Smart stands by ‘aggressive’ playcalls in CFP loss
NEW ORLEANS — Locked in a defensive struggle in which neither team gained 300 yards, Georgia coach Kirby Smart made an aggressive but ill-fated decision late in the first half of the College Football Playoff Quarterfinal at the Allstate Sugar Bowl.
Right after Notre Dame took a 6-3 lead on a 48-yard field goal, Smart had untested sophomore quarterback Gunner Stockton drop back to pass from his 25-yard line with 38 seconds left instead of running out the clock. Defensive end RJ Oben broke through for a strip-sack, and the Fighting Irish’s Junior Tuihalamaka fell on the ball at the Bulldogs’ 13.
One play later, Notre Dame’s Riley Leonard hit Beaux Collins for a 13-yard touchdown.
Just like that, No. 2 Georgia trailed 13-3 in a game in which every point was precious. The No. 7 Fighting Irish went on to win Thursday’s game 23-10, ending Smart’s bid for his third national title with the Bulldogs.
“Typically, when you’re down, you need every possession you can have, and we made a decision that we were going to be aggressive and we were going to try to go two-minute, and that’s what everything says you should do,” Smart said. “You can’t give up possessions when you’re trailing. We felt like we had a little quick-game pass. Certainly not counting on getting beat that quick at left tackle, and got a sack-fumble, which gave them some momentum.”
Actually, the Bulldogs already had lost momentum. Their previous possession lasted all of 31 seconds — counting the punt.
Taking over at his 14 with 3:40 left in the half, Stockton threw three consecutive incomplete passes — the last two while scrambling away from pressure — giving Notre Dame time to move into field goal range.
But Smart continued to trust his struggling offense, even though Stockton had thrown only 35 career passes before replacing injured starter Carson Beck for the second half of the Bulldogs’ 22-19 overtime victory against Texas in the SEC championship game.
Though the move backfired, Smart defended his thought process.
“We got an opportunity to go score,” he said. “We worked two-minute every week. I don’t question that call, because I really agree with the decision to be aggressive.”
Stockton went 20-of-32 for 234 yards, including a perfect strike to Arian Smith for a 67-yard gain that set up a go-ahead field goal in the second quarter and a 32-yard touchdown pass to wide-open running back Cash Jones that closed the deficit to 20-10 in the third.
The Bulldogs did very little outside of those plays, though, producing 62 yards rushing while Stockton was sacked four times.
“It just hurts,” guard Tate Ratledge said. “This team’s got one goal, and that was to win a national championship.”
Georgia outgained Notre Dame 296-244 but went 0-of-3 on fourth downs and 2-of-12 on third downs, and allowed a 98-yard kickoff return to open the second half.
Fighting Irish coach Marcus Freeman frequently outmaneuvered Smart. The last time came when Notre Dame rushed its punt team off the field and its offense back on while facing a fourth-and-1 at its own 18 with 7:17 left.
In the commotion, Georgia linebacker Jalon Walker jumped offside, and the Fighting Irish did not punt until the two-minute mark.
“I’ve been told by our head of officials in the SEC that you can’t do that, you can’t run 11 on, 11 off,” Smart said. “We got our defense out there. We were fine. They were going to hard-count us. We prepare for that, but we jumped offsides.”
The Cincinnati Reds on Monday acquired veteran infielder Gavin Lux from the World Series champion Los Angeles Dodgers, sources told ESPN’s Jeff Passan.
Los Angeles will receive a Competitive Balance Round A pick (around No. 37) and outfield prospect Mike Sirota in the deal for Lux, 27, who hit .251 last season with 10 home runs and 50 RBIs.
The Reds have been looking for infield help after they dealt second baseman Jonathan India to the Kansas City Royals in November. Cincinnati added veteran right-handed pitcher Brady Singer from the Royals in the India deal.
Lux played in 139 games for the Dodgers last season, and 129 the season before. In Los Angeles’ run to the World Series title last season, he had one home run and four RBIs in 12 games.
ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — After some uncertainty, the Tampa Bay Rays now support a $55.7 million city plan to repair hurricane-shredded Tropicana Field in time for the 2026 season opener, while the team prepares to play this year at the New York Yankees‘ spring training home in nearby Tampa.
Matt Silverman, the Rays’ co-president, said in an email to the St. Petersburg chief administrator that the team wants to “clear up” any questions about its support for the reconstruction. The city must pay for the work under its current contract with the Rays.
“While we had been open to considering a scenario in which the city bought out of its obligation to rebuild the ballpark, the Rays support and expect the city to rebuild Tropicana Field in accordance with the terms of the current use agreement,” Silverman wrote.
Hurricane Milton tore the Trop’s fabric roof to pieces when it came ashore Oct. 9, causing water and other damage to interior parts of the now-exposed ballpark. Work has been ongoing to ensure no further damage is caused by weather but there had been questions about the full repair in part because it would eventually be torn down to make way for a new, $1.3 billion ballpark under current plans to keep the Rays in St. Petersburg another 30 years.
Time is of the essence, Silverman said in his Dec. 30 email to the city, which released it Monday. Even a partial 2026 season at Tropicana Field “would present massive logistical and revenue challenges for the team,” he wrote.
“It is therefore critical that the rebuild start in earnest as soon as possible” with a realistic construction schedule to be ready by Opening Day 2026, he added.
The city had no immediate comment on the email. Its own architect presented the repair proposal initially Dec. 12 but it has not yet been fully approved. Members of the city council have balked at the cost, especially with residents and businesses still recovering from Milton and Hurricane Helene before that.
St. Petersburg Mayor Ken Welch has said that insurance and Federal Emergency Management Agency funds should cover the bulk of the cost. Silverman said Major League Baseball has told the team it will hire its own adviser to monitor the repair work and timeline.
The planned new downtown Rays ballpark is part of a $6.5 billion project that will include affordable housing, a Black history museum, retail and office space, restaurants and bars. The project is known as the Historic Gas Plant District, which was once a thriving Black community displaced by the construction of the ballpark and an interstate highway.
The Rays are preparing to play 2025 home games at Steinbrenner Field, the Yankees’ 11,000-seat spring training location in Tampa. Once Tropicana Field is repaired, Silverman acknowledged the Rays are obligated to play there three more seasons under the contract with St. Petersburg.
“We look forward to a grand reopening,” Silverman said.
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