The Georgia Bulldogs’ season ended on Thursday night with their 39-34 loss to the Ole Miss Rebels in the Sugar Bowl (which served as a College Football Playoff quarterfinal game).

The matchup between Georgia and Ole Miss was an instant classic. It was the kind of game where, if you’re Georgia, you mostly just have to tip your cap to Ole Miss.

There was one decision, however, made by the Bulldogs late in the game that probably changed the outcome.

Former Georgia defensive lineman David Pollack nails the big mistake the Bulldogs made against Ole Miss

Former Georgia defensive lineman David Pollack shared his thoughts on the game shortly after the Sugar Bowl went final.

And Pollack pointed out a game management mistake that Kirby Smart and the Bulldogs’ coaching staff made late in the game that proved to be costly.

With Georgia in the red zone and trailing by three points with just 1:04 left on the clock, Ole Miss called its last timeout after a Bulldogs running play on second down.

At that point, Georgia needed a touchdown to take the lead or a field goal to tie the game. With the ball at the Ole Miss six yard line, Georgia chose to throw the ball into the end zone on third down. Gunner Stockton’s pass, though, fell incomplete and stopped the clock with 59 seconds left.

The Bulldogs then made the game-tying field goal, but Ole Miss had plenty of time left on the clock to go down the field and get into field goal range (which is exactly what the Rebels did).

Had Georgia ran the ball on third down, and then let the play clock run before kicking the field goal, Ole Miss would’ve got the ball back with around 20 seconds and no timeouts left. The game probably goes into overtime in that scenario.

“I’d have kept the ball, I’d have done exactly what (ESPN announcer) Greg McElroy said,” explained Pollack. “I’d have kept the ball on second down in Gunner’s hand. And on third down, I would’ve kept the ball in Gunner’s hand. There’s no doubt that’s exactly what I would have done. Georgia goes for the pass and leaves too much clock.”

Some fans will blame Georgia offensive coordinator Mike Bobo, but that decision ultimately falls on Smart.

And look, Smart is the best coach in the sport. That doesn’t change just because Georgia lost to an inspired Ole Miss team. But Smart wasn’t at his best in the final minutes against Ole Miss, and it very likely cost the Bulldogs the win.

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