Looking back at 2021: The biggest play from each game - Clemson

Although Georgia's 10-3 season-opening win in Charlotte against Clemson may not have been the offensive showcase many fans were hoping for, the Bulldog defense showed right away it would be a force to be feared.

Georgia held the Tigers to a mere 180 yards, and sacked quarterback D.J. Uiagalelei seven times for losses of 46 yards.

However, it was Christopher Smith's 74-yard Pick-6 that that was the game's signature play and enabled the Bulldogs to start their national championship run on a winning foot.

Smith's effort was one of many memorable plays for the eventual national champions, and it's that one which we highlight in the first of a series examining the top plays from each of Georgia's 15 games.

Let's examine what happened.

Clemson was driving at the Bulldog 34-yard line when Uiagalelei fired a short pass intended for Justyn Ross.

Smith was having none of that. The veteran safety jumped the route, snagged the pass in full stride, cut left, and raced for the left sideline. Uiagalelei was the only player with an opportunity to stop him.

He would not.

Smith easily outran the quarterback, putting Georgia up 7-0 with 2:58 left in the second quarter for what would be the only touchdown of the game.

"We had been working that play all week, trying to perfect our disguise on the play," Smith said after the game. "We had gotten a great look. We got a good route concept. I showed it outside and I broke inside. He threw it right to me, and the rest is history."

The turnover was the first of Uiagalelei's career with the Tigers. When Smith said the Bulldogs had been working on that play before, he was not kidding.

According to the safety, Smith said the defense actually began working on it the previous spring. Former Bulldogs and current Arkansas safety Latavious Brini did a great job disguising the coverage, and when Uiagalelei threw the ball, Smith was right there to take it the house.

"That was the whole point of the play," Smith said. "We ran that play a thousand times during the fall, spring, and summer. We’ve been working on our disguise. Brini did a great job of holding it, showing blitz. I showed outside and then jumped inside. It was a perfect route combination. He threw it right to me."