Hooray, hooray … King Football is back Bulldog fans as toe will finally meet leather at 3 p.m. on Saturday on Dooley Field in Sanford Stadium. Doesn’t the sound of that put chills down your spine in anticipation of seeing the 2026 Dawgs?

Saturday’s opener versus the Tennessee State Tigers is also going to be extra special for Team Bulldawg Illustrated as our longtime, former contributor and great friend Jeff Dantzler will call his inaugural Georgia game as the Voice of the Georgia Bulldogs. We couldn’t let this momentous occasion happen without doing something special for JD and his booth color analyst Jon Stinchcomb.

So as our awesome cartoon cover by Patrick Carlson suggests … “Grab Your Headsets Everyone, JD and Stinch are Coming!”

There is no doubt in my mind that Jeff and Jon are going to be rockstars in the booth and that you will see lots of headsets in Sanford Stadium on Saturday afternoon. Break a leg, gentlemen!

Speaking of rockstars, this BI could be dubbed the Rockstar Edition because of the quality content you are about to read in this issue.

On the sports front, a lot of our BI editorial team are making their football season debut (in this issue) much like JD and Stinch. We welcome Max Champion, Reid Black and Sarah Bagley to the grind of putting out an issue weekly for the next three or so months. They are joined by our 78-year-old sage Greg Poole and third year student interns Will Hearn and Matthew Herren. You are going to love the content these rockstars created for this issue.

On page 12, Max Champion debuts his new MaxMan’s Fast Five. Throughout the season, Max will be interviewing Dawg dignitaries and he was lucky enough to kick it off with Matt Stinchcomb. Of course, Max had to ask Matt if he had any advice for his brother in his new role with the Georgia Bulldogs Radio Network. Enjoy reading all of Matt’s awesome answers or watch the entire interview on BI’s YouTube channel. A huge thank you to Matt for taking the time for the interview.

On page 23, Greg Poole brings his always sharp analysis to a new column called In the Trenches and on the Edges. Each week, Greg’s attention will be set on the line of scrimmage (the big uglies) and out on the edges (the playmakers). This issue, Greg cuts to the chase with his five requirements to win a national championship.

There is a ton more sports coverage in the issue, but I will leave that for you to find yourself. For 24 years, no issue of Bulldawg Illustrated has just contained sports. We pride ourselves that the social side of being a Georgia Bulldog is equally important. And this issue’s Social section beginning on page 29 delivers in rockstar fashion.

In fact, we actually have a real (former) rockstar making his debut in this issue. Athenian Trent Allen, a founding member of the rock band Dreams So Real, brings his writing talent and knack for making quality cocktails to BI. You are going to love Backstage and Behind the Bar – Rockstar Stories and Quality Cocktails (page 40)!

This issue’s MIXTAPE (page 33) is rockstar personified with Athenian Stephen Covington dolling out 20 tracks that will blow your mind. Cov knows music like no one I have ever known. PRO TIP – you must scan Cov’s playlist QR code because it’s not just 25 songs. It’s 13 hours and 51 minutes of listening pleasure. Thanks and nice job Cov!

Wowzers, I have run out of time and space, but know that there is a ton more awesome content including our always popular Georgia Girls: Liz Elchholz (pages 30, 31), Proust Q&A: Dave Johnston (page 54) and fan photos galore starting on page 34.

That’s a wrap … this 2026 football team is going to nasty (in a good way), so grab your headsets and enjoy the rockstar ride. Go Dawgs!!