I am a Georgia football fan. While it’s not my school, the Bulldogs will always be my team.
It would be easy to say I couldn’t believe it, but I could. With 10 seconds left in the game, I knew it wasn’t over. I’ve seen replays of “The Prayer” in Jordan Hare too many times, just as I’ve seen highlights of Georgia’s Chris Conley catching the ball at the 4-yard line to lose to Alabama in the Southeastern Conference Championship Game.
Well, Saturday night the pain that comes with being a Dawg fan was felt once again.
Down South, football just means more. While it might be cliched to say, it’s accurate. Both Tennessee and Georgia fans were emotionally charged on Saturday, but these feelings of emotion differed greatly.
In Tennessee, there was pure elation on Saturday in the Vols’ miracle victory against Georgia. Somehow, some way, Tennessee quarterback Joshua Dobbs launched a 43-yard pass into the endzone as time expired and Jauan Jennings caught it. One play changed the attitudes of both fanbases for hours, days, and maybe even weeks to come. Tennessee is now 5-0 and in the driver’s seat for a trip to Atlanta in December.
In Georgia, there was heartbreak; the game wasn’t supposed to end this way. With 10 seconds left in the game, quarterback Jacob Eason delivered a perfect dime to Riley Ridley from 50 yards out and Georgia was set to upset Tennessee. Instead, there’s lost hope about a season that could have been for Georgia fans.
Even in defeat, I realize that only sports can deliver both sadness and jolts of pure elation to thousands of people across the country. Fans spend thousands of dollars and an endless amount of time to endure moments such as Saturday night in Sanford Stadium.
Tennessee football has had its struggles, including four coaches the past eight years and a 49-51 record in that time span, but that hasn’t stopped Vols fans from selling out Neyland Stadium. Now, after Tennessee’s huge wins over its two biggest rivals in the East, the perseverance of Tennessee fans has paid off, and a trip to the SEC Championship Game looks probable.
Fans of both teams will never forget where they were when Jennings caught that pass. Sports causes some of the best and worst memories, but that is what makes it so special. I will never forget my dad and me screaming and running through the house when Matthew Stafford hit Mikey Henderson down the sideline to beat Alabama in overtime in 2007, or when Jarvis Jones forced a fumble at the 2-yard line to beat Florida in 2012.
Moments like Saturday are why I and SEC football fans everywhere will never stop believing. Sure, it sucks being on the side of defeat, but how awesome it is to be on the other side? Tennessee fans had the time of their lives Saturday night. All of Knoxville celebrated for hours, while fans in Athens were dejected after realizing what could have been. Having gone through so many tough memories, the feeling will be so much sweeter when being a die-hard fan pays off. How will it feel when the Cubs finally win the World Series? Cleveland Cavaliers fans know. For the Dawgs, however, this year is not the year for a championship, and I have no idea when that will be.
But, when it inevitably happens, I’ll always remember the path taken to get to the top. Saturday’s game along with many others over the years are games that I’ll never forget. Hopefully in the near future, I’ll be glad I didn’t.
####Looking ahead:
**Tennessee vs. Texas A&M** — Congrats, Tennessee. You just beat Georgia and Florida in back-to-back weeks. Next, you have to travel to College Station to take on the No. 9 Aggies and then No. 1 Alabama. While the Vols are the clear favorites to win the East, they still have work to do if they want to be true Playoff contenders. Beating the Aggies would prove a lot, but winning in College Station is a tall task, especially after everything Tennessee has gone through the last few weeks. **Prediction: Texas A&M 31, Tennessee 21.**
**Alabama vs. Arkansas** — The Tide travel to Fayetteville on Saturday in what should be a good game. The only problem for the Hogs is that Alabama is built to stop Arkansas’ run-first attack. Alabama does play Tennessee the next week in what is likely its biggest game of the season, so might the Tide be looking ahead? As long as Nick Saban is still the coach, no. **Prediction: Alabama 24, Arkansas 13.**
