Hooray, hooray, our Bulldogs yet again sent the not-so mighty Gators back to Gainesville with their tails between their legs. That sure was a fun afternoon in Mercedes-Benz Stadium this past Saturday … BOOM!

While the 2026 edition of Georgia-Florida game took place away from Jacksonville (in Atlanta), I’m happy to report that the Golden Isles still possessed ample pageantry that makes the annual clash between the Dawgs and Gators so special. Yes, there weren’t as many UGA students on the St. Simons Island beach on Friday as most years, however Frat Beach was hardly a dud either. Nice job and thanks to those students (and other fans) who made the trek.

There is nothing sweeter than beating Florida, however this will be the final paragraph you will see anything about the orange and blue in this installment. The reason is simple. Next up for our Dawgs are the Ole Miss Rebels in Oxford, Mississippi, who haven’t been kind to Kirby Smart and Bulldog Nation the last two times there.

Two visits to Oxford, two sound defeats (45-16 in 2016 and 28-10 in 2024).

When you mix-in last season’s CFP Quarter-Final Sugar Bowl loss to the Rebels, you now know why this issue of Bulldawg Illustrated doesn’t have a catchy tagline. Beyond Ole Miss having the edge over our Bulldogs of late, they are also sporting the nation’s (amongst Power 4 conferences) longest home winning streak at 16 games.

Bottom line, the Ole Miss Rebels and the Georgia Bulldogs are damn good football teams/programs. They both are led by fearless quarterbacks (with Georgia’s Gunner Stockton and Ole Miss’ Trinidad Chambliss) and are supported by two of the best fanbases in all of college football.

While the oddsmakers in Vegas had our Dawgs right at a 3-point favor in the early lines, I would argue that the game being played at night in Vaught-Hemingway Stadium makes this 2026 contest a toss-up.

So as our cover simply states … ‘On To Oxford!’

Folks, this one is sure to be another classic like last year’s game in Athens and the Sugar Bowl. The team that wins will be the one that takes care of the football best and whose players make the most dynamic plays.

This issue of Bulldawg Illustrated will get you ready for the always fun road trip to Oxford. As I stated earlier, it was a thrill to see that the tradition of the Georgia-Florida game wasn’t lost because the game was played in Atlanta. I’m happy to report that our fan photos (beginning on page 24) represent that tradition with shots of happy Dawg fans on St. Simons, on Frat Beach and in Atlanta. Woof, Woof!

Don’t miss this issue’s Proust Q&A (page 40) featuring Jonathan Nwiloh, who is a fellow Franklin College of Arts & Sciences major as yours truly. However, I think it’s safe to say, his Economics path probably was a tad more rigorous than my History one. And I love that Jonathan gives the videography team @georgiafootball kudos for the stellar work they do in connecting the team to its fanbase.

Finally, our BI sports’ team knocked the ball out of the park breaking down Saturday’s monster match-up. The game and pre-game revelry, like always, are going to be awesome. On to Oxford … see you there … Go Dawgs!!