Top 5 biggest hits in recent Georgia Football history

2002 – David Pollack versus South Carolina

In 2002, it had been a long 20 years since Georgia had won an SEC Championship. For the drought to end, coach in his second year would have to lead some youngsters to the promised land.

One of those youngsters was Sophomore David Pollack. In many circles, Pollack is considered the best defensive player in Georgia history.

That list is star-studded with guys like Champ Bailey, Randall Godfrey, Geno Atkins, and Roquan Smith. But Pollack can certainly make a case for best ever.

Pollack was a First Team All-American for three years and won SEC Player of the Year (04), the Bednarik Award (04), the Ted Hendricks Award (03/04), the Lombardi Award (04) and the Lott Award (04). He was also a two time SEC Champ. He finished his career with 36 sacks, good for third in NCAA history and all-time Georgia leader.

David Pollack was an animal. He could play the run game, get after the passer, and was a team leader. But of all the plays he made over his illustrious college career, one stands out above all others.

During that 2002 season, the Bulldogs faced off with one of their rivals, South Carolina. The Gamecocks had won in 2000 and 2001, with both games being close and low scoring. The same type of game was expected in 2002.

The game itself was void of many highlights. At the end of three quarters, Georgia held a 3-0 lead. The play happened right at the beginning of the 4th quarter. It’s a play that I will never forget!

With South Carolina backed up on their own 6-yard line, quarterback Corey Jenkins dropped back into the end zone to pass. He rolled right, and Pollack, as he had on many occasions, beat the tackle in front of him.

Pollack made a move toward Jenkins just as he began to throw the ball. Pollack made a swipe at the ball and jarred it loose. But he caught the ball as it got swiped away and he turned it into an interception! One smooth motion turned a potential batted pass into a takeaway touchdown, giving Georgia a 10-0 lead!

I lost my mind when this play unfolded. I had never seen anything like it! A defensive end had made a play that most athletic defensive backs couldn’t have made. And the timing and the score made it even more amazing.

In 2002, we hadn’t experienced a ton of life-changing moments as fans. Like I mentioned before, it had been 20 years since the last SEC Championship. This team felt different. The games felt special, and David Pollack was one of the reasons.

I’ll never forget that SEC run. I was 5 when they won it in 1982 and was 25 by 2002. I had been to so many losses during the Goff and Donnan days that the Outback Bowls of the late 90s felt like the playoffs.

In 2002, we climbed the mountain! And this play was a defining moment of that season. I’m hoping that the Stokes play is a springboard for 2019!