The sideline scene from the 2019 Sugar Bowl is etched in our collective memory banks forever. Bevo, at nearly 1,800 pounds, lunging toward Uga the Bulldog. It was chaos and comedy rolled into one frame — a Texas steer charging toward Georgia’s symbol of southern dominance.
In actuality, the Longhorns have been chasing Georgia ever since.
Austin versus Athens has quietly become one of college football’s newest cultural touchpoints, a collision of power, pedigree and pride. And this fall, it finally gets its centerpiece moment.
A season ago, Quinn Ewers threw for 790 total yards in two defeats to the Bulldogs. Both outings teased Texas’ potential without ever producing the signature win. Now, the torch passes to Arch Manning — the five-star heir, the face of a family dynasty, and the quarterback tasked with doing what neither Ewers nor anyone in burnt orange has managed since Vince Young made confetti rain in Pasadena.
Remember when Texas mascot “Bevo” tried to kill Georgia mascot “Uga” on live television? 😂 pic.twitter.com/HtFf0NZo0R
— Alex (@htowncritic) December 2, 2023
November 15 is circled. Underlined. Stamped in burnt orange.
This time around, Manning gets Georgia in his own backyard, with the eyes of the sport waiting to see if the hype finally meets the moment. Georgia’s defense, stingy as ever, is allowing just 215 passing yards per game. Kirby Smart’s secondary remains an exercise in suffocation that’s disciplined, fast, and opportunistic. Manning will need to be at his peak to find cracks in that red wall.
Despite sitting comfortably inside the top five, Georgia hasn’t been the indestructible juggernaut of recent years. Since 2021, Smart’s team has gone 60–6, but this season’s path has been anything but effortless. There have been tight escapes along with heroics required to outlast Tennessee, Auburn and Ole Miss. There are more questions than usual about dominance. The only wire-to-wire win this season came against Kentucky.
Former Georgia quarterback Hutson Mason shared with the AllSportsPeople his thoughts on this season’s squad. “Georgia might not have the ceiling of the great teams of 2021 and 2022 but they also have a higher floor than a lot of teams this year in college football. Kirby is proving if you get in a close game in the 4th quarter with Georgia, they are hard to kill.”
For now, Texas sits idle on its bye week. Georgia, meanwhile, heads to Starkville, chasing a milestone, the program’s 900th victory in 132 seasons.
The Longhorns will be watching. They’ll see the film. They’ll study the angles. And they’ll know exactly what’s at stake.
Because the next time these two share a field, it won’t just be about rankings or resumes. It’ll be about legacy — Bevo versus Uga, Manning versus Smart, Austin versus Athens.
Five years later, the charge is still on.
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