Stetson Bennett Insists Georgia Doubters Existed This Season

The Georgia Bulldogs play for their second consecutive NCAA Football Championship tonight against the TCU Horned Frogs. Georgia enters the game as double-digit favorites having gone 14-0 so far this season. It's been a relatively stress-free season on the field for Georgia, which is probably why Heisman hopeful quarterback Stetson Bennett has had to look elsewhere for motivation. Specifically, at all the doubters and haters.

"There was a lot of people who doubted us. Lot of people who - and i know people are going to be like no we didn't - well, yeah you did. Maybe not doubted us as far as unranked doubted us, but, there wasn't a consensus. And it seems as if people have forgotten that storyline."

Bennett seems to think that despite Georgia being near the top of the polls the entire season the fact that people pointed out they lost 15 starters means there were doubters. This is some high-level paranoid thinking.

The doubt about Georgia began over the summer when they were ranked No. 3 in both preseason polls. By Week 2 they had moved into the top two and spent the rest of the season moving between No. 1 and No. 2 while they won 11 of 13 regular season games and the SEC Championship by two or more touchdowns. The only thing keeping the Bulldogs from the top spot all season was brief voter dalliances with Alabama and Tennessee.

No one "doubted" Georgia. Someone might have picked against the Bulldogs in the championship game tonight and will end up on Cold Takes Exposed, but that's not real doubt. It's one pick or bet. It doesn't count. And it sounds silly when you say it out loud. But that's how athletes work. Fighting invisible fights, defending their name against made-up slights, searching for an excuse to try to win the game.

The only real doubters are the ones who don't believe anyone doubted Georgia this year. Put that on your bulletin board.