Honestly, if you'd told a Georgia fan back in August that the Bulldogs would drop a game to Alabama—again—they probably would’ve just sighed and asked which one. But the 2025 season turned out to be a wild ride that didn't just end with one stumble. The "invincibility" of Kirby Smart's program is a bit of a myth these days, even if they're still the scariest team on most people's schedules.
So, let's get into the weeds of who beat Georgia this year in football.
In the 2025 regular season, the Alabama Crimson Tide did it. It happened on September 27. It wasn't a blowout, but it was one of those "statement" games where the Tide showed that life after Nick Saban isn't exactly a vacation for the rest of the SEC. Alabama took that one 24-21 in a game that felt more like a heavyweight boxing match than a track meet.
But that wasn't the end of the story.
The Regular Season Stumble: Alabama 24, Georgia 21
Everyone circled the calendar for late September. Georgia went into Tuscaloosa thinking they’d finally have the upper hand with the transition in Alabama's coaching staff, but Jalen Milroe and the Tide had other plans.
The game was a defensive slog for long stretches. Gunner Stockton, who took over the reins for Georgia this year, struggled to find a rhythm early on. He finished 13-of-20 for a mere 130 yards. That’s just not enough air yardage to beat a top-tier Bama defense. Georgia’s ground game actually outperformed Alabama's—Nate Frazier and the crew racked up 227 rushing yards—but turnovers and a lack of explosive plays through the air killed them.
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It was a classic "Kirby vs. Bama" nightmare. Georgia looked like the better physical team for 40 minutes, but the 20 minutes they went cold were enough for Alabama to snatch the lead and hold onto it for dear life.
The Postseason Shocker: Ole Miss in the Sugar Bowl
If the Alabama loss was a "tough break," the way the season ended was a genuine "wait, what?" moment. After winning the SEC Championship in a revenge match against Alabama (a dominant 28-7 win, mind you), Georgia looked like the favorite to run the table.
Instead, they ran into a buzzsaw in the Sugar Bowl.
The Ole Miss Rebels beat Georgia 39-34. This loss was different. It wasn't the grind-it-out physical loss they suffered in September. This was an offensive shootout where the Georgia defense—usually the gold standard of college football—just couldn't get off the field. Lane Kiffin’s offense found every crack in the secondary.
Basically, Georgia went from the high of an SEC title to a confusing, high-scoring loss that left fans wondering how a team that dominated Alabama in early December could look so vulnerable in January.
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Why Did Georgia Lose These Games?
It's easy to look at a box score and see a final number, but the "why" is more interesting.
For the Alabama game, it was efficiency. Georgia averaged 6.7 yards per play, which is actually higher than what Alabama managed. But they couldn't convert when it mattered. They were held to 17 first downs. When you're playing the Tide, you can't afford "empty" yards.
In the Sugar Bowl loss to Ole Miss, the issue was the secondary. Throughout the 2025 season, the Dawgs were generally solid, but Kiffin’s scheme exploited Georgia’s aggressive linebackers by throwing into the space they left behind. It was a tactical defeat as much as a physical one.
The "Close Calls" That Almost Added to the List
We should also talk about the games Georgia almost lost. Because "who beat Georgia" is a short list, but "who almost beat Georgia" is much longer this year.
- Tennessee: This went to overtime. Georgia escaped with a 44-41 win, but the Vols exposed the same secondary issues that Ole Miss would later use to end Georgia's season.
- Georgia Tech: The "Clean, Old-Fashioned Hate" game was way too close for comfort. A 16-9 win is not what Kirby Smart wants against a cross-state rival.
What This Means for 2026
The Bulldogs finished 12-2. In most universes, that’s a legendary season. In Athens? It’s a reason to start looking at the transfer portal.
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We’ve already seen the fallout. Oregon quarterback Bryson Beaver just committed to Georgia because the program knows it needs more dynamic playmaking at the QB spot if they want to avoid the stagnation they saw in that first Alabama game. Gunner Stockton was good, but Beaver brings a different kind of ceiling.
If you’re tracking the Dawgs for next year, keep an eye on these specific shifts:
- Secondary Rebuild: Expect a lot of movement in the defensive backfield. The Sugar Bowl was a wake-up call.
- The QB Battle: Gunner Stockton won’t just hand over the keys. The spring game is going to be a legitimate fight for the starting job.
- Schedule Shifts: The SEC is only getting deeper. With Texas and Oklahoma fully integrated, there are no "off" weeks anymore.
The reality of who beat Georgia this year in football is that the gap between the Bulldogs and the rest of the elite tier has shrunk. Alabama still has the "hex" on them in the regular season, and the "innovative" offenses like Ole Miss have figured out how to outpace the Kirby Smart defense when the conditions are right.
To keep up with the changing landscape of the SEC, you should monitor the early spring practice reports coming out of Athens. The way they address the linebacker-to-safety communication gaps will tell you everything you need to know about whether 2026 ends in a trophy or another Sugar Bowl disappointment.