There definitely is a different sentiment among the Baylor contingent, which arrived here Friday about two hours before Georgia landed. The contrast was sharp between the Bears and Bulldogs. It felt like the difference between a toddler and a teen-ager on Christmas morning.
One was wide-eyed and excited by the spectacle and tradition. The other was jaded to the routine, having just experienced this whole deal a year ago but still looking forward to the gifts that come with it.
Baylor coach Matt Rhule was unapologetic for playing the role of exuberant pre-schooler.
“Our program, we just don’t believe in entitlement,” said Baylor coach Matt Rhule, beaming in positivity from behind a dais in the airport terminal. “We are grateful for everything we get. We’re grateful for these jogging suits they gave us this morning. We’re grateful for the opportunity to go practice at the Saints facility today. Imagine that. I might bump into Sean Payton. I mean, this is a dream.”
The No. 5-ranked Bears (11-2) are making their first appearance in the Sugar Bowl since 1957. Georgia (11-2) is making its first trip here since last year, when it also lost in the SEC Championship game and missed the College Football Playoff.
The Bulldogs moped about getting left out over Notre Dame, a team they believed less deserving. Then All-American cornerback Deandre Baker decided to sit out, Justin Fields entered the transfer portal but came to New Orleans anyway and several other players were sidelined with injuries.
Meanwhile, a highly motivated Texas team came to the Sugar Bowl for the first time since 1995 and only the fourth time ever and shot to 28-7 lead on the way to a 28-21 victory.
Georgia coach Kirby Smart admitted he was embarrassed by his team’s performance and has vowed not to repeat it. So, the Bulldogs arrived in New Orleans with a new philosophy.
Apparently, if you’re not going to play, you’re not going to be here this time. The question remains who’s here and who’s not. It’s known that starting tackles Andrew Thomas and Isaiah Wilson are not. The third-year players chose to skip the bowl to train privately for the NFL draft. Also, starting guard Ben Cleveland was benched because of academics, and seniors Brian Herrien and Tyler Clark were not spotted with the team when the Bulldogs arrived to a festive Sugar Bowl reception.
Smart didn’t want to talk about any of that.
“This team is focused on who is here,” Smart said. “That’s going to be a very common theme as well, for our guys to be focused on who’s playing. What we’re worried about is how we can get better, how we can get this team better; and that’s to go out and play a complete football game. Our guys are focused single-handedly on that.”
Baylor also has some players who are expected to be taken in the NFL Draft. Junior James Lynch (6-foot-4, 295 pounds) leads the Big 12 in sacks (12.5) and is considered a pro prospect. So are senior wideout Denzel Mims (6-3, 215), who has 945 yards and 11 touchdowns receiving, and senior defensive tackle Bravvion Roy (6-1, 333), who has 56 tackles, 4.5 sacks and 12 tackles for loss.
“We have guys,” Rhule said. “Denzel Mims will probably be a really, really high pick. I said to him, ‘Hey, are you going to play?’ And he looked at me like I was nuts. He said, ‘Coach, we’re playing Georgia; yeah, I’m playing.’ Bravvion Roy had surgery after the Big 12 Championship game and he was out there practicing last Saturday. You know, our guys value the opportunity to compete, they value the opportunity to play one of the best teams in the country and what a tremendous measuring stick for us as a program, for our players. Everyone’s going to play.”
Baylor is a short time removed from its 1-11 record of 2017 and the shame of the sexual-assault scandal that occurred under the watch of former coach Art Briles. That Rhule has led them to 11-2 this season is a remarkable accomplishment.
Conversely, Georgia is two years removed from playing in the national championship game. However, the Bulldogs have lost their past four postseason games.
So the perspectives are definitely different. Then again, the Bears also came stunningly close to making the College Football Playoff this year. Their two losses this season were to No. 4 Oklahoma, 34-31 in the regular season and 30-23 in overtime in the Big 12 Championship game.
“That game ripped our heart out,” Rhule said of the title game. “Those four teams that play tomorrow or whatever day it is, two of them are going to lose and their season is over. Then two are going to go to the championship game and one is going to lose there. So only one team is going to leave (a champion). So, to me, if you spend your life worrying about what you missed out on, you don’t have a very grateful life. You live a pretty entitled life.
“We lost to the No. 5 team in the country. Now we have a chance to go out and play the No. 5 team in the country again.”
The Bears’ last loss came while playing without starting quarterback Charlie Brewer because of a concussion. Brewer cleared concussion protocol and will play against Georgia, Rhule said.
Between last year’s experience and the game tape they’ve been studying, the Bulldogs know they can’t afford to take Baylor lightly, and vow that they won’t.
But if nothing else, Georgia is going to be short-handed. Again.
“Some guys have injuries, some guys have NFL decisions. We’re just going to go out there with the guys we’ve got and play hard,” junior linebacker Monty Rice said. “We’ve got a ton of young guys who are going to get to play, and it’s going to be their first time to play in a big game. And this is a big game.”
It is. Rhule and the Baylor Bears are happy to remind Georgia of that.
“I think our guys are highly, highly motivated,” he said. “This is the Sugar Bowl. My son is a bowl fanatic. We read all about the start of how the Sugar Bowl came to be. To think I get to walk on the same sideline that Bear Bryant that once walked … I’m walking on Cloud Nine right now and so are our players.”
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