So, you’re looking for the Georgia football game score, and honestly, if you’re a Bulldogs fan, it’s a bit of a sting. The scoreboard at the Caesars Superdome on New Year’s Day 2026 didn’t do Kirby Smart many favors.
Ole Miss 39, Georgia 34.
That’s the final. It wasn't just a loss; it was a chaotic, heart-wrenching exit from the College Football Playoff (CFP) quarterfinals. People expected a defensive masterclass. What we got was a high-stakes shootout that felt more like a video game than a traditional SEC slugfest.
Why the Georgia football game score surprised everyone
Most experts had Georgia as a 6.5-point favorite. Coming off a dominant 28-7 win over Alabama in the SEC Championship, the Bulldogs looked like they were finally peaking. But New Orleans is a weird place for favorites.
Ole Miss didn't care about the seedings. They came out aggressive. While Georgia struggled to find a rhythm early—ending the first quarter down 6-0 after two long Lucas Carneiro field goals—the second quarter was a total blur of scoring.
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Gunner Stockton, who’s been under a microscope all season, actually played a gutsy game. He ran for two scores in that second frame. When Daylen Everette scooped up a fumble and took it 47 yards to the house, Georgia led 21-12. It felt like the "Dawgs" were taking over. They weren't.
The second-half collapse
If you're dissecting the Georgia football game score, you have to look at the fourth quarter. It was a disaster for the defense. Georgia held a 24-19 lead going into the final period, but the Rebels just kept coming.
Trinidad Chambliss, the Ole Miss quarterback, was surgical. He finished with 362 passing yards. He didn't throw a single interception. Georgia’s secondary, usually a no-fly zone, got picked apart. Harrison Wallace III was a nightmare, hauling in 9 catches for 156 yards.
- Quarter 1: UGA 0 - MISS 6
- Quarter 2: UGA 21 - MISS 6 (Total: 21-12)
- Quarter 3: UGA 3 - MISS 7 (Total: 24-19)
- Quarter 4: UGA 10 - MISS 20 (Total: 34-39)
The momentum swing was brutal.
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That bizarre final minute
Let’s talk about the ending because it was genuinely one of the strangest things I’ve seen in a playoff game. Georgia actually managed to tie it up 34-34 with less than a minute left. Peyton Woodring nailed a 24-yard field goal after a 12-play drive. You’re thinking overtime, right?
Nope.
Ole Miss marched down the field in 50 seconds. Lucas Carneiro, who was basically the MVP of the night, kicked a 47-yarder to put the Rebels up by three with only six seconds left.
Then came the "safety." On the final kickoff, Georgia tried one of those desperate lateral plays. It went sideways—literally. The ball hit the pylon during a cross-field toss, which resulted in a safety. It didn't change the winner, but it made the final Georgia football game score look just a bit more lopsided.
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Digging into the 2025 season stats
Georgia finishes the year at 12-2. It’s a great record, but "great" isn't the standard in Athens anymore. The standard is a trophy.
Gunner Stockton’s season totals are actually pretty impressive when you look at them in a vacuum. He threw for nearly 2,900 yards and 24 touchdowns. He also led the team in rushing touchdowns with 10. But in the biggest moments of the Sugar Bowl, the offense went cold on third downs, converting only 3 of 13.
Nate Frazier was the workhorse on the ground this year, finishing with 947 yards. Zachariah Branch, the electric transfer, was the spark plug with 811 receiving yards. The pieces were there. The execution just vanished at the worst possible time.
What went wrong?
- Pressure: Georgia didn't record a single sack against Ole Miss. You can't let a guy like Chambliss sit in the pocket that long.
- Turnovers: While they only had one, it was the missed opportunities on the other side that hurt. No interceptions.
- Third Down Defense: Ole Miss stayed on the field. They weren't explosive on every play, but they were efficient.
Georgia's path forward
The 2025-26 season is over. Now, the questions start. Does Stockton stay the guy? Kirby Smart’s post-game presser was typical Kirby—focused on the "lack of discipline" and "execution." He didn't throw anyone under the bus, but you could tell he was fuming about the defensive lapses.
If you’re tracking the Georgia football game score for recruiting or future bets, keep an eye on the transfer portal this spring. The Bulldogs need more depth in the secondary. They got exposed by a fast-paced Rebels offense that didn't let them substitute.
Next steps for Bulldogs fans:
- Watch the film: If you can stomach it, re-watch the fourth-quarter defensive rotations. It shows exactly where the communication broke down.
- Track the portal: Georgia has already landed a few safety transfers, including Ja'Marley Riddle, to address the depth issues seen in the Sugar Bowl.
- Check the 2026 schedule: The opener against Marshall on August 30 will be the first chance to see how this team responds to the New Year's Day heartbreak.