INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. – There’s been a lot of talk about Georgia’s “mental approach” as it pertains to Monday’s National Championship.

Considering the Bulldogs (13-1) have dropped seven straight to Alabama, despite leading in the second half of five of those, it’s understandable why some would feel that way.

For those unaware, all you’ve got to do is listen to any one of the various Zoom interviews conducted over the past week leading up to the game.

Questions about the “bogeyman” and Georgia’s “mindset” playing the Crimson Tide have been common place.

However, listening to the Bulldogs, there are apparently no such concerns.

The only “mental approach” that players like Nakobe Dean are worried about is being in the right frame of mind, a necessity in order to give the effort needed to win the program’s first national crown since 1980.

“The mental approach makes a big difference, just from the whole thing of it being a national championship. I mean it's the national championship. You should be prepared mentally,” Dean said. “You should be prepared to give your best on the field. You should expect your opponent to also be prepared to give their best on the field. So, the mental and physical preparation for it I feel like should be second to none.”

Nose tackle Jordan Davis agrees.

From a physical standpoint, Davis believes the Bulldogs and Crimson Tide are, at the least, equals. However, might and brawn ultimately will not be what determines Monday’s winner.

“Definitely this game is a lot more mental than physical,” Davis said. “These teams are pretty much evenly matched when it comes to personnel and physicality and everything. The thing that really sets us apart is just mentally and who does things better.”

That certainly was not the Bulldogs when the two teams met in Atlanta over a month ago.

“It was definitely a wake-up call,” Davis said. “I had to look at myself and realize I wasn't doing enough.”

It was not the best feeling.

Davis said that loss to Alabama “stung,” noting “every game you go into, you expect to win.”

Come Monday night in Lucas Oil Stadium (8 p.m., ESPN), Davis and the Bulldogs will have the opportunity to write a new script.

“We are good enough at what we do. The record has been the record, but this is a new game coming up; a different game, different environment,” left tackle Jamaree Salyer said. “It’s one different than I've ever played in. The stakes are different. We want to play this game, not worry about the last few.”

Davis said the Bulldogs aren’t concerned about “proving themselves” to anyone.

“As far as proving, I don't feel like we're going in with that mindset that we've got to prove anything. We're just going in with the same mindset we always go in with,” Davis said. “And that's to be elite and have complete dominance. And it's one main goal for this last game, and that's to win. So, no matter how it happens, how ugly or pretty it is, it's just one main goal, winning the game.”

Salyer knows the history between the two programs. If he didn’t, he’s certainly been reminded since the Bulldogs defeated Michigan to earn a spot opposite the Tide in Monday’s game.

He understands why the subject keeps coming up.

“It is what it is. It's the truth. You can't really run away from the truth. That's what it is. That's our record,” Salyer said. “But we're not trying to make it an emotional thing, where you go out playing with emotions. You want to be calm, collected, and have composed attack. Play our game, not necessarily play their game, but be who we are. We're good enough at what we do. We have great coaches. We have great players and a great game plan.”