Kirby Smart called it a sign from God, and when he saw legendary Georgia coach Vince Dooley ahead of the national championship, the current Georgia coach had a good feeling.

Smart shared his reaction in the post-game press conference.

“I think about hugging Vince Dooley’s neck after the game, and I’m in tears and he’s in tears,” Smart said. “I got off the elevator the other night, and I thought it was a sign when the elevator opened on the 15th floor, Vince Dooley was sitting on a bench locked out of his room, and I thought, ‘God put him there, for me to see him the night before this game,’ and he’s waiting on his key to come up to his room. I just knew that meant something. It was a special, special win.”

Dooley and Smart now have something in common that they’ll remember for a lifetime as 2 coaches who led Georgia to a national championship, and they could share the experience together, from the hotel to the confetti on the field.