Georgia football countdown to kickoff: 52 days to go
The 2018 Georgia football season begins in 52 days.
In the entire 126-year history of the Georgia football program, there have been 11 instances of one player handling the ball at least 52 times in a game. Eric Zeier accounts for five of those games, including a 73-play game against Florida in 1993. 10 of those instances took place after 1992.
Only one time in the first 100 years of the program did a player handle the ball for 52 plays. Who else would that player be other than Frank Sinkwich? Georgia’s first true football legend to transcend Athens and the deep south. The Dawg’s first Heisman Trophy winner, and the man who led Georgia to its first consensus National Championship.
On October 31, 1942, “Flatfoot” Frankie or “Flinging” Frankie Sinkwich, whichever nickname you prefer, rushed and passed the ball a total of 52 times to lead Georgia to a 21-10 victory over Alabama. The victory propelled Georgia to the no. 1 ranking in the country.
Too often, statistics from the early-to-mid 1900’s don’t compare that well to stats you see today. When you do see such stat, it’s truly impressive. That describes the game Sinkwich had against Alabama. 52 plays in the 1940’s, an era where the game went by faster, is astonishing.
What’s more impressive though is the way Georgia won. The Crimson Tide led 10-0 going into the fourth quarter. Sinkwich, predictably, scored two of the touchdowns in the comeback. Both came from his arm with passes of five and 13 yards to fellow 1942 All-American George Poschner. The third touchdown was a defensive score.
Sinkwich, a fullback, didn’t have his best rushing performance. He only tallied 36 yards on 20 carries. It’s his arm that defeated the Tide. He completed 17 of his 32 pass attempts for 230 yards with the two touchdowns to Poschner. A great day passing the ball for any era.
And the Dawgs clearly needed that passing attack. Alabama was also undefeated going into that game. Georgia was on a 12-game winning streak, but their last loss was to Alabama in 1941. That defeat kept Georgia from winning the SEC Championship and claiming a National Championship. The Tuscaloosa News had confidence in Alabama’s team. But they said that a good passing attack would beat the Tide. With Sinkwich, that’s exactly what happened.
Georgia extended their streak to 13 wins that day, a new school record. The Dawgs went on to win the SEC Championship and the Rose Bowl to claim the National Title. Sinkwich, with more performances like the one in Grant Field against the Tide, earned All-American honors plus the nations biggest individual prize; the Heisman Trophy.
Next: Georgia needs to make Atlanta their second home
There are only 52 days left in the countdown to kickoff for the 2018 Georgia football season. Will Jake Fromm, D’Andre Swift or another Dawg have a game similar to the one Sinkwich had against Bama. We’ll find out in just seven and a half weeks.