Gunner Stockton, a little-known backup quarterback, came off the bench after an injury to Carson Beck and led No. 5 Georgia to an improbable 22-19 overtime victory over No. 2 Texas in the Southeastern Conference championship game Saturday in Atlanta.

The Bulldogs (11-2) won their third SEC title under coach Kirby Smart, but the trophy comes with an even bigger prize — a first-round bye in the new 12-team College Football Playoff. Georgia came into the game ranked fifth by the CFP, but now it is assured of playing in the Sugar Bowl quarterfinal game on New Year’s Day in pursuit of its third national title in four seasons.

Texas (11-2, No. 2 CFP) was denied an SEC title capper on its first season in the league. Both of its losses have been to the Bulldogs.

But the big question for Georgia amid the celebration was the health of Beck, the two-year starter who went down on the final play of the first half with an injured throwing arm.

Stockton, a third-year sophomore, had played only six games in his college career — all of them mere mop-ups of blowout wins. He guided the Bulldogs to a touchdown and two field goals before taking a hard hit on a run in overtime that sent his helmet flying.

Beck, who could barely lift his arm, came back in the game for first-and-goal at the 4. All he had to do was hand off to Trevor Etienne, who powered into the end zone to end the first overtime game in the SEC championship’s 33-year history.

Georgia went beyond regulation to win for the second week in a row, following up an eight-overtime, 44-42 victory over Georgia Tech in the regular-season finale.

After holding Texas to a field goal on the opening possession of overtime, Stockton had to leave the game after a first-down run ended with a hit that knocked off his helmet.

Etienne took the handoff from Beck and powered up the middle.

Texas quarterback Quinn Ewers threw for 358 yards, but was sacked six times and threw two interceptions.

Big 12

NO. 12 ARIZONA ST. 45, NO. 16 IOWA ST. 19 >> The stakes were higher for Iowa State, and the outcome was the same as the first for the Cyclones in their second trip to the Big 12 title game.

And the 112-year wait for a conference title will go on.

Iowa State was playing for a spot in the CFP in a loss to the Sun Devils in Arlington, Texas.

Arizona State (No. 15 CFP) is in the expanded 12-team format, possibly as the 12th seed.

Any hope of an Iowa State rally from a two-touchdown deficit at halftime ended with Abu Sama III’s lost fumble five plays into the third quarter and Rocco Becht’s interception not too long after that.

Those turnovers resulted in touchdown catches for Xavier Guillory, putting the Sun Devils up 38-10 in the third quarter.

Iowa State (No. 16 CFP), which is 10-3, actually led 7-3 when Becht extended his streak of consecutive games with a touchdown pass to 17 with a 3-yarder to Carson Hansen.

Mid-American

OHIO 38, MIAMI (OHIO) 3 >> Parker Navarro ran for two touchdowns and passed for two more and the Bobcats beat the RedHawks at Ford Field in Detroit.

Anthony Tyus rushed for 151 yards and a score on 27 carries to help Ohio (10-3) win its first MAC championship game in six appearances. The win also avenged a 30-20 regular-season loss to Miami (8-5), who they tied for the regular-season MAC title at 7-1.

Navarro was 20-of-27 passing for 235 yards.

The RedHawks rushed for just 62 yards and were outgained 467-189.