Yes sir, what a difference one week can make in college football as our Dawgs rose to the occasion to send Smokey and Vols back to Knoxville with their tails between their legs.

It had been a long 37 days since Kirby and Company had the opportunity to tee it up on Dooley Field at Sanford Stadium. And boy oh boy, they sure did make the most of it … Georgia 31 Tennessee 17 … How Bout Them Dawgs!

Like many in the Bulldog Nation, I was very concerned going into the game. The amount of injuries and inconsistency was undeniable. Were we to believe that suddenly this team could flip a switch and play like the Georgia football championship team that has spoiled all of us for most of Kirby Smart’s tenure?

Clearly the oddsmakers in Las Vegas thought so as Georgia was favored to beat Tennessee by around 10 points all of last week. What? Did they not see the disappointing outing in Oxford the week before? There is a reason all those fancy hotels and casinos exist in Sin City. The house normally knows what they are doing and they sure were on top of it for the 2024 Georgia-Tennessee meeting.

While I did have my doubts, the scene in Athens this past Saturday certainly gave me hope that this 2024 Georgia team wasn’t ready to succumb to basically being out of the College Football Playoff. ESPN’s College GameDay was on hand in Athens and the Bulldog Nation shined all morning long, which made you know the atmosphere for the night game would be lit. And my goodness, the crushed 33-yard field goal by UGA student Henry Silver certainly made you believe something positive was brewing for all of Bulldog Nation. Well done, Henry, well done! I actually got video (from the goal post) of the kick and I assure you it would have been good from 50 yards.

Obviously the fun and electric fanfare leading up to the game probably had little bearing on the play by our Bulldogs. The dialed in performance instead came from leaders on this 2024 team. That is why our cover for the Tennessee issue had Tate Ratledge (In Tate, We Trust).

Interesting enough during Coach Smart’s Tuesday night presser (last week), a reporter asked Kirby if he had any concerns about the team’s leadership. He was steadfast that guys like Tate, Naz Stackhouse, Carson Beck, Xavier Truss, Dylan Fairchild and Jared Wilson were completely up to the task.

This Saturday’s game versus UMass in Sanford Stadium will also be Military Appreciation Day, which is why our cover “A Few Good Dawgs” has Stackhouse, Beck and Truss. As Kirby said “they’ve been here forever.” So we at Bulldawg Illustrated salute all the veterans on this Georgia football team and all the men and women who serve or have served in our military. Thanks so much to all of you!

This UMass issue of BI is chock-full of fan photos from the Tennessee victory starting on page 24. As I’ve already mentioned above, it was an epic weekend in Athens. And beyond the kudos to our players and coaches, some additional praise must go to all the folks in the UGA athletic department for the amazing new pregame and in-game bells and whistles. Nothing like fireworks piercing above Sanford Stadium every time our Dawgs score. It made an already amazing and ruckus home field advantage completely off the chains … Woof, Woof, Woof!

Also in this issue, enjoy our normal home game Social section features … Georgia Girls – Leigh Ellen Hubbard (pages 22 and 23), MixTape – Sarah Kate Call (page 37) and Proust Q&A – Charlie Fiveash (page 38). All three of them are awesome folks and Dawgs and we appreciate their participation.

Our sports guys get you ready for the UMass game throughout the issue, plus a bonus UGA Hoops Preview beginning on page 41. As Hamilton Culpepper says in the intro, yes UGA loves its football, but there is also an affinity for the play on the hard wood. Both the men and women’s teams need the support of the Bulldog Nation, so make plans soon to help ‘Rock the Steg.’

That’s going to do it for me. Probably like you on this early Sunday evening, the magical weekend that just commenced certainly has me needing some rest. See you back in Sanford on Saturday, Go Dawgs!!