For the third time in program history, Georgia visits Missouri on the gridiron, and once again there is a historic angle.

In 2012, Missouri and Texas A&M joined the Southeastern Conference, and the Tigers first league game was at home against Georgia, with the Bulldogs pulling away in the final 16 minutes to win 41-20. Jarvis Jones had one of his greatest games, and the Dogs scored the final 24 points ^ to avoid the upset and pull away.

Two years ago, with Todd Gurley suspended, Nick Chubb made his first start at tailback for Georgia, the Bulldogs cashed in on five turnovers and registered a rare road SEC shutout, downing Mizzou 34-0.

Now we shift to 2016, and the first SEC game, initial true road, and obviously combination of the two, of the Kirby Smart era at Georgia.

When going through the history of the series, when the Bulldogs have won, the defense has shined.

At the 1960 Orange Bowl in Miami, SEC champion Georgia toppled Mizzou 14-0. It was Jones starring in the aforementioned 2012 Georgia win, and as alluded above, the Bulldogs delivered a shutout in 2014.

Last year in Athens, neither team struck pay dirt, with Georgia pulling out a defensive, field goal battle 9-6.

Smart and his staff are pushing for a repeat of that kind of history.

Missouri won 41-26 in Athens in 2013, a monumental victory en route to one of the Tigers best seasons ever, which produced and SEC Championship Game berth and trip to the Cotton Bowl.

If Georgia is going to have a special season, this is clearly a must win game for the Bulldogs. In fact, the same could be said for the Tigers.

With the wins over North Carolina and Nicholls State pushing Georgia to 2-0, the ‘ showdown with Mizzou is the first of eight straight SEC games for the Dogs. Can you say teeth of the schedule?

Missouri lost a tough game to Big XII contender West Virginia in Morgantown, then bounced back with a win over Eastern Michigan. If the Tigers could spring an upset, no doubt, they would be a front-runner in the SEC East.

If Georgia wins, it’s another footnote in history for a first year coach and program with the grandest of dreams and aspirations.