Georgia's Jake Fromm, proper, and Jonathan Ledbetter react after falling to Alabama in time beyond regulation of the nationwide championship recreation on Jan. 8, 2018.
AP
On first down, Tua Tagovailoa was sacked for a lack of 16 yards. Alabama had work to do exactly to get into field-goal place and drive a second time beyond regulation.
Then got here the worst attainable state of affairs for Georgia. Tagovailoa threw a bomb down the left sideline. In a flash, the Bulldogs’ hopes had been crushed. Alabama had prevailed on a 41-yard landing go from Tagovailoa to DeVonta Smith, one freshman to a different.
“I used to be like blind-sided,” Giants left deal with Andrew Thomas recalled in a cellphone interview of the 26-23 defeat on Jan. 8, 2018, within the nationwide title recreation. “It was form of like shock.”
Security J.R. Reed was on the opposite facet of the sector on the time. He adopted the ball’s path, watching it wind up in Smith’s fingers.
“It was like all of the air obtained let loose of your chest,” mentioned Reed, Thomas’ teammate with the Giants. “You see it within the air and all you assume is, ‘Drop it.’ That’s it.”
4 years later, Georgia is getting one other shot at profitable its first championship since 1980, and gamers from the 2017 group that got here so near ending that drought can be centered on Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis on Monday night time. After all, Alabama is standing within the Bulldogs’ method — once more.
Thomas has been in contact with a number of the present Georgia gamers this week, providing encouragement and recommendation upfront of the largest recreation of their lives. He performed with a lot of them. The offensive lineman is planning to attend the sport, hoping to have a good time 4 years after his heartbreak that basically by no means has gone away.
“Truthfully, [it would be] like a monkey off of our backs,” mentioned Thomas, one in all 5 Giants who performed for Georgia in that basic recreation. “We at all times hear how we haven’t gained since 1980. We've got nice groups, however we don’t end. It will imply so much to everybody who’s performed in this system.”
The 2017 group survived a late-season loss to Auburn to succeed in the playoff and jumped over favored Alabama early, taking a 13-0 halftime lead. However when Alabama coach Nick Saban went to Jalen Hurts’ backup, Tagovailoa, the sport turned. Jake Fromm, who will begin Sunday’s common season finale for the Giants, threw two killer interceptions and Alabama scored the ultimate 10 factors of regulation to drive time beyond regulation. Within the additional session, Georgia needed to accept a subject objective after Fromm took a sack on third down. Two performs later, the sport was over.
“I wouldn’t say we ever obtained over it. It was at all times behind our minds. We had been at all times attempting to get again whereas I used to be there,” Thomas mentioned. “A few of the guys on the group now bear in mind it. A few of the guys had been there. I’m certain that’s behind their minds, pushing them to tug it out this 12 months.”
Mentioned Fromm: “You want you would have it again and have a do-over.”
This Georgia group was extra dominant in the course of the common season than that one, and enters the nationwide championship recreation considerably of a shocking 2.5-point favourite after falling to Alabama, 41-24, within the SEC championship recreation. It's led by the nation’s No. 1 scoring protection, a gaggle that options the Outland Trophy and Bednarik Award winner Jordan Davis and Butkus Award winner Nakobi Dean. That’s the place its star energy resides. It rebounded from the Alabama loss by crushing Michigan, 34-11, within the Orange Bowl.
“I feel it is going to be totally different this time round,” Thomas predicted. “I don’t assume we noticed the true Georgia group we noticed all 12 months. It was a wake-up name and so they responded to it properly. [They’re going to] come again with a vengeance.”
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