Former Georgia QB Carson Beck did what Gunner Stockton couldn't do
NCAAF College Football News, Photos, Stats, Scores, Schedule & Videos...
Time’s winding down in the fourth quarter of the College Football Playoff against the Ole Miss Rebels. There may not be time for another drive after this one at the rate Ole Miss quarterback Trinidad Chambliss has been playing. The Rebels hold a three-point lead.
Up to this point, there’s no way to tell if we’re talking about the Georgia Bulldogs’ or Miami Hurricanes’ playoff game against Ole Miss. Both teams found themselves in almost the exact same situation against the same opponent.
Georgia quarterback Gunner Stockton and Miami quarterback Carson Beck both had opportunities at season-defining drives against an Ole Miss defense that is not exactly elite. They both faced three-point deficits with their seasons on the line.
Both players moved the ball against Ole Miss and overcame high-pressure third- and fourth-down scenarios. Both faced second-and-goal from the three. This is where the former Georgia teammates’ experience splits.
Carson Beck’s game-winning drive
Miami quarterback Carson Beck had three minutes and 13 seconds left in his six year college football career unless he delivered a clutch game-winning or game-tying drive. Beck and the Hurricanes took advantage of an Ole Miss face mask penalty and converted on four different third downs.
The Hurricanes found themselves facing second-and-goal from the Ole Miss three. The seas part. A well-protected Carson Beck scrambles to end zone with nobody around him. Miami leads 31-27 with just 18 seconds left.
Trinidad Chambliss and Ole Miss race down the field in limited time and throw a desperation heave to the end zone that harmlessly falls to the ground. Miami advances to the national championship as the No. 10 seed in the playoff. Carson Beck is seeking his third career national championship, but it will be his first as a starter. He’ll face the winner of the Indiana Hoosiers versus Oregon Ducks game.
Gunner Stockton’s game-tying drive
The clock reads 5:26. Georgia quarterback Gunner Stockton knows he may not have enough time for another drive. Ole Miss and quarterback Trinidad Chambliss have already scored 17 fourth quarter points against Georgia. Stockton, trailing by three, has an opportunity to get the last laugh.
Georgia rushes for a first down and then the UGA drive is derailed almost immediately. Stockton faces a fourth-and-nine from Georgia’s own 48. He knows this could be it. Like he did all season, Stockton comes up clutch. He connects with record-setting wide receiver Zachariah Branch for 16 yards. Georgia fans collectively take a deep breath.
A pair of Ole Miss defensive penalties help Georgia have a first-and-goal from the eight. Stockton powers forward for five yards. The second-and-goal from the three, which ending up being Carson Beck’s defining moment, ends up as a three-yard loss for Georgia running back Chauncey Bowens. The Bulldogs face third-and-goal. Stockton targets well-covered Georgia tight end Oscar Delp and the ball falls incomplete.
Georgia ties up the game with a field goal, but there’s a big problem. Ole Miss has 55 seconds left. It proves to be too much for quarterback Trinidad Chambliss, who works his magic to set Ole Miss up for a game-winning field goal from kicker Lucas Carneiro, of course, makes.
Stockton and Georgia, who were so often on the winning side of one-play games, fell in a game that came down to one play when they needed it the most. The exact thing that makes college football so special, that every play matters and could end up deciding the game, delivers immense heartbreak to UGA fans across the country.
The Bulldogs will reload and Stockton is expected (but not yet confirmed) to return with one last chance to win a national title at Georgia. For now, Georgia will have to watch from the sidelines and think “what if” while former Bulldog quarterback Carson Beck competes for a national title.
Follow UGA Wire on Instagram or Threads for more Georgia football coverage!
This article originally appeared on UGA Wire: Carson Beck did more in the same situation as Gunner Stockton
More at NCAAF College Football News, Photos, Stats, Scores, Schedule & Videos