The greats find ways to motivate themselves. They do not need any extra bulletin board material. Though, that doesn't mean they won't still use it to their advantage. Georgia football head coach Kirby Smart undoubtedly lit a fire in Bulldogs fans when he responded to recent comments made by a South Carolina player.

Senior defensive tackle Tonka Hemingway did not list Sanford Stadium as one of the most difficult road environments in college, prompting Smart to come to the defense of his team's fervent followers.

“If people want to question whether our fans are elite, we’ll find out Saturday, right?” the two-time national champion said, per Marc Weiszer of the Athens Banner-Herald. “It sounds like Tonka called them out. Maybe use Tonka for motivation and let him be the one that spurns our group to come out there at 3:30 and be really loud and fired up. I certainly hope our fan base will. They’ve answered the bell every single time. I don’t know why they wouldn’t now.”

Georgia (2-0) hosts South Carolina (1-1) this Saturday afternoon in a game that is sure to have a bit more energy in the air following Smart's call to action. Hemingway did say that he hopes the Gamecocks play the Bulldogs every year, even after the SEC expands to 16 in 2024. But just by omitting the Athens faithful from his list of loudest crowds is apparently enough to stoke the flames.

The two-time defending champs have spoiled their fans lately by dominating the sport. Perhaps this is just the reminder they need that Georgia football still relies on their overwhelming support to play their best.