AUSTIN, Texas — Georgia running back Trevor Etienne scored three touchdowns, the first two set up by cornerback Daylen Everette’s takeaways, as complementary football helped the fifth-ranked Bulldogs take down No. 1 Texas 30-15 in a Southeastern Conference showdown Saturday night.
Etienne’s last score was a 1-yard plunge on fourth down with 12:04 left. That came not long after an ugly sequence when the home team’s fans littered the field with water bottles and other trash after referees called a pass-interference penalty that initially wiped out an interception and long return by Texas. The yellow flag was later picked up, and the prime field position set up a Longhorns touchdown — but not a victory.
Georgia coach Kirby Smart got his 100th career win in 117 games over nine seasons in charge at his alma mater.
“These players get the best out of me,” Smart said in his on-field TV interview after the game that was nationally televised by ABC. “And I’m so proud of these guys, cause nobody believed, nobody gave us a chance.”
Smart then made a reference to ESPN’s “College GameDay” pregame show that broadcast from the Texas campus earlier in the day — “Your whole network doubted us. Nobody believed us.” — before getting back to the controversial penalty.