Mississippi State upsets Georgia football in CFB 26 Sim

12 hours ago7 min read2 comments

In a stunning digital upset that mirrors the chaotic beauty of college football, the Mississippi State Bulldogs clawed their way to a 29-22 victory over the No. 5 Georgia Bulldogs in a CFB 26 simulation, a result that feels less like a fluke and more like a testament to the game's inherent unpredictability.The sim, conducted by UGA Wire ahead of the real-life showdown, engineered a classic tale of two halves, where statistical dominance crumbled under the weight of critical, game-altering mistakes. Georgia stormed out of the gate with the ferocity of a championship contender, with Zachariah Branch finding the end zone and Peyton Woodring adding a 39-yard field goal to establish a commanding 10-0 lead in the first quarter, a start reminiscent of the Bulldogs' typical ground-and-pound identity.Yet, football, whether on the turf or in the silicon of a simulation, is a sixty-minute war of attrition. The momentum shifted seismically in the third quarter as Mississippi State’s offense, previously dormant, erupted.Sophomore Fluff Bothwell’s touchdown run was the spark, but it was quarterback Blake Shapen’s 70-yard laser to senior Brenen Thompson that truly announced their arrival, cutting the deficit to 14-10 and injecting a dose of reality into the virtual Sanford Stadium. The fourth quarter escalated into a full-blown aerial circus, a statistical anomaly that would make any analytics department dizzy.Shapen, cool under digital pressure, launched his second touchdown pass to open the quarter, seizing a 21-10 lead. Georgia, refusing to capitulate, mounted a fierce counter-offensive with two rapid-fire touchdowns from Josh McCray on the ground and a 14-yard precision strike from Gunner Stockton to Noah Thomas.However, the failed two-point conversions on both scores—a strategic gamble that will be debated in living rooms and message boards—left the door perilously ajar, preserving a fragile 22-21 lead. The final act was a masterclass in heartbreaking narrative.With just over four minutes remaining and Mississippi State lining up for a potential go-ahead field goal, Georgia’s defense committed the cardinal sin: a roughing-the-kicker penalty on Joseph Jonah-Ajonye. This unforced error, the kind that haunts seasons, gifted the underdogs a fresh set of downs and, ultimately, the game-winning touchdown and two-point conversion with 3:02 on the clock.Even then, Georgia had a final chance, driving with purpose until Gunner Stockton’s hopes were dashed by an interception from Mississippi State defensive back Kelley Jones, sealing the improbable win. The final box score tells a story of what could have been for Georgia.Stockton put up video game numbers, throwing for a staggering 439 yards and two touchdowns, while Shapen was equally brilliant, completing 39 of 45 attempts for 409 yards and three scores. Georgia won the battle of first downs (30 to 28), total yards (525 to 496), and plays run (87 to 80), yet lost the war.This digital defeat, dropping them to a simulated 7-2, could potentially derail their SEC championship aspirations, a stark reminder that superior metrics mean little without clutch execution. For Mississippi State, this virtual triumph echoes their Week 2 sim upset over Big 12 champion Arizona State, proving that in the realm of simulation and perhaps in reality, any team can be king for a day. The lesson for Kirby Smart’s squad is as old as the sport itself: discipline is the ultimate stat, and victory is never assured until the final byte is processed.

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#college football

#Georgia Bulldogs

#Mississippi State

#upset

#simulation

#CFB 26

#SEC