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Last Updated On: May 03, 2025 10:12 AM , Published On: Jan 03, 2025 04:47 AM
Georgia Bulldogs coach Kirby Smart is the highlight of today’s news. He criticized the referees during the College Football Playoff game, Georgia Bulldogs vs. Notre Dame Fighting Irish. It is because he finds Marcus’s 11-man substitution illegal.
However, the misunderstanding dispersed, and he admitted his reprobation with a justification. The fact is that Smart experienced the same incident back in 2017, resulting in the confusion in college football. The whole chaos made Notre Dame win the game and caused the Bulldogs offside penalty.
Game-Changing Moment
The College Football Playoff game witnessed a game-changing moment on Thursday. The entire game was smooth except for the last portion. Smart Kirby, whom you know as the Georgia Bulldogs coach, criticized the referees.
You must wonder why it happens. Marcus Freeman, Notre Dame’s coach, made a clever 11-man substitution and trick play late in the 4th down. It not only caused Smart Kirby to outburst but also made the team lose against Notre Dame, eventually ending the Georgia game.
Georgia Coach Justification
Smart clarified the chaos by saying that he thought Notre Dame’s substitution tactics were illegal and did not comply with the SEC rules. It also links back to Smart’s previous experience in 2017 at Georgia vs. Tennessee.
Georgia tried substituting 11 men, but the SEC paused it, throwing a conviction that it was not allowed. I don't think they were planning on going for it. They were going to hard-count us. And we prepare for that; we do it every week. And we jumped offsides, Smart said.
The reason creating the confusion is NCAA rules. According to it, 11-man substitution is illegal when the ball is in play. However, when looking into the highlights of the game, it is evident that Marcus Freeman did a trick when the ball was not in the play, making substitution one hundred percent legal.
It's really unfortunate because I've been told by our Head of Officials in the SEC you can't do that... you can't run 11 on and 11 off, Smart said.
Impact on the Game
The substitution by Marcus Freeman and the offensive behaviour of the Smart Kirby against Notre Dame resulted in the Georgia offside penalty. In addition, Notre Dame won the game.