ATHENS — Christmas came early for Kirby Smart and his coaching staff in the form of former Ohio State linebacker Darron Lee and his Twitter account.
Just when it seemed Georgia football might be in danger of losing its competitive edge on the heels of the program’s first-ever 13-0 season, the former Buckeye star served up prime motivation for the CFP Peach Bowl Semifinal on Dec. 31.
Smart understands football psychology better than anyone as a former All-SEC safety himself, and Ohio State had some intangibles in its favor when the College Football Playoff committee handed the Buckeyes the fourth playoff spot even though they lost 45-23 at home to Michigan the previous week.
“With Ohio State, there’s a breath of fresh air of opportunity,” Smart said. “We’ve never had the fortune of saying, all right, we were out, and then we got back in … the excitement that provides and the energy, it’s like it’s a kick of momentum.
“We have to understand that, and we have to be able to match that.”
Smart reminded his team that last year’s Bulldogs had a monster chip on their shoulder entering the playoffs, having been beaten soundly by Alabama, 41-24, in the SEC Championship Game.
Read more at DawgNation.com
©2022 Cox Media Group
