Kirby Smart praises comeback effort, late-game intensity: ‘Overtime was epic’
By Ethan Stone
Published:
Kirby Smart and the Georgia Bulldogs overcame potential disaster in Athens last night, downing Georgia Tech 44-42 in one of the best iterations of Clean, Old Fashioned Hate in recent memory. Maybe ever?
The Bulldogs and Yellow Jackets played 8 overtimes, but before that Georgia needed an improbable chain of events to ensure they even got to that point. At one point, Georgia was down 17-0.
With just 2 minutes remaining and GT driving, QB Haynes King fumbled to give the Bulldogs excellent field position. Carson Beck, Georgia’s QB, then drove the team down the field and found receiver Dominic Lovett for the game-tying score.
What ensued was a chaotic, nerve-wracking 8-overtime finish that ended with a 2-point conversion battle. And on most of those attempts, neither team was able to find the end zone. Here’s how Smart summarized the entire experience:
“Obviously, the overtime was epic,” Smart said postgame. “I guess 8 overtimes, and I don’t know, you might have to tell me how many conversions were made by either team. It seemed like maybe 2 or 3. I think the defense made a lot of stops, but what a great game.”
“…it just seems like one play is going to make or break it. But our seniors, our team, our leadership, they don’t flinch, and they find a way. Fourteen points down with 5 minutes left, and Carson never blinked, and defense made a stop and got a turnover.”
Georgia is now in excellent shape to claim a bid to the College Football Playoff, regardless of their result in the SEC Championship game. Though it is worth noting that we don’t necessarily know how the committee will handle conference championship losses.
Comments have been made that losses will not count against a team’s resume, but we have yet to see that ideology in action – and anything can happen with the CFP committee in charge.
Now, we wait for Georgia’s opponent in Atlanta. It’ll either be Texas or Texas A&M, which will be decided when the rivals face off Saturday night at 7:30 p.m. on ABC from College Station.
Ethan Stone is a Tennessee graduate and loves all things college football and college basketball. Firm believer in fouling while up 3.
