The Georgia Bulldogs didn't play today. Honestly, if you're looking for a final score from this afternoon, you won't find one on the turf. The 2025-2026 season for the Dawgs actually ended in a chaotic, heart-wrenching fashion a couple of weeks ago.
While the rest of the college football world is gearing up for the National Championship game between Indiana and Miami on January 19, Kirby Smart’s squad is already back in Athens. They're hitting the weight room. They're hitting the transfer portal. And they’re definitely hitting the film room to figure out how a 21-12 halftime lead evaporated in the Louisiana humidity.
Who Won Georgia Football Game Today?
To be blunt: Nobody won a Georgia football game today because the Bulldogs were eliminated from the College Football Playoff on New Year’s Night.
If you are asking who won the last Georgia football game, the answer is the Ole Miss Rebels. They knocked Georgia out of the CFP Quarterfinals in the Sugar Bowl with a final score of 39-34. It was a game that felt like a win for 30 minutes and a slow-motion car crash for the next 30.
Georgia entered that game as the No. 3 seed, fresh off another SEC Championship. Everything looked "business as usual" for the first half. Gunner Stockton was moving the chains. The defense looked like a brick wall. But then, things got weird.
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The Sugar Bowl Collapse
The second half was a different story. Ole Miss, led by Trinidad Chambliss, basically decided they weren't going home. They outscored the Bulldogs 20-10 in the fourth quarter alone.
It wasn't just one big play; it was a thousand tiny cuts. A missed field goal here. A sack on fourth down there. Then, the kicker for Ole Miss, Lucas Carneiro, nailed a 47-yarder with only six seconds left on the clock.
Georgia tried a desperation lateral play on the kickoff—the kind of play that works once in a million years—but the ball went out of bounds in their own end zone. Safety. Game over. 39-34.
Why There’s No Game This Weekend
Since the loss to Ole Miss, the Bulldogs have been spectators. It's a weird feeling for a fan base that has basically spent the last five years planning travel for late January.
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The College Football Playoff expanded, and while it gave Georgia a path even with a late-season stumble, it also made the path more treacherous. Today, January 17, is that quiet pocket of time before the title game. Most of the news coming out of the Butts-Mehre Heritage Hall right now isn't about scores; it's about roster moves.
- Gunner Stockton's Growth: He finished the season with 204 passing yards and two rushing touchdowns in the finale.
- Transfer Portal Chaos: We’ve already seen players like Joenel Aguero announce moves (ironically, to Ole Miss).
- Recruiting: Kirby Smart is already on the road, looking for the next generation of defensive ends.
The Reality of the 12-2 Season
Most programs would kill for a 12-2 record and an SEC title. For Georgia? It feels like a "down" year. That’s the standard they've built.
They beat Florida 24-20 earlier in the season in a grit-it-out game in Jacksonville. They handled the pressure of the regular season. But the postseason is a different beast now. The loss to Ole Miss wasn't just a loss; it was a signal that the gap between the "Big Three" and the rest of the SEC is shrinking.
Looking Toward 2026
If you're already missing Saturday's between the hedges, the 2026 schedule is actually already out. It’s a gauntlet.
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- September 5: Tennessee State (The "tune-up")
- September 19: At Arkansas (The SEC opener)
- October 10: At Alabama (The one everyone circles)
- October 31: Florida (This time in Atlanta)
The most interesting thing about next year is the venue change for the Florida game. With the stadium in Jacksonville under renovation, the "World's Largest Outdoor Cocktail Party" is moving to Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta. It’ll be a different vibe, for sure.
What You Should Do Now
Since there’s no game to watch today, here is how you can stay updated on what’s actually happening with the team:
- Check the Portal: Monitor the 247Sports Transfer Portal tracker. Georgia is expected to be aggressive in looking for defensive depth this month.
- Watch the Championship: Tune in on Monday night. Seeing Indiana or Miami lift that trophy is the best motivation for a Bulldog fan base that wants to be back on top.
- Review the 2026 Commitments: National Signing Day news is starting to trickle in. Look for names like Bryson Beaver, the QB who just committed via the portal.
The scoreboard might be dark today, but the work in Athens never stops. The next time you ask "who won the Georgia game," hopefully the answer involves a trophy and a lot of red and black confetti.
For those wanting to dive deeper into the roster changes, you should look into the latest scholarship count updates to see exactly how many spots Kirby Smart has left for the spring portal window. Knowing the numbers helps you understand why certain players are being targeted right now.