit: “How about you from that offensive line, to go to the five yard line and drive it into the goal line, right into the teeth of a very, very good defense.

The Bulldogs have lost a total of three games in the last three years. A team doesn’t get to this point without players who play their best in winning times – even if they are unable to use all of their members in the most important moments of the game or if they only played only two games all season before crunch time. in a championship match.

As his fans and teammates celebrated around him, Stockton calmly explained to ESPN’s Holly Rowe how he remained so composed in the spotlight.

“It just comes down to this love that I have for everyone in the locker room and all the seniors. I just wanted them to go the right way,” he said.

Smart, was clearly proud of Stockton when speaking to Rowe afterwards. “This kid is a winner, man. This child is special.

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