ATLANTA -- Soon after Jacob Eason threw an interception and Qua Searcy extended his arm to get the ball across the plane and into the end zone, the Yellow Jackets began celebrating between the hedges.
It's not uncommon to see that in this rivalry series, or any. Just ask Baker Mayfield about it after Oklahoma defeated Ohio State.
But when Georgia defeated the Yellow Jackets at Bobby Dodd Stadium on Saturday 38-7, the Bulldogs celebrated without much fanfare. There were the handshakes, a celebration in front of their fans, and then they left.
No flags, no destruction of property, nothing.
Apparently there was some sort of agreement from the team that they would save their party for the locker room.
Bringin’ it back home.#DawgsOnTop pic.twitter.com/ehr2RCSQJF
— Georgia Football (@FootballUGA) November 26, 2017
"Sportsmanship is a thing you pride yourself on," linebacker Roquan Smith said after the game. "It’s just not something we take pride in, tearing up each other’s field."
Everyone expected it to happen, like in 2015 when UGA tore up the field at Bobby Dodd. The cameras were waiting, especially after successfully avenging last season's loss. Thanks to three touchdowns from the backs, Nick Chubb, Sony Michel and De'Andre Swift who all had one, and two touchdown passes from Jake Fromm to Javon Wims and Ahkil Crumpton, Georgia's revenge came easily. Revenge on Tech was the dominant reason Chubb returned to Georgia for his senior season. He couldn't sleep at night after last season's loss. So it was time for him to go crazy, right?
But the Bulldogs also know their so-called "revenge tour," as Kirby Smart referred to it after the game, isn't over. Next week, it's the SEC Championship against Auburn. The Tigers roughed-up the Bulldogs just a couple of weeks ago. They beat another No. 1 team on Saturday, defeating Alabama 26-14 on Saturday.
"One of the greatest events in all of sports to me is the SEC Championship. It’s by far the biggest, toughest conference in the country," Smart said. "It’s an opportunity to get into the playoff, and for us, that’s what you want."
As for his team's classy celebration after the game:
"That’s who we are. We’re not into the other. We’ll let somebody else do that. And we’re just going to do it the right way."
