Nearly identical game-winning kick scenarios played out in the College Football Playoff semifinal between Ohio State and Georgia on Saturday and in Sunday’s Week 17 NFL game between the Falcons and the Cardinals, both of which were played at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta.
Although Buckeyes kicker Noah Ruggles was unable to convert on the final play of the Peach Bowl, Falcons kicker Younghoe Koo was successful, a fact that the Falcons’ social media team decided to highlight on Sunday afternoon. Alongside video of Koo’s 21-yard field goal that gave Atlanta a 20–19 victory, the team tweeted “this is how you make a game-winning field goal at @MBStadium,” which seemed to be a shot at Ruggles.
Not surprisingly, the tweet was met with a fair amount of backlash. Twitter users pointed out that Ruggles’s game-winning attempt was from 50 yards out, whereas Koo’s was a relative chip shot. Not to mention that Ruggles is a college senior, while Koo is a 28-year-old NFL veteran and former Pro Bowler.
The Falcons deleted the controversial post Monday.
Ruggles missed wide left on Ohio State’s final play of the CFP game game, sending Georgia to the national championship game with a 42–41 victory. The defending-champion Bulldogs will take on TCU, which downed Michigan in the Fiesta Bowl earlier on New Year’s Eve.
The Falcons improved to 6–10 on the year but already had been eliminated from playoff contention before Sunday’s game.
