ATHENS —The Georgia football parade stretched from Butts-Mehre Heritage Hall to Sanford Stadium early Saturday afternoon, Lumpkin Street lined with fans as the national championship Bulldogs passed by atop bales of hay on makeshift floats.
Coach Kirby Smart and his family — wife Mary Beth, twins Julia and Weston and son Andrew — waved to the crowd, warming the hearts of the Georgia football on a gray, 45-degree day.
The Bulldogs also allowed an FBS-low 12 touchdowns in 15 games and were tops in the nation in Red Zone defense.
“This is a really special group; didn’t really start sinking in for me personally until last night, seeing the families of the young men, who we spent so much time in their homes,” Coach Kirby Smart said on Tuesday, the day after the CFP title game.
“Seeing all those kids. It really hit home and got really emotional for me watching those guys celebrate with their families, which is what it’s all about.”
Saturday was another chapter for Georgia football, a parade for the ages, more memories of a lifetime for the Bulldogs’ faithful.
Smart, a former Georgia All-SEC safety, has been dealing with feelings since the clock struck zeroes in Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis on Monday night.
“Yeah, you know, the feelings inside, the emotion I have for these players and these young men, I’m looking over here at these young men, J.D. and James and these guys waiting to go, I’ve never been around a group of players that really wanted it so bad and wouldn’t be denied,” Smart said.
