Social media crushes Georgia, Kirby Smart for fourth quarter fake punt
Alabama and Georgia delivered another classic in Atlanta. Just like the 2012 SEC Championship Game and the College Football Playoff championship game, this one went right down to the final play.
This time, however, the final play might not be the play that dominates the post-game decision. Georgia coach Kirby Smart’s decision to call a fake punt near midfield facing fourth-and-11 with just over three minutes left.
The fake punt failed spectacularly. Alabama got the ball in excellent field position with 3:04 in a tie game (28-28). QB Jalen Hurts marched the Crimson Tide down the field for the winning touchdown.
Here’s a sampling of what college football fans, media members and players were saying on social media:
4th & 11
Fake punt
WTH was this#SECchampionship pic.twitter.com/pfirqQgob4
— len martez (@LMart810) December 2, 2018
Lol, a fake punt on 4th & long. #SECChampionship
— Trey Wallace (@TreyWallace_) December 2, 2018
The fake punt call on 4th and 11 from midfield is going to be questioned repeatedly for the next month. Thought Kirby was supposed to be Smart.
— RedditCFB (@RedditCFB) December 2, 2018
Lol fake punt! Y’all peep that right ?🤔
— Drè Massey (@D1Masseyy) December 2, 2018
Still can’t believe that fake punt. Seriously what the hell was that?
— Dustin Kent (@dustinjkent) December 2, 2018
I still can’t believe Georgia called that fake punt
— Sam Cooper (@SamDCooper) December 2, 2018
To be fair, if that fake punt had worked it would have been a good idea, which it wasn’t, which is why it didn’t work
— BUM CHILLUPS (@edsbs) December 2, 2018
Was ….. was that the worst fake punt of all time
— College Football by SB Nation 🏈 (@SBNationCFB) December 2, 2018
Worst fake punt since the Colts in 2015.
— Zak Keefer (@zkeefer) December 2, 2018
That fake punt … there’s a reason Saban is 15-0 all-time vs. his former assistants.
— Scott Carter (@GatorsScott) December 2, 2018
Kirby really tried a fake punt at mid field 11 yards out from the 1st down marker pic.twitter.com/seuC2C4PLn
— 💰P I E R R E🏁 (@LUX_Life_850) December 2, 2018
That’ll do it.
Georgia loses to Alabama in a hard fought SEC Championship Game 35-28.
That fake punt I will never understand.
— UGA Football Live (@UGAfootballLive) December 2, 2018
Fake Punt???? One of the dumbest calls in the history of Georgia football
— Brad Russell (@BradRussell13) December 2, 2018
Georgia attempting a fake punt on 4th and 11, when Alabama has kept its defense on the field, is a mind boggling decision
— Jonathan Chait (@jonathanchait) December 2, 2018
That Georgia fake punt gives bad calls a bad name. pic.twitter.com/3ssLvq8zGP
— Manish Mehta (@MMehtaNYDN) December 2, 2018
That Kirby Smart fake punt decision will be second-guessed for decades. Just made absolutely no sense. Can't wrap my mind around it. One of the worst big-game strategic decisions I can remember. Ever.
— Pete Thamel (@PeteThamel) December 2, 2018
That fake punt was not the move
— Nick Fitzgerald (@nickfitz07) December 2, 2018
