ATLANTA — In a bar on the Beltline as Texas A&M’s hopes of reaching the SEC Championship Sport imploded, two Georgia followers debated overlapping December dilemmas: Do we actually need to play for the convention title? Would we slightly take the first-round bye within the School Soccer Playoff, or simply play via?
The argument was fueled partly by libations celebrating an eighth straight win in Clear Outdated Customary Hate — a grind-it-out 16-9 victory in opposition to Georgia Tech. But it surely speaks to an actual stress in late November as groups attempt to resolve the place relaxation ends and rust begins heading into the postseason.
Georgia sits at No. 4 for now — and will definitely transfer up on Tuesday — however the looming questions stay. What would have occurred to that rating if Texas A&M had made the SEC title sport as an alternative? And what occurs if Georgia performs within the sport and loses, notably to Alabama for a second time this season? Kirby Good, nevertheless, sees it in another way. There’s nonetheless one thing tangible on the road subsequent week, and that is all that issues.
“If you happen to fear about harm threat, we cannot observe subsequent week,” Good mentioned. “You reside your life fearful of accidents, you realize what? You get a really scared staff. There’s additionally a chance to win the SEC championship. Does that matter? Does anyone care about that anymore? I imply, I grew up considering that was the best sport on the planet, and I simply differ from all people else, yeah, we misplaced guys right now to harm. We’re gonna lose guys in observe to harm, however that is subsequent man up. Like, that is fallacious with this entire factor now? It is like, nicely, what when you get harm? What when you do that? I imply, it is soccer. It is all a part of it.”
School soccer’s December calendar creates loads of friction, and relying on who you ask, convention championships are a part of the problem. Checking out who truly qualifies usually requires official statements and dizzying tiebreaker situations. With leagues persevering with to develop and evolve, convention title video games appear destined for eventual reimagining. Play-in weekends to an expanded playoff might be the longer term, although commissioners punted that dialog to January. For now, the banners nonetheless matter — even when a much bigger prize waits down the highway.
When 4 Georgia gamers have been requested whether or not they’d desire to take a seat out slightly than play for a convention title, quarterback Gunner Stockton answered for the group.
“We’ll simply be able to play every time we’re.”
Every of the 4 groups that earned a bye in final yr’s CFP misplaced in its — a small pattern dimension that has fueled fan anxiousness in regards to the free go this season. Georgia and Oregon have been slight underdogs, whereas Boise State and Arizona State confronted double-digit spreads.
The Dawgs and Geese fell to groups that sat at residence throughout convention championship weekend (and finally met for the nationwide title), whereas the Broncos and Solar Devils misplaced for extra typical causes. Did Georgia and Oregon lose due to the remainder, or just because the opponent was higher? The complexion of the highest 4 seeds feels even murkier this yr. Final season, they went to the 4 highest-ranked convention champions; this season, they go to the highest 4 groups general. Good declined to interact in that debate.
“Not for me to resolve, y’all know me nicely sufficient,” Good mentioned. “I am not in right here lobbying these of us that make that call, or they’re sitting in a committee room they make these choices. Our job is to answer it.”
Good mentioned Georgia has mapped out plans for both state of affairs subsequent week. The workers will juggle signing-day prep, self-scouting work and steering gathered from packages that handled per week off final season. Whereas Georgia will take a structured method to balancing relaxation and rust, Good understands that outcomes — not planning — finally validate choices.
“The candy spot is win,” Good mentioned. “Individuals query what the choice was proper. There isn’t any proper choice. I imply, we talked to coaches all over final yr that handled it. And there was the prolonged, great distance off. There was the not-extended lengthy lay off. There was the Ohio State received scorching they usually did not plan a championship sport. Take a look at the top of the day, you bought to do what you’re feeling greatest about and you will at all times second-guess it when you lose, and also you at all times will not when you win. So I do not know what that candy spot is. I do know speaking to those that I belief and have been via it helps get the knowledge.”
Georgia will play for the SEC Championship subsequent week, prefer it or not. The Beltline debate is solely a symptom of FBS school soccer’s present crossroads — a postseason stitched collectively by overlapping options that different ranges of the game perfected way back, but nonetheless hasn’t fairly landed right here.
The truth that that is even a debate amongst Georgia followers is a blueblood downside, however with the SEC and Huge Ten controlling the Playoff’s future, the game’s one p.c will proceed shaping choices that ripple throughout everybody else.
