Other than claiming the championship prize, the greatest circumstance in team sports is having an off day, playing poorly, and winning.
From Georgia's perspective, the Bulldogs escaped defeat in Lexington on Saturday night by a very narrow margin. It wasn’t dramatic as in snatching victory from the jaws of defeat. Still, one big offensive yardage play by the Wildcats – a missed tackle opening the door for a critical run or an interference call on the defense – and Alex Raynor could have won the game for the home team with his powerful leg.
Who could argue with you if you wore blue and felt your team should have won?
Getting that psychological edge has never been more paramount than it is today. Gen. Robert Neyland — the winningest coach in the history of the Southeastern Conference — always said it was impossible to get your team up for a peak performance more than once, maybe twice, a year.
He packed his schedule with lesser teams throughout his coaching career.
Today, many more skilled players come from high schools, where coaching has become so expert and training so superb that freshmen play early and can help you win games. The game has never been more elite or explosive. One breakdown in a critical situation can cost you a game.
All Kentucky players heard last week was how sorry they had played against South Carolina the week before. All Georgia players heard was how great they were. Thanks in advance for beating the point-spread kind of talk.
Players often are not emotionally tuned in. Eric Zeier, one of the analysts for the Georgia radio network, kept saying that it would have been important for Bulldog coaches to burn the tape of the Kentucky-South Carolina game.
Years ago, I had a breakfast conversation with Bill Yeoman of Houston, who said he wouldn’t walk across the street from the hotel in New Orleans where we were staying to hear Alabama’s Bear Bryant lecture on football.
Initially, my reaction was that he was disrespecting the winningest coach in college football history at the time, but he then said something poignantly insightful.
“But I would get on my hands and knees and crawl to Tuscaloosa, Alabama, this very minute, if I could learn what he gets in kids’ heads before they play a football game.”
So often, the psychology of the game is more important than the physical. Kentucky was embarrassed about the way it played against South Carolina, while Georgia players took victory for granted.
For the two weeks leading up to the Alabama game in Tuscaloosa, all Georgia’s players will hear will be how bad they played against Kentucky in Lexington. They will pay closer attention to what the coaches will be saying. They will not have to be reminded of Alabama’s traditional success at winning national championships.
Most coaches give priority to gaining the mental edge. That dates to Knute Rockne, Walter Camp, and Pop Warner. When you are playing the top-ranked team in the country, you don’t have to worry about getting your team ready to play.
Under Vince Dooley, he was the most irritable in the weeks when his team played lesser teams on the schedule, especially if the opponent was a conference team. Coach Kirby Smart told his team that they “stole” a game in Lexington and that it is not likely that they can steal one again.
Flying home from the Bluegrass state, there was a recall of Georgia’s good fortune against Missouri in Columbia in 2022. The Bulldogs won a 26-22 victory and won the national championship.
All championship teams usually have close calls. In 1980, Georgia won six games by seven points or less. That was the most fortunate season in UGA history. There has likely never been a championship team that had such good fortune, but throughout history, teams that win titles usually have stolen a game or two, which is why they were championship teams.
If you are a Georgia fan, you should be grateful. Carp and second-guess if you like, but remember that teams that become champions have these moments.
A call to a friend in Lexington Sunday confirmed that the critics were second-guessing Kentucky coach Mark Stoops’ decision to punt with 2:58 left in the game. Georgia led 13-12, and it was fourth and 13 at the Kentucky 48. Kentucky had all three timeouts remaining.
Recall Dooley’s decision in the Cotton Bowl on Jan. 2, 1984. Georgia’s offense was as sluggish as ever in a big game. In the defensive stalemate, Texas led three field goals to one when the Bulldogs faced a fourth down deep in their territory when Vince Dooley sent in the punting team with 3:50 remaining.
Texas fumbled the punt, and on third and long, Vince told offensive coordinator, George Haffner to “put it up,” meaning throw the football. Haffner’s gut call was to run the option, which resulted in a touchdown to win the game 10-9. Percentage football still wins a lot of games.
Georgia didn’t play well, but Kentucky had something to do with that circumstance. Thankfully, the Bulldogs have a coach who didn’t do something crazy with the game on the line.