Complacency is a cancerous disease that can take down even the most talented of teams. I believe the 2018 Georgia football team had a very bad case of this. Will it infect the 2019 team, only time will tell.
In 2018 the Georgia football team was undefeated heading into a showdown with LSU.
They had won their first six games by a score of 257-78, an average score per game of 43-13. When Georgia met LSU in Death Valley, they had their first real test and never got off the bus. It was 16-0 by half time. Georgia would eventually lose 36-16.
In their first six possessions, they punted five times and fumbled once. After the fumble, they went three and out on three consecutive drives.
It got a little better in the second half, but not by much. Georgia started out by kicking a field goal and pulling within 13 points of the Tiger, but they would either punt or turn the ball over in four of their seven second-half possessions.
This is what happens when you let complacency set into a football team. Past success has nothing to do with the next game.
Momentum from previous games is not transferable. You must show up and execute every game.
More from Dawn of the Dawg
- Georgia Football: Top 5 Nick Chubb Moments at Georgia
- Georgia Football: Know the enemy UAB Blazers
- Nick Chubb is America’s running back, and he will return
- Georgia Football: Should laundry list of injuries be a cause to panic?
- Georgia Football: Report cards for Week 3 game against South Carolina
The Florida game is another good example of being complacent. Some Georgia fans are probably scratching their heads at reading that. Let me explain. Georgia was up 13-7 at the half.
However, they had the ball six times in the first half, kicking field goals twice from inside Florida’s five-yard line.
They also went three and out on three consecutive drives after going up by ten.
Had it also not been for a misfire by Franks on the flea-flicker on Florida’s first play from scrimmage, the score would have been 3-7 after the first two series rather than 3-0.
Lack of execution and turnovers stalled Florida’s drives all day.
Yet, even with three turnovers, they were still in the game well into the fourth quarter. This was due to Georgia not capitalizing early.
Georgia would clean it up in the second half, punting just once, and win 36-17, but it could have been a lot worse had they come on the field with more urgency.
I firmly believe it is this complacent attitude that ruined what could have been a very promising season for the Bulldogs.
Yeah, Georgia won the East, and they made it to a New Year’s Six bowl game. However, this team’s ambitions are a lot higher than winning their division and going to a prestigious bowl. This program is built to win championships, and complacency destroys that.