How 'Bout Them Dawgs - II

Going into the 2021 SEC Championship I knew all too well that Georgia had not beaten Alabama in their last six match-ups.  I have blogged before (here and here) about my lifelong support for “them Dawgs.”  About the heartbreak of losing to the Crimson Tide twice in 2018, both games close, both games with Georgia blowing halftime leads.  

When the 12 – 0 Dawgs at No. 1 in the country faced 11 – 1 Alabama at No. 3 I found myself in a familiar state of mind.  It was the same apprehension as when the Atlanta Braves entered the 2021 NLCS against the LA Dodgers, all hope tempered by a gnawing sense of impending doom by an arch nemesis.  At the same time, I realized that this could be my greatest year of fandom in my lifetime.  The Braves won the World Series.  Could the Dawgs win the National Championship in the same season?  That would be incredible.  My two favorite teams at the apex of their sport.  Too good to be true.

But the National Championship was a ways off yet.  First, Kirby Smart had to take care of business against his mentor, Nick Saban, the greatest college football coach of all time.  We had to first become SEC Champions and maintain our No. 1 ranking.  We had (by far) the best defensive team I had ever seen play (pro or college) football in my life.  Our offense had scored with relative ease against all opponents since our 10 – 3 victory against Clemson to open the season.  But did we have what it took to beat the greatest coach and probably the greatest college football program of all time?

Before the game Smart was downplaying the past.  Dating back to 1895, Alabama had beaten Georgia 41 times against 25 Bulldog wins and 4 ties.  But all my fellow Georgia fans could remember was the heartbreak of losing the National Championship to Bama 26 – 23 on a 2nd down and 26 crushing touchdown pass in overtime.  Then Smart losing the SEC Championship later that same calendar year (different season) to Saban 35 – 28 when the Dawgs let the game slip away by not showing up for the 4th quarter.

We just had this history of not finishing against Alabama.  It hovered over the game like a dark thunderstorm waiting to strike.  Nevertheless, I was excited and hopeful.  We had the best defense in the world.  Surely we could stop the Tide.  Surely our plethora of skilled running backs and receivers could put the ball in the in-zone.  As Smart said, all previous games didn't count in this game.  All we had to do was execute in this game.  To hell with those clouds of doom.  Gooooooooo Dawgs!

Now, get the picture.  Alabama in crimson helmets and jerseys, white pants with crimson strips.  Georgia is red helmets, white jerseys, silver pants, all trimmed in red and black.  The first quarter was a defensive gem with the Dawgs managing a 3 – 0 lead on a field goal.  Then, on the first play of the second quarter, Georgia walk-on quarterback Stetson Bennett IV  threw the first of his three touchdown passes in the game to make it 10 – 0 Georgia.  But, Alabama, under the extraordinary leadership of Bryce Young, the best quarterback in football, immediately struck back with a 67-yard touchdown pass making it 10 – 7.

After that, Alabama scored on their next three possessions in the second quarter, taking a 24 – 17 lead into halftime.  But it wasn't that close.  It was obvious halfway through the second quarter that the Tide was dominating the line of scrimmage on both sides of the ball.  We could not put any pressure on Young, who had plenty of time to spot open receivers.  When we blitzed with our linebackers the Alabama line still managed to protect Young who took advantage of several blown coverages by the Georgia secondary.  He was literally picking us apart.

Bama's defensive line looked like Georgia's had looked all year, only Georgia didn't look that way in this game.  They refused to allow the Dawgs to open holes for our running backs.  They constantly put pressure on Bennett and covered our receivers well all game.  Georgia still managed to score 24 points in the game, but the Crimson Tide pass rush pressured Bennett into throwing two interceptions, one was a Pick Six that really hurt the Dawgs.  It was the type of defensive scoring that Georgia had done all season, only now it was against them.

Alabama whipped Georgia 41 – 24.  Although Bennett threw for 340 yards, he had those two interceptions versus Young's outstanding 421-yard, three TDs, no interceptions performance.  Neither team got much of a running game going.  Both side's special teams played well.  But the game simply wasn't that close.  Georgia's vaunted defense looked helpless at times, giving up more points in the second quarter than they given up in an entire game all season.

I am so sick and tired of losing to Alabama but it certainly wasn't unexpected.  The Crimson Tide are now 17 – 1 in games they play in Atlanta, Georgia, where the SEC Championship and a few other prominent college games are played each season.  Nick Saban may never lose in Atlanta again.  Meanwhile, Kirby Smart still has the biggest of all monkeys on his back and he can not shake it off. Saban is truly Kirby's Darth Vader.

Georgia won the National Championship behind the brilliant running back Hershel Walker during my senior year there.  It was so much fun.  The partying did not stop for days afterwards.  There's nothing like that intense youthful taste for victory. And I enjoyed every moment of it.  There was still hope that I would celebrate another championship this season.  The college football Championship Committee would decide whether or not there would be a chance for Georgia.  

Most experts seemed to believe that Georgia. being 12 – 1 and being at No. 1 for most of the season, would only drop to No. 4, which still qualified for the championship playoff.  No. 5 Oklahoma State helped Georgia's cause by losing a close game yesterday to No. 9 Baylor.  So, the Cowboys had no case to advance.  No. 6 Notre Dame did not play and only won 11 games so I did not think the Fighting Irish would jump above Georgia's fall.  

The only real question in my mind was whether Alabama, having beaten the number one team, would be the new top team or would No. 2 Michigan, who crushed Iowa 42 – 3, move up one slot for their even more dominating blow-out against a ranked opponent?  That would decide who Georgia would play next.  It could be Alabama again.  Oh god.

The decision was announced at noon today.  Bama moved up to No. 1, Michigan stayed put at No. 2, Georgia changed positions with Alabama and took the No. 3 slot, Cincinnati remained at No. 4.  So the Tide would play the Bearcats in the Cotton Bowl on New Year's Day while the Dawgs would face the Wolverines in the Orange Bowl.  If Georgia was going to face Alabama again this season it would be for the National Championship - assuming both teams won their bowl games.

Yesterday's loss to Alabama leaves a bitter taste in my mouth.  We have (or had) the best defense in the country, allowing less than seven points a game.  Astonishing in this era of high-scoring football.  But Heisman Trophy candidate Bryce Young bitch-slapped us up and down the field after the first quarter.  No matter what Kirby Smart tries, Nick Saban seems to have the answer for it.  Maybe Cincinnati will beat them, something that eludes Georgia's desperate grasp.