Texas Longhorns’ SEC Championship Hopes Dashed in Overtime Loss
The No. 2 Texas Longhorns fell short in their quest for the SEC Championship on Saturday, suffering a heartbreaking 22-19 overtime loss to the No. 7 Georgia Bulldogs in Atlanta.
Starting quarterback Quinn Ewers, who finished the game with 358 yards and a touchdown, but also two interceptions, was blunt in his assessment of the loss. “We had plenty of opportunities, we just didn’t capitalize,” Ewers said.
The Longhorns’ struggles on offense were evident, particularly in the red zone. Despite moving the ball well throughout the first half, Texas was unable to find the end zone until DeAndre Moore’s 41-yard touchdown reception in the fourth quarter.
Ewers attributed the team’s struggles to missed opportunities and self-inflicted mistakes. “We shot ourselves in the foot a couple of times and got into some third and longs that were just hard to get out of,” he said.
The absence of starting left tackle Kelvin Banks Jr., who sat out with an ankle injury, further exacerbated the Longhorns’ offensive struggles. Kicker Bert Auburn’s two missed field goals also proved costly in the tight contest.
Despite the disappointing loss, Ewers expressed confidence in his team’s ability to bounce back. “Our culture is built for this, and we’re built for the moments we’re going into,” he said. “I have no doubt that each and every guy in that room believes the same things I’m saying right now.”
The Longhorns’ hopes for a first-round bye in the College Football Playoffs may have been dashed, but they remain a virtual lock to host a first-round game. Ewers and company will look to learn from the overtime loss and regroup ahead of the postseason.
“We’ve suffered setbacks before, and we’ll be able to learn from this,” Ewers said. “It’s 10% what happens and 90% how you react to it, and I think we do a good job at handling adversity.”
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