WATCH: Kirby Smart recalls memorable moment with Vince Dooley before national championship
Georgia ended a 41-year national title drought Monday night with its resounding win over Alabama. The last time the Bulldogs won the championship, Vince Dooley was their coach back in 1980-81.
Dooley was at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis Monday night. But Sunday night, Georgia coach Kirby Smart had an interesting interaction with the Bulldogs legend — and he said it was fate.
“I got off the elevator the other night and I thought it was a sign when the elevator opened on the 15th floor,” Smart told reporters after the game. “Vince Dooley was sitting on a bench locked out of his room. I thought, ‘God put him there for me to see him the night before this game.’ He was waiting on his key to come up to his room. I just knew that meant something.”
It was quite a night for Smart and Georgia, who finally beat Alabama after four failed attempts. The Bulldogs also set a program record with their 14th win of the season and, as a result, finished No. 1 in the postseason AP Top 25 Tuesday morning.
Kirby Smart reacts to Georgia’s first national championship in 41 years
The last time Georgia won a national championship, Kirby Smart was six years old. Monday night, he led his alma mater to a title, defeating Alabama 33-18.
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It’s been a long time coming for Georgia, which lost to Nick Saban and the Crimson Tide in the title game in 2017. The win also marked Smart’s first over Saban, with whom he coached from 2004-15 before heading back to Athens as Georgia’s head coach. Heading into the matchup, Smart was 0-4 against his former boss.
In his postgame interview with ESPN’s Molly McGrath, you could see how much it meant to Smart to win the title — and, at last, beat Alabama.
“That one will be with me for a long time,” Smart said of that 2017 national championship loss. “This one will be with me for much longer. I’m proud of the University of Georgia, the support we get there.
“A lot of credit to Alabama [and] Coach Saban. They had a lot of injuries. They lost Jameson Williams in a tough situation. Our kids kept fighting and never doubted.”