Ole Miss Coach Lane Kiffin Praises Kirby Smart, UGA Football After SEC Title Win
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ATLANTA - Once again, with their backs against the wall, Kirby Smart and the Georgia Bulldogs came through with a big victory.
This time, it was for another SEC Championship.
Whether it’s an overtime thriller, a high-scoring shootout, or an all-out defensive brawl, the 2024 Georgia Bulldogs find a way to win. They do have two losses, but they’ve shown time and time again that there’s absolutely no quit on that football team.
Smart called them the “Never Say Die Dawgs” after clinching the SEC crown on Saturday night. As expected, the Georgia Bulldogs were the talk of the college football world, and even Ole Miss coach Lane Kiffin had some praise for Smart and the Dawgs.
Of course, he had to throw in a small little jab too. Classic Kiffin.
“Hard to beat the Georgia Bulldogs. They get everyone’s best shot and just win. Congrats to Georgia Football. 57-4 since 2020. 3- losses to Alabama and 1- loss to Ole Miss.”
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The No. 5 Bulldogs (11-2) captured their 15th SEC title with a 22-19 win in overtime over No. 2 Texas (11-2). The Bulldogs improved to 5-7 in SEC Championship Games (SECCG) including 3-4 under Kirby Smart. Today, the Bulldogs played in their fourth straight SECCG. Junior DB Daylen Everette earned MVP honors, joining a list of Bulldog SECCG MVPs in QBs David Greene (‘02) and DJ Shockley (‘05), LB Roquan Smith (‘17) and QB Stetson Bennett (‘22).
*Bulldog Senior Class Gets 53rd Win: With today’s victory, the 2024 Senior Class is an FBS-leading 53-4, adding to its school record. Also of note, for the first time since 1943, Georgia posted two wins over the same team during a season. The previous time was 1943 versus Presbyterian in Athens twice.
*Summary Of The Offense: Georgia finished with 277 yards of total offense on 67 plays in the 22-19 win in overtime for the 15th SEC title in school history.
*Down 19-16 in the first OT, the Bulldogs powered into the endzone on six plays, going 25 yards on a four-yard TD by Trevor Etienne for a 22-19 win. On the final play, Carson Beck handed it off to Etienne as Beck missed the entire second half except that final play due to injury.
*Georgia played its second straight overtime game of the season, and it was the first in SECCG history. Georgia won the toss and elected defense.
*Georgia is now 10-7 in OT including 3-2 in the Kirby Smart era. Last week in Athens, Georgia beat Ga. Tech 44-42 in an SEC record 8-OTs.
*RS-sophomore QB Gunner Stockton (12-for-16, 71 yards, 8 rushes, 8 yards) began the 2nd half with senior Carson Beck sidelined due to injury that came on the final play of the first half. It was only his fourth game of the year and first appearance since a win over UMass Nov. 23. On the opening drive, Stockton converted a pair of 3rd downs, and it led to a 10 play, 75-yard TD drive capped by a 10-yard run by Trevor Etienne. Stockton was 3-for-4 for 36 yards and ran twice for 12 yards on the drive.
*Junior RB Trevor Etienne and PK Peyton Woodring scored all of Georgia’s points in the two wins over Texas this season. In the first meeting, Etienne had three TDs while Woodring made three field goals and three PATs. Today, Etienne had a pair of TDs while Woodring made three field goals.