ATHENS — Carson Beck stood tall throughout an emotional 8-overtime, 44-42 win over Georgia Tech Friday night.
Beck, now a hardened fifth-year senior who has been under the microscope since the start of the season, proved poised with the season, his legacy, and UGA history on the line.
Beck delivered a 28-of-43 passing performance, gaining 297 yards through the air along with his school-record-tying 5 touchdown passes.
“It was wild, an emotional game and probably my last game here, ever,” said Beck, who is closing the season in impressive enough fashion that he has indicated he will not exercise his option for another college season via the COVID waiver.
“It was one way to go out with a bang.”
Beck showed his poise and maturity by overcoming the frustration of seeing his receivers drop six passes.
It has been that kind of season for Beck, who has shouldered much of the blame for losses despite UGA receivers entering the night leading the nation in dropped passes (32, now 38).
To boot, Beck has been without three injured UGA tailbacks much of the season, instead having to rely on a true freshman and walk-on in the backfield.
“We all get frustrated, but Carson composes himself,” said Georgia coach Kirby Smart, whose program has tied Alabama (2015-19) for most consecutive home wins (31).
“He goes and plays the next play. That’s all he can do. He’s seen it all and been around it.”
Ultimately, Smart revealed it was Beck who adjusted to a game-winning play in the final overtime, calling for freshman Nate Frazier to take the handoff on a 3-yard touchdown run to give the Bulldogs the walk-off victory.
“I don’t want to say it was a sigh of relief, but it was, ‘Oh my gosh, finally, we did it, we got in there, our defense did it’s job, we did ours after eight overtimes, " Beck said. “I can’t describe it, it was excitement, joy, really just truly happy.
“Probably one of the most emotional games I’ve been a part of, jus the circumstances, everything with it, how it could be my last time playing in this stadium, that adds some emotion as well.”
The win likely secures a spot in the College Football Playoffs for Georgia — per ESPN, a 97-percent chance — even with the SEC Championship Game still ahead at 4 p.m. next Saturday.
A Bulldogs win over the winner of the Texas at Texas A&M game (7:30 p.m., Saturday) would give UGA a first-round bye and an automatic trip to play in the Sugar Bowl on Jan. 1.
A loss in the SEC Championship Game would likely send No. 7-ranked Georgia on the road for a first-round game on an opposing campus, depending on how the CFP ranks the teams on Dec. 8.
Beck, now 13-0 in his starts in Sanford Stadium, was locked into delivering against the Yellow Jackets
“The playoffs were not in my mind at all,” said Beck, who lost 11 yards on one sack but had six carries that netted 21 yards. “All I cared about was beating Georgia Tech.”
Beck knew it would take steady nerves to lead the team back when trailing 17-0 at halftime, and again 27-13 with 5:37 left when Georgia Tech QB Haynes King scored one of this three rushing touchdowns on an 11-yard scamper.
Beck responded by leading back-to-back touchdowns drives.
Beck was 6-of-8 passing for all 75 yards of a drive he capped by hitting Dominic Lovett with a 17-yard TD pass, taking just 1:58 off the clock.
A Dan Jackson hit forced a fumble that UGA covered at the 32-yard line on Tech’s ensuing series.
Beck scrambled for 3 yards on the first play, and then four plays later, turned in another clutch run, gaining 10 yards on a third-and-9 to the Yellow Jackets’ 3-yard line to set up his game-tying 3-yard TD pass to Lovett with 1:03 remaining.
The game grew even more mentally taxing in overtime, both teams scoring on their first two drives from the 25 before the OT format shifted into a trade off of drives beginning at each team’s 3-yard lines.
“Up down, up down, up — it’s like a roller coaster, and when the emotions are rolling like that you can’t ride the roller coaster of emotions,” Beck said describing the drama playing out on the sidelines and in the stands.
“You have to stay even keel, stay on a plane, and just play one play at a time.”
Beck said he allowed himself a final look around at the stands, seeing fans that had braved 35-degree temperatures to stay in support of the Bulldogs.
Saturday is a scheduled day off, but Beck knows he and his teammates will be back in Butts-Mehre Heritage Hall to take care of business on Saturday.
“We get back in tomorrow, guys are banged up, it’s the SEC, we play some really tough physical games this year,” said Beck, perhaps referring to UGA’s No. 1-ranked strength of schedule.
“You get in there, recover, do what you got to do. Sunday turn on the tape, and move on, and then it’s on to the next week, that’s just how it rolls.”
Momentum is a big thing, Beck noted, but Georgia will be back to playing it one game at a time.
Beck’s focus has appeared to click, as he’s now thrown 11 touchdowns with no interceptions in his past three games after throwing five touchdowns with nine interceptions the four games prior.
“I’m going to remember this game forever, just a huge game, and so much fun,” Beck said. “It shows the brotherhood we have, and the connection we have.”
Beck said “100 percent,” once Georgia took possession at the Tech 32-yard line with 2:05 left down one score, he knew the team would step up, and he wasn’t going to let them down.
“I feel confident in those situations, we’ve practiced it, we’ve done it,” Beck said. “If the ball is in my hands, we’re going to go win.”