It’s one thing to lose to one team, and it’s another thing to be forced to live in the aftermath of it. Something of that sort happened to a Texas journalist as he tried to come back home after the humiliating Georgia game. However, it would be some time before that could be made possible. Anwar Richardson was forced to hang back at the home of the rivals, which ended all hopes of success for Texas.

Texas is now out of playoff contention, having suffered its third loss of the season to Georgia. It was a big game for Longhorns fans, and Richardson made the trip over to the rival state, only to be disappointed in the end. However, he couldn’t seem to leave the state as he tried to fly back home. “Apparently, @AustinAirport has temporarily shutdown incoming flights because it can’t handle the amount of flights coming in,” Richardson wrote on X. “My Delta flight is just sitting on ground after leaving the gate,” he added.

The restrictions came from the airport still operating under a tight schedule during the government’s shutdown period. “[The] Federal Aviation Administration restricted the number of flights allowed to arrive in Austin to help the airport’s chronically understaffed tower handle the incoming volumes,” Nathan Burnier wrote for KUT News. This factor, and the more painful loss to Georgia, must’ve made the weekend a tough time for visiting fans.

Richardson’s ordeal surely isn’t a great experience at a place that ended it all for Texas. Georgia played commandingly in Week 12, deploying forces strong enough to secure a 35-10 victory. It was heartbreak for Texas fans and players, for whom the loss truly stings. The mood was hostile enough that they got into small fights with the Georgia players after the game.

Richardson being stranded in Georgia is akin to what Texas fans are feeling. They started their run as one of the best in college football—Texas was the favorite to win the National Championship this year, after all. And now, they have become one of college football’s biggest disappointments. Even after a valiant effort by the team in the past few weeks, that second inning also came to an end after this clash.

Bad play from Texas itself caused Georgia to gain advantages

Arch Manning cannot be made the scapegoat here, especially not after the Georgia game. The QB seemed prepared for the strong defense waiting for him at Athens. He threw for 251 yards and also a TD. But the support around him was of little use in that game. Texas’ receiving corps had four drops in the first half. It tried to get back in action in the second half, but it was too late by then.

Another problem area that led to this unfortunate result is the never-ending problem of penalties. Texas had nine flags for 58 yards and is now the leader in the SEC. The penalties had an effect in killing Texas’s drives. And in the fourth quarter, Georgia orchestrated attack after attack that simply pulled the game away from the Longhorns. Steve Sarkisian had no option but to take the fall. “We’ve got to do a better job of getting our players understanding situational football. Go attack the ball. We have an opportunity to get great field position in that situation. We didn’t take advantage of it. I don’t know if we necessarily lost composure. I think we lost some focus,” he said after the game.

One thing is clear after the Georgia loss—fans want to forget the 2025 Texas season for good. Unfortunately, they will have to wait for one more year to once again be in a position to fight for the National Championship. Meanwhile, Richardson and other fans will surely hope that the next time Georgia plays Texas, it is the Longhorns who walk away happily.