The year is 2001. Mark Richt is in his first season with the Bulldogs as his team travels to Knoxville for a game against Coach Fulmer and No. 6 Tennessee. The Volunteers took a 14-3 lead in the first quarter, but David Greene found Verron Haynes for a game-winning touchdown in the final seconds to stun a packed Neyland Stadium. The great Larry Munson describes the play as a “Hobnail Boot” when the Dawgs “crushed their face” in victory. Though I was not born when Munson made that call, it ran through my mind as I was leaving Neyland Stadium following Georgia’s comeback win over the Vols.

Tennessee stormed out to a 21-7 lead, and it seemed like it would just be one of those days where the Dawgs just did not bring their A game. But like we’ve seen so many times during the Kirby Smart era, Georgia kept fighting and found itself in a tie game with just seconds left on the clock. As Tennessee’s kicker Max Gilbert lined up for a 43-yard field goal to win the game, it felt like Georgia would be the next victim of a walk-off field goal under the Neyland lights. When the kick drifted away from the goal posts, the Georgia sideline and fans erupted, and it just seemed like all the momentum had shifted in an instant. After the Vols had to settle for a field goal in OT, Nate Frazier’s 21-yard run set up a game-winning touchdown from transfer Josh McCray to extend Georgia’s winning streak over Tennessee to nine.

Gunner Stockton proved to the nation that he is one of the most talented quarterbacks in college football, throwing for over 300 yards and two touchdowns in his first career SEC road start.

After a much-needed bye week, Georgia welcomes to Athens the team that has been their arch nemesis for many years, the Alabama Crimson Tide. Though Coach Smart beat Saban and the Tide to bring home Georgia’s first national title since 1980, he has a 1-6 record against Alabama as a head coach. With the days of Saban’s dominance over college football being only a memory, it’s time for Georgia to take down the Tide with authority.

Georgia has been one of the most consistent and successful programs during Smart’s tenure, winning two national titles and three SEC championships. But when you look back over the years, Georgia could have more titles to their name if Alabama didn’t break the hearts of Bulldog Nation time after time. It seemed like every year, Alabama would roll into Atlanta after a statement win over Auburn and defeat Georgia, dropping the Bulldogs outside the top four playoff spots. For the first time since 2015, Georgia faces Alabama in Athens. The Bulldogs could be on their way to having a special season, but once again the question remains if they can finally throttle the Tide from Tuscaloosa?

Hot Take of the Week:

Alabama wide receiver Ryan Williams broke away for a 75-yard touchdown in last year’s devastating victory against Georgia. Though Julian Humphrey is no longer with Georgia, KJ Bolden was back deep as Williams spun his way into the end zone. My hot take of the week is that Bolden and the Georgia secondary not only keep Williams out of the end zone, but hold him to less than 50 receiving yards. Though Tennessee torched the Bulldogs’ secondary, I believe that Smart and his staff have fixed those errors throughout the bye week and will rise to the occasion versus Williams and the Tide.