Georgia vs. Missouri: Reigniting an SEC East showdown

No. 1 Georgia meets Missouri Saturday for a high-stakes clash in the final regular-season SEC matchup at Sanford Stadium. In 2012, amid conference realignment and tensions within the Big 12, Missouri and Texas A&M left to join the SEC. Texas A&M joined the West Division while Missouri joined the East, placing the Tigers on Georgia’s annual conference schedule. The teams had met just once before, in the 1960 Orange Bowl, when Georgia defeated Missouri 14-0. The Tigers’ move to the SEC marked the beginning of a more regular matchup between the Bulldogs and Tigers. Georgia has largely controlled the matchup, holding the series record 12-1. Following the SEC’s elimination of its divisions, the teams will meet for the first time since 2023. 2013: Georgia 26, Missouri 41 Missouri’s first meeting with Georgia as an SEC opponent came in 2012, when the Bulldogs defeated the Tigers 41-20 in Columbia, Missouri. A year later, the Tigers traveled to Athens and flipped the result, earning a 41-26 victory between the hedges. The then-No. 7 Bulldogs entered the matchup shorthanded, missing three of their top wide receivers, along with their top two running backs, Todd Gurley and Keith Marshall, with injuries. The teams entered the second quarter tied 7-7, but Missouri took control of the game with three more touchdowns to finish the half. After Georgia went three-and-out on its opening second-quarter possession, quarterback James Franklin connected with L’Damian Washington for a touchdown to give the Tigers the lead. Missouri’s final score of the half came after Georgia quarterback Aaron Murray fumbled on a sack by defensive end Shane Ray. Defensive lineman Michael Sam recovered the ball and returned it for a touchdown, giving Missouri a 28-10 lead at halftime. Georgia responded in the second half, scoring 10 unanswered points in the third quarter before adding another touchdown on its opening drive of the fourth. The Bulldogs cut Missouri’s lead to 28-26, but a failed two-point conversion kept Georgia from tying the game. Franklin exited with a shoulder injury midway through the next drive, but the Tigers found another way to extend their lead. Wide receiver Bud Sasser threw a 40-yard touchdown pass to Washington on a trick play, pushing Missouri’s lead back to nine points. Two interceptions by Murray later in the game helped Missouri maintain control and secure the victory. The win marked Missouri’s first road victory against a top- 10 opponent since 1981 and snapped Georgia’s 15-game home winning streak. It was also Georgia’s second loss of the season after opening the year with a defeat to then-No. 8 Clemson. Missouri improved to 6-0 with the victory and eventually reached the SEC championship game, where it lost to Auburn. 2022: Georgia 26, Missouri 22 The defending national champion Bulldogs traveled to Columbia to face a 2-3 Tigers team in 2022, but struggled to find offensive production early. Georgia trailed 16-3 at halftime and 22-12 entering the fourth quarter after Missouri extended its lead with a 56-yard field goal. The Bulldogs responded with two fourth-quarter touchdowns to take their first lead of the game. Running back Kendall Milton scored on a 1-yard run to cut the deficit to three before Daijun Edwards found the end zone on another 1-yard run to give Georgia a 26-22 advantage. Georgia’s defense held Missouri to a quick three-and-out on its final drive to secure the four-point victory. The win marked Georgia’s closest regular-season result of the 2022 season. 2023: Georgia 30, Missouri 21 Missouri’s last trip to Sanford Stadium came in 2023, when the then-No. 1 Bulldogs defeated the then-No. 14 Tigers 30-21. The two teams traded scores through the first half before Georgia created some separation in the third quarter. The Bulldogs scored twice in the period to take a 24-13 lead into the fourth quarter. Missouri responded with a touchdown to open the final period, cutting Georgia’s lead to three points. The Bulldogs added a field goal on the following drive to extend their advantage to 27-21. As Missouri looked to complete its comeback, Georgia defensive lineman Nazir Stackhouse intercepted quarterback Brady Cook and returned the ball 44 yards into Missouri territory. The Bulldogs capitalized with another field goal to extend their lead to 30-21. Missouri had one final opportunity to respond, but defensive back Javon Bullard came up with an interception of his own to secure the Bulldogs’ victory. Georgia finished with 385 yards of total offense, led by wide receiver Ladd McConkey, who recorded seven receptions for 95 yards. Quarterback Carson Beck completed 21 of 32 passes for 254 yards and two touchdowns. The victory moved Georgia to 9-0 on the season, while Missouri fell to 7-2 with its second loss of the year.