The comparisons drawn between the 2017 season to the 2021 season have been going on all year. 2017 holds a special place in the heart of Georgia fans, despite not winning a national title. It was only the second season under head coach Kirby Smart and gave a brief glimpse of what is possible under the former Alabama defensive coordinator.
A perfect highlight of that special 2017 season was the importance placed on player leadership. Much like it is in 2021, as Smart pointed out post-game versus Alabama, the leadership he saw in the locker room as players stood up and talked to the team about what happened and what needs to happen going forward.
We've got such great leaders in there. I didn't have to say a lot in there because the leaders spoke up and talked about what they wanted and how they wanted the next couple of weeks to go. I think, when you've got that, you've built the right kind of kids.
After the tough 41-24 loss, Georgia and Smart are in very familiar territory to where they were in 2017 after dealing with its first loss of the season. Then an undefeated Georgia team, ranked number one by the College Football Playoff committee, traveled to Jordan Hare Stadium and were humbled by the Tigers 40-17.
After a win versus Alabama, Auburn secured its spot in the SEC title game, where they would face Georgia again. Georgia knew going in that after losing in the regular season, they could not afford another loss to Auburn if they wanted to get into the playoffs. Not many expected Georgia to beat Auburn after the whooping laid on the Bulldogs weeks earlier, much like the feeling is now regarding a rematch with the Crimson Tide.
A senior leader on that 2017 team, Davin Bellamy, commented on what that loss to Auburn meant for Georgia at the time and how they responded to it.
When we lost to Auburn in [2017], it hit us that we can be beat, and we had to tighten up; after that ball game, we were a different team. Watch how better these boys are going to be going forward.
This time Georgia won't have to worry about their status in the College Football Playoff; their response will come in the semifinal versus Michigan. If everything goes to plan like Bellamy thinks, Georgia will get its shot at a rematch with Alabama.
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