INDIANAPOLIS — It's an image that will forever live in Georgia football history. It came moments after the Bulldogs won their second National Championship Monday night in Indianapolis.
Vince Dooley, 89, sat alone for 41 years as the only UGA football coach to win college football's biggest crown. That is, until Kirby Smart joined him.
Dooley coached the Bulldogs from 1964 through 1988. He served as the school's athletic director from 1979 to 2004. Smart played for the Bulldogs from 1995 to 1998. In 2015, Smart was named the head coach of his alma mater.
The two met on the field last night and were able to share a handshake and a few words. When posted to the Georgia Football social media pages, the only caption it needed was two goat emojis and a handshake emoji (the goat emoji symbolizes the acronym for "greatest of all time").
Georgia beat Alabama 33-18 in the College Football Playoff National Championship Game. It was a nail biter and a defensive battle for much of the game. That is, until the Dawgs sealed the win with a 79-yard Kelee Ringo pick six.
Beating the Crimson Tide made it extra special. The two teams faced each other in the 2018 title game and again in this year's SEC Championship Game. Alabama ended up on top in both those matchups. Smart previously served as an assistant to Alabama head coach Nick Saban.
Only time will tell if Kirby Smart will become the greatest of all time, but for now, the two championship coaches can enjoy the moment on top.
