Eye For The Tigers! Georgia vs. Auburn 2022

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WHADDAYA GOT
LORAN
LORAN SMITH
The comeback at Mizzou could be a blessing in disguise as the
entire Bulldog Nation is now sure not to take any SEC foe lightly
Gary Pinkel, who enjoyed noteworthy
success at Toledo and Missouri, was
a guest on the Georgia pre-game
show Saturday, a game in which he
was given his on campus salute as the newest
coach to be inducted into the College Football
Hall of Fame.
In recalling Missouri’s upset of Oklahoma, then
ranked No. 1 in 2010, I asked him how worried
Georgia should be about the game? He, ever
the gentleman, said that it would be helpful if
the Bulldogs brought their “B” game and that
Missouri come with an “A” game.
Pinkel, a close friend of Alabama’s Nick Saban,
who coached with the latter under Don James
at Kent State was not about to say anything
foolish, but he knew that the talent level
favored the Bulldogs. He knew that for the
Tigers to win, Georgia had to help the home
team.
The Bulldogs did that for the better part of
three quarters with an offense that could not
score touchdowns until it counted with time
running out in the fourth quarter.
This could be a blessing in disguise. It is tough
to carry the No. 1 ranking though the season.
There are countless cases where the top ranked
team in the country has escaped close games
by the skin of their teeth. You are going to have
an off day, no matter the team. And it could be
costly. To have survived, however, means that
all Bulldog loyalists should be celebrating not
carping and finding fault.
Even the best pitchers with four days rest don’t
follow up a dominant outing with another the
next time out. A golfer shoots lights out for
two rounds and then loses concentration and
lapses into forgettable shot making that costs
him the tournament.
The reason that Nick Saban has won so many
championships is that he has done such a
good job recruiting that when his team has
an off day, he can beat you with his superior
talent.
I’d like to think that Kirby Smart has reached
that point. It certainly was the case Saturday in
Columbia. His team had an off day but escaped
with victory.
Think of the plusses that should come from this
game. First of all, his players now realize that
all the pats on the back would have included
daggers if the Bulldogs had lost.
The Bulldog players will work harder, they will
pay attention to what the coaches are saying
and now have a chance to bond and move into
position to compete for another championship.
The timing of this toe stumping is fortuitous in
that the game was won. There remains a goose
egg in the loss column, which means that all
goals can be reached. There are no guarantees,
however, but there is no regrouping from the
agony of defeat. None of that will eliminate the
griping and carping, however.
Kirby frequently reminds his players that it is
human nature to lather you up when you are
winning, telling you how great you are, but just
as quickly come with venom and contempt
when you disappoint them.
At an occasion such as this, it is also good to
point out that when he expresses concern
about Vanderbilt which is on the schedule
following Auburn, that he is underscoring the
obvious: This is the Southeastern Conference
and every team has players so it is best to get
yourself in the proper frame of mine to play
an SEC team which can embarrass you when
they play at their best—certainly if you are not
ready to play.
In 1957, Auburn won the national
championship but had a problem defeating
Georgia in Columbus. That was a day when
the Tigers were powerhouse and Georgia was
struggling. Auburn, late in the game enjoyed a
6-0 lead, but the Bulldogs drove down to the War
Eagle one-yard line. A national championship
that game looked dim, but Bulldog quarterback
Charley Britt fumbled a snap at the Auburn
one-yard line. Auburn recovered and a national
championship was saved.
When there is talk of this championship in
the “loveliest village on the plain,” there is no
mention of the Bulldogs offensive mishap on
the Tigers one-yard line.
Maybe that will be the good fortune Georgia
will experience after getting by Missouri on
Saturday night.
BULLDAWGILLUSTRATED 62 ISSUE EIGHT • AUBURN