Georgia Bulldogs: Despite heartbreaking loss, Bulldogs set for new era

ATLANTA — Now that the red and white confetti have fallen from the heavens of Mercedes-Benz Stadium and a national champion has been crowned in college football – the Alabama Crimson Tide – the thought of waiting another 230-plus days to kick off another year of college football is now a reality.

Sadly, for college football fans, that means saying goodbye to smell of late August air and your team’s practicing in the scorching heat, chilly Saturday nights in the fall and unforgettable tailgates that made the wins and losses worthwhile for your team.

Until next August, the college football world is left with thinking about the mere memories, heartaches and shocking upsets of a whirlwind season in 2017.

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And for Georgia fans, those 230-plus days before the next season cannot come fast enough.

In the College Football Playoff National Championship game Monday night, Georgia came so close to doing what many only dreamed the Bulldogs would do back in August before the season started. It was almost the perfect fairy tale season except without the magical ending.

A true freshman quarterback – Jake Fromm – took over for an exceptional quarterback in Jacob Eason, who suffered a knee injury in the Bulldogs' season opener against Appalachian State.

Not only did Fromm get the start and play exceptionally well on the road against a ranked Notre Dame team, he led the Bulldogs to victory and gave the nation its first glimpse of the true freshman quarterback who had the capability and leadership to lead Georgia’s offense under second-year head coach Kirby Smart.

To think, one year ago, Fromm had just completed his stellar senior season at Houston County High School in Warner Robbins, Georgia, roughly 112 miles from Athens.

And on Monday, the not-so-young freshman in Fromm, who had proven that he was ready and battle tested from the ups and downs of the season, proved why he remained the starter for the Bulldogs against the Crimson Tide, despite throwing two interceptions, one of which bounced of a helmet and ended up in the hands of Alabama defensive lineman Raekwon Davis. Despite his miscues, the Bulldogs still had a chance. A championship was still in reach for them.

Even after Alabama backup quarterback Tua Tagovailoa led the Crimson Tide in a seven-play, 56-yard drive that ended with the freshman’s 6-yard touchdown pass to Henry Ruggs III to start the third quarter madness that would eventually start the Crimson Tide’s comeback, Fromm responded and connected on an 80-yard touchdown pass to Mecole Hardman to give the Bulldogs a 20-7 lead.

There it was again, another lead.

Georgia answered the bell. The Bulldogs, which led 13-0 at halftime, were back up by 13 and with momentum.

The Bulldogs' game plan for the remainder of the second half was simple: Good defense, scoring on each offensive drive with the mix of run and pass, and do not commit turnovers on offense.

However, with Tagovailoa – the Tide’s game-changing freshman quarterback – Alabama never gave up.

After Alabama’s thrilling comeback to tie the score at 20 in regulation, every shocked face and wide-eyed Georgia fan set on the edge of their seat after Tagovailoa drove the Crimson Tide offense down to the Bulldogs’ 16-yard line with seconds remaining.

Following Alabama’s last timeout as the Crimson Tide entered the field to kick what they thought would be the game-winning field goal, kicker Andy Pappanastos missed a 36-yard field goal, keeping the score tied at 20.

Georgia was given another chance. The Georgia fans could breathe a sigh of relief instead of reliving the outcome of what happened on Feb. 5, 2017, when the Atlanta Falcons gave up a 28-3 lead to New England Patriots in Super Bowl LI.

Even with a lead against a Crimson Tide team coached by Nick Saban, one knows that the opposing team must be prepared to play a full 60 minutes. And, in cases where games go to overtime on the biggest stage in college football, it means playing to the very last moment.

And the Bulldogs played to the absolute last play of the game.

Failing to get a touchdown in their offensive drive in overtime, the Bulldogs’ Rodrigo Blankenship, again, gave the Bulldogs life in nailing a long 51-yard field goal, leaving Georgia’s defense to make one more crucial defensive stand when it mattered the most.

Georgia fans could taste a championship for their Dawgs. The state could feel the Bulldogs on the brink of winning a championship, with hopes of somewhat erasing the memory of the Falcons collapse in the Super Bowl and silencing the negative reputation of Georgia sports falling short when it counts.

However, that moment of “falling short” still found itself in the eyes and minds of Georgia fans when the clock struck 0:00 in Mercedes-Benz Stadium.

After the Bulldogs’ Jonathan Ledbetter and Davin Bellamy sacked Tagovailoa back at Georgia’s 41-yard line, Mercedes-Benz Stadium was bustling with pride and school spirit from both Alabama and Georgia fans for the last play of the game.

When Tagovailoa got the snap, and threw the ball – one that had some hang time and the seconds that hung feeling like an eternity – toward the left sideline, nearly every Georgia fans’ heart skipped a beat and hoped that what was about to happen was not happening.

The reality – a Tagovailoa game-winning, 41-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver DeVonta Smith – happened.

Georgia fans were stunned.

The loss hurts but for Georgia fans, everything is not bad.

The future is bright.

While the Bulldogs seniors who laid the foundation will be gone, your Dawgs will be back.

One play separated the difference between a win and loss, but one play does not take away the foundation of what Smart has established for the culture of Georgia football.

With the No. 1 recruiting class so far, winning an SEC Championship and showing resilience in what will go down as one of the best Rose Bowl comeback victories of all time against Oklahoma, Georgia is in good hands.

While it will be weird to not see Nick Chubb and Sony Michel running over opposing defenders in red and white uniforms next season, their legacy lives on. For every player who is granted the opportunity to put on a Georgia uniform and grace the field of Sanford Stadium, he will have big shoes to fill and will ultimately stand on the backs of giants who laid the foundation of building what could ultimately become the powerhouse of the SEC East.

For Georgia fans, during these 230-plus days, remember and reflect on 2017. Before you know it, spring and summer would have passed and it will be time to pack the stadium for a matchup against Austin Peay on Labor Day.

Until then, "Go Dawgs."

Cox Media Group