History of the SEC: Georgia Bulldogs
Although Alabama has the Southeastern Conference market cornered when it comes to winning heritage and an established place in pop culture, the University of Georgia is a worthy compatriot when it comes to elite status, especially when you consider its familiar icons.
We’re talking about names like Herschel Walker, Wally Butts and Pop Warner. It’s “between the hedges” “silver britches” and a famous bulldog name Uga. It’s ringing the chapel bell until midnight following Georgia wins, the historic arch that freshmen were told to avoid walking under, and people yelling out “How ’bout them dawgs?” which caught on nationally after a victory against Notre Dame.
Yep, Athens is the kind of place any college football fan would enjoy on a Saturday afternoon.
Its roots stem back to 1892, when former Georgia student Dr. Charles Herty returned to teach chemistry, and brought with him a new game that he had learned at Johns Hopkins University. With the University’s Glee Club contributing $50 to finance the removal of rocks and the filling of holes on the field, goalposts were erected and on January 30th Georgia hosted and crushed its first opponent, Mercer, 50-0. Despite being just 5-foot-6, 125 pounds, Herty’s nephew Frank was the offensive star of the game, with Georgia’s biggest player center E.W. Frey, at 6 foot 1, 202 pounds.
When Herty convinced his former Johns Hopkins classmate Dr. George Petrie to set up a game with his school, Auburn, the South’s oldest football rivalry was born. Auburn won 10-0.
After graduate student Ernest Brown ran the team in 1893 (2-2-1), Robert Winston became Georgia’s first paid coach and finished 5-1-0. In 1895, Glen Warner was hired to coach the team for $34 a week, which was raised to $40 for his second season after Georgia finished undefeated (4-0). The Cornell graduate was also known as “Pop” Warner, and “The Great Originator” later went on to coach Jim Thorpe at the Carlisle Indian School, in addition to stints at Pittsburgh and Stanford, in compiling 319 career victories.
“You cannot play two kinds of football at once, dirty and good,” Warner said.
According to his bio at the College Football Hall of Fame: “He was the first to coach the dummy-scrimmage; he introduced the practice of numbering plays; he was the first to teach the spiral punt and one of the first to advocate the spiral pass; he was the first to use the football huddle; he invented the double-wing formation, with an unbalanced line for more blocking strength.
“What else did Warner come up with during his illustrious career? How about mousetrap plays, the screen pass, the rolling block, the naked reverse, hidden-ball plays, series plays, the unbalanced line and backfield. All came from Warner’s fertile and imaginative mind.”
Football came exceeding close to being banned in 1897 when during a 17-4 loss to Virginia at Atlanta’s Brisbane Park, Richard Vonalbade Gammon was severely injured and had to be taken by a horse-drawn ambulance to a nearly hospital. After he died the next day, a bill banning the sport passed the state legislature and was on the governor’s desk waiting to be signed into law when a letter from Gammon’s mother arrived, asking for the sport’s pardon.
“It would be inexpressibly sad to have the cause he held so dear injured by his sacrifice,” she wrote. “Grant me the right to request that the boy’s death should not be used to defeat the most cherished object of his life.”
The governor refused to sign the bill and Virginia gave the university a special bronze plaque to commemorate Gammon’s life. Incidentally, the previous week Georgia defeated Georgia Tech for the first time, 28-0.
Beginning with Charles McCarty in 1897, Georgia would have nine more head coaches before Vanderbilt graduate W.A. Cunningham provided both some continuity and success. Led by legendary quarterback George “Kid” Woodruff, Georgia finished 7-1-1 in 1911, with the only loss 17-0 to the coaches’ alma mater. The following year saw a similar result, with the team finishing 6-1-1.
Georgia stumbled against Virginia (13-6) and Auburn (21-7) in 1913, but with the school’s first All-American, halfback Bob McWhorter, it posted a 6-2 record. Following the outbreak of World War I (after a 6-3 season in 1916), Cunningham enlisted in the Army and later came back to coach one final season before re-entering the military. He eventually reached the rank of general. With seven winning seasons, his career record was 43-18-9.
Assistant Herman Stegeman, a University of Chicago graduate who played under Amos Alonzo Stagg (and coached numerous other teams as well), was promoted and during his inaugural season earned Georgia’s first title. The original “Bulldogs” prided themselves on defense, giving up only 17 points and recording seven shutouts to finish 8-0-1 as Southern Conference champions.
Before taking over as athletic director, and eventually dean of male students, Stegeman coached two more seasons, finishing 7-2-1 in 1921 (with the losses to East Coast powers Dartmouth and Harvard) and 5-4-1 the following year. In his stead, Woodruff returned, and because he was also a successful businessman insisted on drawing a yearly salary of just $1. After watching the effectiveness of Notre Dame’s “Box 4” shift offense against Georgia Tech, he brought in three Knute Rockne disciples with Frank Thomas, Harry Mehre and Jim Crowley, all of whom went on to have successful careers as head coaches.
Woodruff’s first year resulted in a 7-3 season, and the 1925 campaign was best remembered for team captain Ralph “Smack” Thompson, an end who would get so emotional that he was known to scream out in his sleep. For example, on the eve of a 3-0 loss to Georgia Tech, he was yelling “Kill the SOB,” referring to standout Doug Wycoff. When the two finally collided on the field, both were knocked unconscious but somehow remained in the game.
“[Ralph 'Smack' Thompson] was absolutely poison. With reckless disregard for life and limb, he plunged into the thick of every play.”
- Morgan Blake of the Atlanta Journal
Woodruff’s last season, 1927, proved to be his best. “The Dream and Wonder Team” gave up only 35 points, averaging just 3.5 per game, and pulled off a 14-10 victory at Yale. Led by All-American ends Tom Nash and Chuck Shiver, it finished 9-1 and scored 248 points for a No. 1 ranking before losing 12-0 to Georgia Tech.
(Note: The Boand and Poling ranking systems both credited Georgia with the national championship, but five other services had Illinois No. 1, with two others opting for Notre Dame and Yale. The Associated Press didn’t select national champions until 1936.)
Mehre took over for Woodruff in 1928 with Catfish Smith and Herb Maffett replacing the ends. Georgia came back to finish 6-4 in 1929 and 7-2-1 in 1930.
That 1929 season included a landmark game for the program, thanks to Dr. Steadman V. Sanford, who founded the Henry W. Grady School of Journalism and was referred to as “the best friend of athletics.” The university president and chancellor was instrumental in the building of the stadium that would carry his name. At a cost of $360,000, it had a seating capacity of 30,000, which at the time was considered quite large. The famous hedges surrounding the playing field, planted at the suggestion of business manager Charlie Martin, were initially only one foot high.
For the dedication game on October 12, 1929, the sophomore-laden Bulldogs hosted Yale, which was making its first trip below the Mason-Dixon Line. Many expected a one-sided contest, and it was, only for the home team. With the stadium exceeding capacity, Smith scored all the points for 15-0 victory. He landed on a blocked punt for one touchdown, caught a pass for another, and when he roughly tackled Albie Booth in the end zone for a safety, Booth yelled, “That kind of stuff doesn’t go around here.” Smith replied, “Neither do you.”
Yale never ventured South again.
During his 10 years (1928-1937 before leaving for Ole Miss), Mehre had eight teams finish with winning records, four of which contended for the conference championship. Not among them was the 1936 squad, which pulled off a 7-7 tie against the “Seven Blocks of Granite” including Vince Lombardi in New York, to knock undefeated Fordham out of the Rose Bowl. With the Georgia Tech essentially established as the regular-season finale, Mehre only lost twice to the intrastate rival and he was the only coach to beat Yale five straight times when it was at its height.
Former Texas A&M standout Joel Hunt was hired away from LSU, but after a 5-4-1 season, left, later coaching at Wyoming before returning to LSU. Instead, he’s more fondly remembered by Georgia fans for hiring the “Little Round Man” as an assistant. Wally Butts wouldn’t leave for 22 years, and Georgia football would never be the same.
By 1941, the program had turned the corner. Despite an early tie to Ole Miss and a 27-14 loss to Alabama, Georgia outscored its last five opponents, including Auburn and Georgia Tech, 129-9, to receive its first bowl bid.
Less than a month after the attack on Pearl Harbor, the Bulldogs lined up against Texas Christian at the Orange Bowl. Despite playing with an oversized chin mask to protect a broken jaw, All-American quarterback Frank Sinkwich passed for 243 yards, ran for 139 and scored four touchdowns. With the defense also making four interceptions, Georgia built up a 40-7 lead in the third quarter before TCU came back for a 40-26 final score.
Butts had one more chance before war dismantled his team, and began the 1942 season by winning nine straight games. Although Georgia lost 27-13 to Auburn, it redeemed itself by routing unbeaten Georgia Tech 34-0 to earn an invitation to the Rose Bowl. With the South’s first Heisman Trophy winner, Sinkwich, limited by two sprained ankles, sophomore Charley Trippi keyed the offense with 115 rushing yards on 27 carries. Tackle Red Boyd blocked a punt though the end zone for a safety and Clyde Ehrhardt’s interception set up Sinkwich’s plunge for the game’s only touchdown. With the 9-0 victory against UCLA, the Bulldogs weren’t just atop the SEC, but national champions as well.
Sinkwich, a single-wing tailback who stood at just 5-foot-10, 185 pounds, but wanted to play fullback, set the SEC record with 2,187 yards of total offense. For his career, “Fireball Frankie” ran for 30 touchdowns, passed for 30 more, and accumulated more than 4,600 yards of total offense. He was best remembered for two images. The first was wearing the mask covering half his face to protect the jaw, broken in a pileup against South Carolina. The other was wearing his Marine Corps uniform to accept the Heisman, and Sinkwich entered the service shortly after playing in the Rose Bowl.
Georgia was one of the few programs to keep playing throughout World War II, finishing 6-4 in 1943 and 7-3 in 1944. Midseason back-to-back losses to Alabama (28-14) and LSU (32-0) spoiled what was an otherwise terrific 9-2 season in 1945, ending with victories against Florida, Auburn and Georgia Tech by a combined scored of 102-0. At the Oil Bowl in Houston, Trippi threw one touchdown pass and returned a punt _ some consider comparable to Billy Cannon’s legendary run for LSU _ 68 yards to score another for a 20-6 victory against Tulsa.
But Trippi was just getting started. As a senior he helped guide the Bulldogs to a perfect regular season, including wins against Alabama (14-0), Auburn (41-0) and Georgia Tech (35-7). Georgia outscored opponents 372-100, with only one opponent able to score more than 14 points. With Trippi never leaving the field and playing the entire 60 minutes, the Bulldogs topped the season with a 20-10 victory against North Carolina, which was led by Charlie Justice. He threw a 67-yard touchdown pass to Dan Edwards and Johnny Rauch ran in two scores. Georgia finished 11-0, but was not the consensus national champion with Notre Dame edging Army for that distinction.
Rauch, who was almost pulled from high school athletics after being diagnosed with a heart murmur, but finished his career as college football’s all-time leading passer with 4,044 yards (Bill Walsh also credited him with inventing the West Coast offense), would help lead Georgia back to two more bowls and win another SEC championship. At the Gator Bowl following the 1947 season, the All-American quarterback completed 12 of 17 passes for 183 yards and led a 13-point fourth-quarterback comeback to tie Maryland 20-20. Joe Geri ran in one touchdown and John Donaldson caught the other, but the Bulldogs ran out of time.
After finishing the 1948 regular season 9-1, with the only loss to non-conference North Carolina, 21-14, Georgia was invited to play Miami in the Orange Bowl. Although Rauch completed 11 of 17 passes for 161 yards and one touchdown, and Geri ran in two scores, the hometown Hurricanes before a record 60,523 fans.
After the 21-13 home win against Georgia Tech, it would be eight long years before the Bulldogs managed to defeat the Yellow Jackets again, a streak lasting through 1956. Butts had only three winning seasons during that span, including 1950 (6-3-3). The Bulldogs played in the first and only Presidential Cup in College Park, Maryland., but despite Zippy Morocco (who later set the SEC’s all-time basketball scoring record) scoring two touchdowns, Georgia lost to Texas A&M, 40-20.
Butts didn’t return to a bowl game until 1959, which would also be his last one. Led by the “Peerless Pilot,” quarterback Francis Tarkenton, who went on to have an illustrious career with the Minnesota Vikings, Georgia opened with a 17-3 victory against Alabama and won all three rivalry games for a 9-1 record.
At the Orange Bowl, Tarkenton led touchdowns drives of 71 and 62 yards as the Bulldogs defeated Maryland 14-0 for a No. 5 final ranking.
“Leadership must be demonstrated, not announced,” Tarkenton was known for saying. He also was credited with: “Beware of the big plays. They eighty-yard drive is better than the eight-yard pass.”
After Butts resigned in 1960, his former freshman coach, Johnny Griffin, who had played on the 1946 team, returned, but had little success. Griffin pulled out a 30-21 victory at Auburn in 1962, but went 1-8 against Auburn, Florida and Georgia Tech, and resigned following the 1963 season. He was replaced by the man who for decades was known as most successful coach in Georgia history.
When Vince Dooley was hired at the age of 31, athletic director Joel Evans told him it was with the sole pose of bringing the Bulldogs back to respectability. He did that and much more. When Dooley left the sideline in 1988 to become the full-time athletic director, his list of accomplishments included one national title, six SEC championships and 20 bowl games.
During his first season, Dooley had two quarterbacks who were as different as chalk from cheese. While Lynn Hughes’ precise approach was similar to a Marine ordered to “present arms,” Preston Ridlehuber was all improvisation.
“Preston didn’t know what he was doing, we didn’t know what he was doing, but the thing is that the opponents didn’t know what he was doing,” Dooley said. “What we all knew was that he would compete.”
The contrast helped Georgia finish 7-3-1 and play Texas Tech in the Sun Bowl. Although the Red Raiders had led the Southwest Conference with almost 300 offensive yards per game, the Bulldogs limited them to just 128. Ridlehuber’s 52-yard pass to Fred Barber set up the only touchdown for a 7-0 final.
The School
Location: Athens, Ga.
Founded: 1785.
Enrollment: 43,146.
Nickname: Bulldogs.
Colors: Red and black.
Mascot: Uga.
Stadium: Sanford Stadium (93,033).
Maybe the biggest break Georgia ever had in a game occurred on September 18, 1965, when defending national champion Alabama was leading 17-10 in Athens. With 2:08 remaining, a flea-flicker going from Kirby Moore to Pat Hodgson to Bob Taylor — with Alabama arguing that Hodgson’s knee was down before he let go of the ball (and supported by the game film) — resulting in a 73-yard touchdown. With the two-point conversion the Bulldogs pulled off an 18-17 upset.
“You don’t win the games in the movies,” said Crimson Tide coach Paul “Bear” Bryant, who despite the setback went on to win his second straight national title.
Hughes eventually moved to safety, where his quarterback knowledge proved to be crucial against Florida in 1966. Picking up on a tackle-eligible formation he intercepted what could have been a 39-yard game-winning touchdown by Heisman Trophy winner Steve Spurrier.
When Georgia defeated Auburn (21-13) and Georgia Tech (23-14), it was 9-1 and headed to the Cotton Bowl to play Southern Methodist. But even after a 24-9 victory, in which Kent Lawrence rushed for 149 yards on 16 carries, it couldn’t overcome the midseason 7-6 loss at Miami in the polls, and finished No. 4.
With rambunctious safety Jake Scott, who went on to be MVP of Super Bowl VII, keying the defense, Georgia (7-3) was invited to play in the 1967 Liberty Bowl. Future Bulldogs coach Jim Doonan led North Carolina State on two touchdown drives, but when Lawrence was stopped inches short of end zone, it not only stonewalled a 98-yard drive, but also preserved the Wolfpack’s 14-7 victory.
The 1968 season began with a 17-17 tie at Tennessee, but no opponent would score more than 20 points against the defense, which featured All-American tackle Bill Stanfill. After winning all three rivalry games against Florida (51-0), Auburn (17-3) and Georgia Tech (47-8), the Bulldogs were 8-0-2 and ranked fourth. But eight turnovers, including one through the end zone, helped Arkansas pull off a 16-2 upset in the Sugar Bowl. Although Georgia was ranked No. 1 by Litkenhous (a difference-by-score formula developed by Edward E. Litkenhous, a professor of chemical engineering at Vanderbilt, and his brother, Frank) Ohio State was the consensus national champion. The Associated Press ranked Georgia eighth.
The Bulldogs advanced to the 1969 Sun Bowl, but a 45-6 rout by Nebraska resulted in a 5-5-1 season. In 1971, when tailback Horace King became was the first black player to sign with Georgia, with Chuck Kinnebrew, Clarence Pope, Larry West and Richard Appleby quickly joining him, a nine-game winning streak had Georgia back atop the standings. Auburn ended the title hopes with a 35-20 victory, yet a 28-24 win against Georgia Tech retuned the Bulldogs to the Gator Bowl. Sophomore quarterback Andy Johnson had led the offense, , but against North Carolina, with Dooley coaching against his brother Bill, it was Jimmy Poulos (161 rushing yards on 20 carries) and defensive lineman Dennis Watson who were the difference in the 7-3 victory.
From 1973 to 1975, Georgia played in bowl games, but found the SEC championship to be elusive. It won a thrilling Peach Bowl against Maryland, 17-16, to finish 7-4-1 in 1973. The following year it lost 21-10 to Miami (Ohio) in the Tangerine Bowl, and in 1975 only a 28-13 loss at Ole Miss kept Georgia from winning the conference title. At the Cotton Bowl, Glenn Harrison returned the opening kickoff to the Arkansas 4 to set up a field goal, and Gene Washington caught a 21-yard touchdown pass, but from then on the Razorbacks dominated for 31-10 victory.
Despite another loss to Ole Miss in 1976, Georgia come back to win its first SEC championship in eight years, with Dooley keeping a promise to his players to shave his head in praise of his hairless defensive coordinator Erik Russell. The Bulldogs shut out four opponents, including Alabama and Auburn, and at 10-1 was paired against No. 1 Pittsburgh in the Sugar Bowl. Heisman Trophy winner Tony Dorsett ran for 202 yards on 32 carries and Matt Cavanaugh passed for 192 as the Panthers proved worthy of their ranking with a 27-3 victory to secure the national championship.
Georgia lost to all three rivals in 1977 to finish 5-6, but the following year the games were as close as ever. After beating Florida (24-22), and tying Auburn (22-22), the Bulldogs were down 20-0 against Georgia Tech when true freshman quarterback Buck Belue entered the game and led the team back to take a 21-20 lead. Not to be outdone, Drew Hill returned a kickoff 101 yards and Tech converted a two-point conversion, only to see Belue drive the offense 84 yards, with a 43-yard touchdown pass to Amp Arnold followed by a Belue to Arnold conversion to secure a 29-28 victory. Despite out-gaining Stanford 525 yards to 317, six lost turnovers resulted in a 25-22 defeat in the Bluebonnet Bowl and 9-2-1 finish.
In 1980, Auburn tempted Dooley by offering to bring him home to direct his alma matter, but after mulling it over, he said no thanks … and would be immensely rewarded.
“The overriding factor was I had too much invested here,” Dooley said. “I wouldn’t leave. This has been my home for 17 years. I’m a Bulldog and proud to be one.”
During the season opener at Tennessee, Georgia had Walker listed as the third-string tailback as a freshman. When the Volunteers built up a 15-0 lead, he came off the bench and never went back. Walker ran over future Dallas Cowboys Pro Bowl defensive back Bill Bates on one touchdown and scored another to lead a 16-15 comeback. He went on to have four 200-yard rushing performances that season alone, and with 1,616 yards finished third in the Heisman voting (which had never been won by a freshman. The first didn't happen until 2012).
“I thought he would be great, but I didn’t think he’d be that great that soon,” Dooley said about Walker.
After defeating South Carolina (13-10), Georgia found itself No. 2, but the season was nearly derailed by Florida. Down by one point with 1:03 remaining, the Bulldogs had the ball on their own 7-yard line when Belue’s pass to Lindsay Scott resulted in a 93-yard touchdown, securing both their and the team’s place in Georgia history. Making the play possible was a block by right tackle Nat Hudson, who came of his initial assignment at the line of scrimmage to force a Florida defender past the pocket.
The rivalry games swept, undefeated Georgia faced No. 7 Notre Dame, which had an outstanding defense, in the Sugar Bowl. With President Jimmy Carter looking on, the Bulldogs’ defense, which featured All-American cornerback Scott Woerner, was equal to the task. Two fumbles, recovered by seniors Bob Kelly and Chris Welton, set up Walker touchdowns, and Terry Hoage blocked a field-goal attempt.
“You’ve got to do everything well, but you’ve got to play defense first,” Dooley said.
The Program
National Championships (4): 1942, 1980, 2021, 2022
The “Other” Three: Georgia was voted No. 1 in various polls in 1927, 1946 and 1968.
SEC Championships (15): 1942, 1946, 1948, 1959, 1966, 1968, 1976, 1980, 1981, 1982, 2002, 2005, 2017, 2022, 2024
Bowl appearances: 56 (33-20-3).
First season: 1892.
College Football Hall of Fame (19): Kevin Butler, 1981-84, kicker, inducted 2001; Wally Butts, 1939-60, coach, 1997; Jim Donnan, 1996-2000, 2009; Vince Dooley, 1964-88, coach, 1994; Bill Hartman, 1935-37, fullback, 1984; Terry Hoage, 1980-83, safety, 2000; Bob McWhorter, 1910-13, halfback, 1954; David Pollack, 2001-04, defensive end, 2012; John Rauch, 1945-48, quarterback, 2003; Mark Richt, 2001-15. coach, 2023; Jake Scott, 1966-68, safety, 2011; Frank Sinkwich, 1940-42, halfback, 2002; Vernon Smith, 1929-31, end, 1979; Bill Stanfill, 1966-68, defensive tackle, 1998; Matt Stinchcomb, 1995-98, tackle, 2018; Fran Tarkenton, 1958-60, quarterback, 1987; Charley Trippi, 1942, 1945-46, halfback, 1959; Herschel Walker, 1980-82, running back, 1999; Pop Warner, 1895-96, coach, 1951.
Heisman Winners (2): Frank Sinkwich, halfback, 1942; Herschel Walker, running back, 1982.
National Honors: Charley Trippi, 1946 Maxwell Award (outstanding player); 1968 Bill Stanfill, Outland Trophy (outstanding interior lineman); Herschel Walker, 1982 Maxwell Award; Garrison Hearst, 1992, Doak Walker Award (best running back among Division IA juniors or seniors); Champ Bailey, 1998 Mike Fox/Bronko Nagurski Award (top defensive player); David Pollack, 2003 Ted Hendricks Award (top defensive end), 2004 Vince Lombardi/Rotary Award (outstanding lineman), Chuck Bednarik Award (top defensive player), Ted Hendricks Award, and Lott Trophy (athletic performance and character); Drew Butler, 2009 Ray Guy Award (best punter); Brandon Boykin, 2011, Paul Hornung Award (most versatile player); Roquan Smith, 2017 Butkus Award (top linebacker); Deandre Baker, 2018 Jim Thorpe Award (best defensive back); Rodrigo Blackenship, 2019 Lou Groza Award (best kicker); Jordan Davis, 2021 Bednarik Award, Outland Trophy; Nakobe Dean, 2021 Butkus Award); Brock Bowers, 2022, 2023 John Mackey Award (best tight end); Stetson Bennett, 2022 Burlsworth Trophy (best walk-on); 2022 Manning Award (best quarterback including bowls); Ladd MConkey, 2023 Wuerffel Trophy (community service); Jalon Walker, 2024 Butkus Award.
Consensus First-Team All-Americans (*unanimous): 1927 Tom Nash, E;
1931 Vernon Smith, E; 1941 Frank Sinkwich, B; 1942 * Frank Sinkwich, B; 1946 * Charley Trippi, B; 1967 Ed Chandler, T; 1968 Jake Scott, DB; Bill Stanfill, DT; 1971 * Royce Smith, G; 1975 Randy Johnson, G; 1976 Joel Parrish, G; 1980 * Herschel Walker, RB; 1981 * Herschel Walker, RB; 1982 Terry Hoage, DB; * Herschel Walker, RB; 1983 Terry Hoage, DB; 1984 Kevin Butler, PK; Jeff Sanchez, DB; 1985 Pete Anderson, C; 1988 Tim Worley, RB; 1992 * Garrison Hearst, RB; 1998 Champ Bailey, DB; Matt Stinchcomb, OL;
2002 David Pollack, DL; 2004 Thomas Davis, DB; David Pollack, DL; 2005 Greg Blue, DB; Max Jean-Gilles, OL2009; * Drew Butler, P; 2011 Jarvis Jones, LB; 2012 * Jarvis Jones, LB; 2017 * Roquan Smith, LB;
2018 Deandre Baker, DB; 2019 J.R. Reed, DB * Andrew Thomas, OL;
2021 * Jordan Davis, DL * Nakobe Dean, LB; 2022 * Jalen Carter, DL *; Christopher Smith, DB; 2023 * Brock Bowers, TE; Malaki Starks, DB;
First-Team Academic All-Americans (CoSIDA): Francis Tarkenton, QB, 1960; Bob Etter, K, 1965-66; Lynn Hughes, DB, 1966; Bill Stanfill, DT, 1968; Tom Nash, T, 1971; Mixon Robinson, DE, 1971; Jeff Lewis, LB, 1978; Terry Hoage, DB, 1982-83; Todd Peterson, K, 1992; Matt Stinchcomb, OL, 1997-98; Jon Stinchcomb, OL, 2001-02; 2010 Drew Butler, P; 2011 Drew Butler, P
2013 Aaron Murray, QB; 2019 Rodrigo Blankenship, PK; 2022 Brock Bowers, TE
First-round NFL draftees: 51
Retired Jerseys: 21 Frank Sinkwich; 34 Herschel Walker; 40 Theron Sapp; 62 Charley Trippi.
Even though Belue completed only one pass, Walker had 150 rushing yards on 36 carries and Georgia won the national championship with the 17-10 victory.
“When you talk about playing as a team, that was the team,” Walker said. “It was unbelievable. I don’t know that any team ever played better together than that one. Coach Dooley and the seniors on that team made us believe in each other. We didn’t beat people because we were more talented, we beat people because we played together. We won as a team.”
Walker was able to lead the Bulldogs to two more SEC titles. After an early season 13-3 loss to Clemson, Georgia ran the table to set up another Sugar Bowl showdown with Pittsburgh and national championship hopes again at stake. But after five lead changes, quarterback Dan Marino connected with tight end John Brown on a fourth-down 33-yard touchdown pass with 35 seconds remaining to give the Panthers a 24-20 victory. At 10-2, Georgia finished No. 6, with Clemson claiming the national title. Walker, who had two touchdowns in the bowl game, finished second in Heisman voting as a sophomore.
“Herschel had world-class speed and strength. I’ve seen others who had both of those, but he also had mental toughness and self-discipline,” Dooley said. “I’ve never seen another back combine those qualities like he did.”
After opening the 1982 season with a 13-7 victory against Clemson, Georgia was ready for another run at the national championship, and after defeating Florida 44-0 promoted to No. 1. All that stood in the Bulldogs’ way was No. 2 Penn State (10-1) at the Sugar Bowl. After spotting the Nittany Lions a 20-3 lead in the second quarter, the Bulldogs came back, only to see Gregg Garity make a diving catch for a 47-yard touchdown from Todd Blackledge to seal a 27-23 victory and the national title.
After rewriting the Georgia record book, and winning the Heisman Trophy as a junior, Walker left to play for the New Jersey Generals of the United States Football League, having experienced only three losses in a Bulldogs uniform.
“I shouldn’t get the credit for all those records at Georgia,” Walker said. “I had an extremely good offensive line for three years. A lot of these runs I had were due to excellent blocking.”
Another popular Walker quote was: “I never got tired of running. The ball ain’t that heavy.”
Without Walker, most expected a severe drop-off, especially since the Bulldogs had question marks at both quarterback and tailback. Instead, Georgia surprised practically everyone by piecing together a 9-1-1 regular season. Paired against undefeated No. 2 Texas in the Cotton Bowl, the Bulldogs played just like their nickname indicated, and when the Longhorns fumbled a punt recovered by Gary Moss in the fourth quarter, Georgia took advantage by scoring a touchdown for a 10-9 victory. It finished the year ranked fourth.
Over the next five years, Dooley’s teams were always near the top of the standings, but could never seemingly get over a crucial hump.
The 1984 season resulted in a 7-4-1 record, but the season was marred by losses in all three rivalry games. Against Florida State in the Citrus Bowl, All-American kicker Kevin Butler’s 70-yard attempt at time expired fell just short, resulting in a 17-17 tie. The 1985 Sun Bowl also resulted in a tie, 13-13 to Arizona, after both teams missed potentially game-winning field goals. Georgia finished 7-3-2.
The Bulldogs lost to Florida, 31-19, in 1986, but came back to beat both Auburn (20-16) and Georgia Tech (31-24) to play Boston College in the Hall of Fame Bowl. After Georgia rebounded from a 13-point halftime deficit, with a 5-yard run by quarterback James Jackson giving the Bulldogs the lead, the Golden Eagles scored on a 5-yard touchdown pass with 32 seconds remaining to pull out a 27-24 victory.
Dooley’s final two seasons had identical 9-3 records (with losses to Auburn in both), but with bowl wins. In 1987, freshman kicker John Kasay’s 39-yard field goal as time expired gave Georgia a 20-17 victory against Arkansas in the Liberty Bowl. With Wayne Johnson passing for a career-high 227 yards and three touchdowns, the Bulldogs sent the coach off with a 34-27 victory against Michigan State in the Gator Bowl.
Former Georgia quarterback Ray Goff replaced Dooley for his first head coaching job, and in eight years led the Bulldogs to four bowls. The first came during his inaugural season, with the Bulldogs paired against Syracuse in the Peach Bowl, and in what had become typical Georgia fashion it was decided by a field goal. The Bulldogs couldn’t reach the end zone after linebacker Mo Lewis’ 77-yard interception return in the second quarter, and in the fourth quarter the Orangemen were better able to move the ball, with John Biskup’s 26-yard field goal with 25 seconds remaining giving Syracuse a 19-18 victory.
Despite an early loss to Alabama and an upset at Vanderbilt, the 1991 team still won eight games during the regular season, including Auburn (37-27) and Georgia Tech (18-15). Against Arkansas in the Independence Bowl, a 14-15 victory, Eric Zeier threw touchdown passes to Andre Hastings and Arthur Marshall, and the defensive was led by the linebacker Torrey Evans.
The 1992 season would be even better. Although Georgia lost an early game to Tennessee (34-31) and was edged by Florida (26-24), at 9-2 it drew Ohio State in the Citrus Bowl. Running back Garrison Hearst accumulated 163 rushing yards on 28 carries and scored two touchdowns, and Zeier passed for 242 yards. Both quarterbacks had costly fumbles, but following Kirk Herbstreit’s miscue the Bulldogs drive 80 yards to score the winning touchdown for a 21-14 victory. For the first time in a decade, Georgia finished ranked in the Top 10 at No. 8.
Zeier broke most of Georgia’s passing records, but wasn’t able to get the Bulldogs back to a bowl game during his junior and senior seasons. In 1995, six wins returned Georgia to the Peach Bowl, where Hines Ward completed 31 of 59 passes for 413 yards. However, two first-quarter interceptions and a blocked punt gave Virginia a 14-0 lead, and after Georgia defensive tackle Jason Ferguson recovered a fumble and returned it 10 yards for a touchdown with 1:09 remaining, Demetrius Allen returned the kickoff 83 yards for a touchdown and 34-27 victory.
In 1996, Georgia hired Donnan, fresh of his winning 64 games over six seasons at Marshall. While his teams generally had little trouble scoring, the defense could be a bit vulnerable. For example, during in his second season, Donnan’s team averaged just under 40 points per game in its first four games, but then lost 38-13 at Tennessee. A 45-34 defeat to Auburn would be the Bulldogs’ only other setback, resulting in a postseason matchup against Wisconsin in the Outback Bowl. Ditching the traditional silver britches for black pants, quarterback Mike Bobo completed 26 of 28 passes, including 19 consecutive attempts, for 235 yards, and running back Robert Edwards scored three touchdowns in the 33-6 victory.
“Mike was on fire,” Donnan said.
The Coaches
Dr. Charles Henry, 1892, 1-1; Ernest Brown, 1893, 2-2-1; Robert Winston, 1894, 5-1; Glenn “Pop” Warner 1895-96, 7-4; Charles McCarthy, 1897-98, 6-4; Gordon Saussy, 1899, 2-3-1; E.E. Jones, 1900, 2-4; Billy Reynolds, 1901-02, 5-7-3; M.M. Dickinson, 1903, 1905, 4-9; Charles Barnard, 1904, 1-5; W.S. Whitney, 1906-07, 6-72; Branch Bocock, 1908, 5-2-1; J.Coulter/Frank Dobson, 1909, 1-4-2; W.A. Cunningham, 1910-19, 43-18-9; H.J. Stegeman, 1920-22, 20-6-3; George (Kid) Woodruff, 1923-27, 30-16-1; Harry Mehre, 1928-37, 59-34-6; Joel Hunt, 1938, 5-4-1; Wallace Butts, 1939-60, 140-86-9; Johnny Griffith, 1961-63, 10-16-4; Vince Dooley, 1964-88, 201-77-10; Ray Goff, 1989-95, 46-34-1; Jim Doonan, 1996-2000, 40-19; Mark Richt, 2001-015, 145-51; Kirby Smart. 2016-present, 105-19
National Coach of the Year: Vince Dooley 1980; Kirby Smart 2017.
SEC Coach of the Year, AP: Wally Butts 1946; Vince Dooley 1966, 1968, 1976, 1980; Mark Richt 2002, 2005, Kirby Smart 2017, 2021, 2022. Coaches: Wally Butts 1942, 1946, 1959; Vince Dooley 1966, 1968, 1976, 1978, 1980; Jim Donnan 1997; Mark Richt 2002, 2005; Kirby Smart 2017. 2021, 2022.
SEC Championships: Vince Dooley 6, Wally Butts 4, Kirby Smart 3, Mark Richt 2.
National Championships: Kirby Smart 2, Wally Butts 1, Vince Dooley 1.
In 1998, the Bulldogs couldn’t complete the sweep against their rivals, losing 21-19 to Georgia Tech, but with eight wins headed to the Peach Bowl. After freshman Quincy Carter had three passes intercepted, Georgia trailed 21-0 in the second quarter, only to rally back. Carter threw for 222 yards and two touchdowns, including a 14-yard score by Champ Bailey, and senior running back Olandis Gary accumulated 110 rushing yards on 19 carries and two touchdowns for a 35-33 victory against Virginia.
Following another loss to Georgia Tech in 1999, 51-48, the Bulldogs played Purdue in the Outback Bowl and again came back from a big deficit. Down 25-0 in the second quarter, with Drew Brees completing four touchdown passes but the Boilermakers missing three extra-point attempts, Georgia scored 28 unanswered points and won 28-25 in overtime on Hap Hines’ 21-yard field goal.
In 2000, Donnan gave the quote that would doom him, by saying he had “waited 50 years” to coach a team this talent. When he was swept in the rivalry games, and lost to Georgia Tech for the fourth straight year, 27-15, the coach was fired, but allowed to take the team to the 2000 Jeep O’Ahu Bowl against Virginia. This time, with sophomore receiver Terrence Edwards totaling 97 rushing yards and 39 receiving yards, the Bulldogs jumped out to a 17-0 lead they never relinquished, for a 37-14 victory. Donnan finished 40-19 in five seasons.
Two days later Mark Richt, who had served on the staff at Florida State for 15 years, seven as offensive coordinator, was introduced as Georgia’s 25th head coach. In addition to coaching Heisman Trophy quarterbacks Charlie Ward and Chris Weinke, he himself had been an outstanding quarterback prospect at Miami under Howard Schnellenberger.
“I figured I’d start my first year, be an All-American my second year, win the Heisman Trophy my third year, and then go pro after that,” Richt said.
Instead, he spent most of his college playing career backing up future NFL Hall of Fame quarterback Jim Kelly, and during one season his teammates included Vinny Testaverde and Bernie Kosar, and quarterbacks coach Earl Morral. But Schnellenberger noted that Richt “was more intellectual than the other quarterbacks.”
“Mark could have gone to probably 102 other colleges in the country and gotten more playing time than he did at Miami,” he said.
The coach who liked to say “Finish the drill” didn’t make the mistake of losing to Georgia Tech during his first season, and with eight wins the Bulldogs played Boston College in the Music City Bowl. Running back Vernon Hayes concluded his career with 132 yards on 27 carries, but Boston College’s William Green was just a touch better with 149 yards and a fourth-quarter touchdown to guide a 20-16 victory. Though David Greene passed for 288 yards, four turnovers proved too much to overcome.
But the groundwork had been set, and in 2002, the Bulldogs responded to a preseason No. 8 ranking by defeating their first eight opponents, including Clemson (31-28), Alabama (27-25) and Tennessee (18-13). With only one loss, 20-13 to Florida, Georgia advanced to play in its first SEC Championship Game, where it dominated Arkansas 30-3 to win its first conference title in 20 years.
As part of the Bowl Championship Series, Richt had to face his previous team, Florida State, at the Sugar Bowl. Musa Smith rushed for 145 yards, cornerback Bruce Thomas returned an interception 71 yards for a touchdown, and Billy Bennett kicked four field goals as the Bulldogs won 26-13.
“To beat Florida State is a great feeling, since I have a great respect for the Florida State program,” Richt said. “I’m so proud of these kids. They deserve to go out like this.”
Instead of an ending, many thought it was just another beginning for Richt and the Bulldogs, who finished the 2002 season 13-1 and ranked third. Georgia went back to the SEC Championship Game in 2003 and won it in 2005 to again become known as a perennial Top 10 program.
But Richt couldn't get the Bulldogs closer to another national title. Even though Georgia never finished lower than third in the SEC East, and went 145–51 over 15 seasons, he was dismissed with a 9-3 record in 2015, riding a four-game winning streak. Under him, the Bulldogs were perennial contenders, yet couldn't get past Florida with Urban Meyer, and Alabama Nick Saban. Their best finish was No. 2 in 2007, going 11-2 and missing out on the conference and national title games, and taking care of business against overmatched Hawai'i in the Sugar Bowl, 41-10.
Instead, Georgia went with the popular strategy of "If you can't beat them ... hire them," and called former player Kirby Smart back to Athens. Nick Saban's right-hand man as defensive coordinator at Alabama was named the program's 26th head coach on December 6, 2015. Not only did he bring along Saban's "Process," and incredibly successful recruiting plan, but numerous staffers from the Crimson Tide. Some joked it had become Tuscaloosa East, however no one was laughing about the Bulldogs' subsequent success.
Records
Rushing yards, game: 283, Herschel Walker vs. Vanderbilt, Oct. 18. 1990 (23 carries).
Rushing yards, season: 1,891, Herschel Walker, 1981 (385 carries).
Rushing yards, career: 5,259, Herschel Walker, 1980-82 (994 carries).
Passing yards, game: 544, Eric Zeier vs. Southern Miss, Oct. 9, 1993 (30 of 47).
Passing yards, season: 4,127, Stetson Bennett, 2022 (310 of 454).
Passing yards, career: 13,166, Aaron Murray, 2010-13 (921 of 1,478).
Receiving yards, game: 205, Tavarres King vs. Michigan State, Outback Bowl., Jan. 2, 2012 (six receptions).
Receiving yards, season: 1,004, Terrence Edwards, 2002 (59 receptions).
Receiving yards, career: 3,093, Terrence Edwards, 1999-2002 (204 receptions).
Points, game: 30, Robert Edwards vs. South Carolina, Sept. 2, 1995 (five touchdowns); 30 Washaun Ealey vs. Kentucky, Oct. 23, 2010 (five touchdowns)
Points, season: 151, Jack Podlesny, 2022 (26 field goals, 73 PATs).
Points, career: 440, Rodrigo Blankenship, 2016-19 (80 field goals, 200 PATs)
During his second season, 2017, Georgia won its first SEC title since 2005, and avenged its only regular-season loss by defeating Auburn 28-7. Seeded third in the four-team College Football Playoff, it won a wild semifinal in the Rose Bowl against Oklahoma, 54-48, to set up a showdown against his former boss and mentor, Saban, and Alabama in the National Championship Game in Atlanta.
Georgia dominated the first half, building a 13-0 lead, when Saban turned to freshman Tua Tagovailoa off the bench to try and spark the offense. He did, and Alabama pulled even at 20-20, causing the game to go to overtime. The Bulldogs scored first on a 51-yard field goal by Rodrigo Blankenship and appeared to be on the verge of victory when Tagovailoa took a brutal sack on the Crimson Tide's first play. However, on second-and-26 he connected with freshman DeVonta Smith for a 41-yard jaw-dropping touchdown.
A year later, Smart took another shot to the gut from Alabama, this time in the SEC Championship Game. This time the Bulldogs were up 28-21 with 11 minutes remaining when Jalen Hurts, who had been pulled in the previous meeting, replaced an injured Tagovailoa and led two touchdown drives for a 35-28 victory.
Round three in 2021 looked like it would be more of the same after No. 1 Georgia ran the table and entered the SEC Championship Game a perfect 12-0, only to get thumped by Alabama 41-21. But this time the Bulldogs proved to be more resolute. After dispatching Michigan in the Orange Bowl, 34-11, they got another shot at the Crimson Tide, which limped into the title game in Indianapolis.
With an edge of 140-30 in rushing yards, Georgia wore Alabama down. Stetson Bennett had two touchdown passes in the fourth quarter, to Brock Bowers and Adonai Mitchell, and Kelee Ringo iced the 33-18 victory with his 79-yard interception return for a touchdown.
Georgia came back went undefeated in 2022, beating LSU 50-30 in the SEC Championship Game to be the top-seeded team in the College Football Playoff. It won another semifinal shootout, 42-41 over Ohio State in the Peach Bowl, and destroyed Texas Christian for the national title, 65-7. Bennett, who had originally been a walk-on and had to leave for a while and earn his way back from a junior college, had the first 4,000-yard passing season in program history.
"He's meant a lot to me personally, because of what he's gone through, what he's put up with from the outside noise," Smart said about Bennett. "But to this university, for a kid that was told he wasn't good enough, to come back and win two national championships, he's really phenomenal."
This is the ninth part of an extended series about the history of SEC football. Some of the material was used in the book "Where Football is King," by Christopher Walsh. For more, check out Georgia Bulldogs On SI.
Passion, Tradition and Pride: Why the SEC says 'It Just Means More'
Conference of Champions? SEC Covets Title, Reputation
The History of the Southeastern Conference
Auburn Tigers
LSU Tigers
Ole Miss Rebels
South Carolina Gamecocks
Vanderbilt Commodores
Three Things That Stand Out About Georgia Football
1. Uga
Although Georgia’s first mascot was a goat, the English bulldog with the spiked collar may be the most recognized mascot in all of college sports. Uga has appeared on the cover of Sports Illustrated, had a cameo in the movie “Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil,” and traveled with Herschel Walker to the Downtown Athletic Club in New York for the Heisman Trophy presentation. The former Ugas are buried near the south stands of the football stadium and flowers are placed on their graves before each game. “Uga is the best mascot a team could have,” receiver Clarence Kay said. “He’ll lay on you. He’ll lick on you. Give him a bone and he’ll love you for life.”
2. “Between the Hedges”
Many schools have shrubbery surrounding the football field, but legendary sportswriter Grantland Rice is credited with the popular term specific to Georgia. Sanford Stadium originally seated 30,000 when it opened some 75 years ago. The current capacity is 93,003
3. “Go you silver britches:”
Coach Wally Butts introduced them in 1939. Vince Dooley changed them to white, but when he switched back in 1980 the Bulldogs won the national title. The silver britches are still part of the Georgia tradition and stand out from the rest of the SEC.
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Christopher Walsh is the founder and publisher of Alabama Crimson Tide On SI, which first published as BamaCentral in 2018, and is also the publisher of the Boston College, Missouri and Vanderbilt sites . He's covered the Crimson Tide since 2004 and is the author of 27 books including “100 Things Crimson Tide Fans Should Know and Do Before They Die” and “Nick Saban vs. College Football.” He's an eight-time honoree of Football Writers Association of America awards and three-time winner of the Herby Kirby Memorial Award, the Alabama Sports Writers Association’s highest writing honor for story of the year. In 2022, he was named one of the 50 Legends of the ASWA. Previous beats include the Green Bay Packers, Arizona Cardinals and Tampa Bay Buccaneers, along with Major League Baseball’s Arizona Diamondbacks. Originally from Minnesota and a graduate of the University of New Hampshire, he currently resides in Tuscaloosa.