NEW ORLEANS (AP) Fumbles and other foibles put favored Georgia in a big hole in the Sugar Bowl.
A fumble by running back D’Andre Swift deep in Bulldogs territory and a botched punt attempt on a low snap led to 10 first-half points for a feisty Texas squad looking to make a statement that it was on its way back to elite status. Missed tackles helped the Longhorns sustain two other scoring drives, and that wasn’t all that went wrong for No. 6 Georgia in a 28-21 loss on Tuesday night.
Swift fumbled twice in the first half. The first gave No. 14 Texas the ball on the Bulldogs 12, leading to a touchdown. The second was recovered by Georgia for a loss on drive that stalled soon after.
The punt that never was – punter Jake Camarda’s knee touched the turf as he scooped up a low snap – resulted in a turnover on downs at the Bulldogs’ 27. That miscue led to a Texas field goal.
Texas quarterback Sam Ehlinger ducked under what looked like an impending blindside sack by outside linebacker Walter Grant in the second quarter. Right after Grant slid over Ehlinger’s back, the Texas QB rose out of his crouch and scrambled 17 yards for a first down to help sustain the Longhorns’ second touchdown drive.
By halftime, Georgia was down 20-7, and it only got worse when the Bulldogs opened the third quarter with the ball.
Jake Fromm was intercepted on a downfield throw by P.J. Locke III on the Longhorns 17.
It was an uncharacteristic rash of untimely errors for Georgia, which less than a month ago went toe-to-toe with No. 1 Alabama in the Southeastern Conference title game.
The loss to the Crimson Tide ended Georgia’s hope of qualifying for the College Football Playoff, so their invitation to the Sugar Bowl might have seemed more like focus-sapping relegation than a coveted bid to a big game in the Big Easy.
Whatever the case, Georgia was not at its best until it was too late, scoring its final touchdown in the final minutes. By then, Georgia was left needing to convert an onside kick just for a chance to tie the game. And like much of the night, the ball didn’t bounce favorably for the Bulldogs on that play, either.
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