Not sure what to make with all the apples you picked this fall? Try warm apple blondies with vanilla gelato. Filled with homemade cinnamon apples and brown butter for extra richness, these decadent desserts are sure to please a tailgate crowd–and you can make them again in place of apple pie at Thanksgiving!
This recipe was provided by Wes Jones (BBA ’03), one of the co-founders of Honeysuckle Gelato. The company has been serving up Southern-inspired gelato at locations throughout the Southeast since it was founded in 2011.
Apple Blondies
Apple Pie Filling
Ingredients
6 medium Granny Smith Apples
½ cup light brown sugar
2 tsp cinnamon
3 tbsp butter
2 oz water
1 1/2 tbsp cornstarch
1 1/2 cups roasted pecan pieces (optional)
Directions
Core and slice apples into 1-inch pieces.
Melt butter and brown sugar in a thick bottomed pot over medium heat, then add the apples and stir to combine. Cook, stirring occasionally for 5 minutes.
Whisk cornstarch and water into a slurry and pour in, and then cook an additional minute.
Remove the pot from the heat and let cool. The apples should be cooked through, but still retain their shape. Stir in the pecans, if you choose to.
Brown Butter Blondies
Ingredients
¾ cup butter
1 ¾ cup light brown sugar (not packed)
¼ cup skim milk powder
1 extra large egg
2 cups all purpose flour
½ tbsp baking powder
½ tsp sea salt
1 tsp vanilla extract
Directions
In a thick bottomed pot, cook the butter over medium heat for 3-4 minutes, whisking frequently. Once it starts to foam and the color begins to darken, add the milk powder and stir rapidly for 30 seconds, then remove from heat.
Combine the butter and brown sugar with a whisk or stand mixer and allow to cool.
Whisk in the eggs and vanilla extract.
Sift in the remaining dry ingredients, one half at a time, and use a spatula to combine.
Preheat oven to 375°F. Add the apple filling into small (4-6 ounce) ramekins, filling just over half of the container.
Take 1 ½ tbsp of the blondie mixture, flatten into a disc just smaller than the circumference of the ramekin and place on top of the apples. Bake at 375° for 9 minutes.
Let cool for 10-15 minutes, then serve with a scoop of vanilla gelato on top.
Led by former University of Georgia head football coach Mark Richt, the Chick-fil-A Dawg Bowl raised more than $758,000 for Parkinson’s disease and Crohn’s disease research at UGA. The fundraiser, which featured a VIP bowling event, rallied over 1,330 donors to support UGA research.
“I am very grateful to Chick-fil-A, Coach Richt and the many generous donors who contributed to the university’s research efforts in these important areas over the past two weeks,” said UGA President Jere W. Morehead. “Private support is essential to the kinds of cutting-edge research our faculty are conducting on Parkinson’s and related diseases, and the Chick-fil-A Dawg Bowl helps our researchers looking for new treatments and cures.”
Coach Mark Richt catches up with former player David Pollack at the 2023 Chick-fil-A Dawg Bowl.
Richt announced the charity event at UGA head football coach Kirby Smart’s (BBA ’98) Monday press conference on Oct. 2. Donations poured in before, during and after the bowling event on Wednesday, Oct. 18.
During the bowling tournament, viewers tuned into the event’s livestream from home, watching Coach Richt and Bulldog greats such as Kirby Smart, David Pollack (M ’05) and Rennie Curran (BBA ’17) battle it out at Showtime Bowling Alley in Athens. Over the course of the tournament, donors gave $35,000.
“My family and I want to sincerely thank the Bulldog Nation and all the donors who helped us take a bite out of Parkinson’s and Crohn’s,” Richt said. “I am so thankful to everyone who came out and supported in whatever way they could.”
The fundraiser surpassed its initial goal of $750,000, and all proceeds will go to UGA’s Isakson Center for Neurological Disease Research. There, researchers such as Anumantha Kanthasamy, John H. “Johnny” Isakson Chair for Parkinson’s Research and Georgia Research Alliance Eminent Scholar, are developing groundbreaking treatments for Parkinson’s disease and investigating its link to gut inflammation conditions such as Crohn’s disease.
Coach Kirby Smart poses with Arthi Kanthasamy and Anumantha Kanthasamy, researchers in the UGA Isakson Center, at the 2023 Chick-fil-A Dawg Bowl event.
“Giving at this level can have a monumental impact on the research we are doing here at the university,” Kanthasamy said. “We are so grateful to the donors and the Richt family for everything they have done to support the Isakson Center.”
The fight against Parkinson’s and Crohn’s is deeply personal for the Richt family. Coach Richt was diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease in 2021, and his granddaughter Jadyn was diagnosed with Crohn’s disease as an infant in 2015. Since then, the family has prioritized raising awareness and funds for research on potential causes and treatments for these conditions.
If you’ve spent a lifetime in pursuit of the perfect game day bite, look no further: Ivy Odom’s spicy-sweet Bulldog Candy over a dollop of pimento cheese on a buttery cracker is unbeatable.
Ivy Odom (BSFCS ’15, AB ’15) is a senior lifestyle producer for Dotdash Meredith Food Studios and a member of the 2023 class of UGA 40 Under 40 honorees. You might recognize her from her Emmy-nominated lifestyle television program, the Southern Living show.
After completing her undergraduate degrees at UGA, Ivy graduated first in her culinary school program at L’Academie de Cuisine and completed an apprenticeship at an Atlanta fine dining restaurant. She started in the Time, Inc. test kitchen before taking on her current role at Dotdash Meredith and is an expert in all things Southern and delicious.
Bulldog Candy
Makes 1 cup
Total time: 25 minutes
Ingredients:
12 oz. jalapeños, thinly sliced (about 2 ½ cups sliced)
1 fresno chile, chopped
½ cup packed light brown sugar
1 ½ tsp. apple cider vinegar
½ tsp. kosher salt
Instructions:
Bring all ingredients to a boil in a small saucepan over medium high, stirring occasionally.
Reduce heat to medium low and cook until jalapeños have turned dark in color, and all sugar has turned into a very thick syrup, about 15 minutes.
Transfer to a glass jar and let cool to room temperature before storing in the refrigerator for up to 10 days.
If you’re headed to Rocky Top this year to cheer on the Dawgs in their annual tilt with the Tennessee Volunteers on Nov. 18, here’s a guide for where to stay, eat, and sightsee in the gateway to the Great Smoky Mountains.
Where to stay
The Graduate Hotel Knoxville is a boutique hotel with eclectic, locally-inspired décor. Their restaurant and bar, Saloon 16, is owned by Peyton Manning, who is frequently spotted there by patrons. The hotel chain has locations in college towns around the country—including Athens!
Saloon 16’s Western-inspired decor was created in partnership with Peyton “The Sheriff” Manning. (Photo: The Graduate Knoxville)
The Oliver Hotel in downtown Knoxville is located in a historic building above Tupelo Honey, a regional chain restaurant known for delicious fried chicken and Southern favorites. For a luxurious experience, the grand Tennessean Hotel offers electric bikes to guests so they can explore Knoxville’s beautiful outdoor scenery with ease.
Where to eat
Calhoun’s on the river serves barbecue and other casual American foods in their waterfront location in Knoxville’s historic district. The restaurant is accessible by boat and even has its own dock.
Enjoy riverside barbecue on Calhouns’ outdoor deck. (Photo: Calhouns)
The Market Square district has many restaurants, bars and shops all within walking distance of one another. Cafe 4, located in the heart of Market Square, has an extensive list of cocktails made with syrups, shrubs, and mixes prepared in-house. The restaurant was part of Knoxville’s urban revitalization and has been dishing out American classics with a Southern flair and locally-roasted coffee for over 10 years.
The Tomato Head, another Market Square favorite, serves fresh-made pizzas, sandwiches, cocktails and mocktails. The restaurant hosts monthly exhibits to support local artists and serves as a venue to musical acts, poetry readings, and performance art.
On game day
Even if you don’t have a ticket, you can still watch the game alongside fellow Dawgs at a sports bar or restaurant in the area.
The Hill Bar & Grill has views of the Sunspot and World’s Fair Park from its patio. They’ve won multiple awards for their wings, which have been voted best in Knoxville.
Fieldhouse Social is a football-inspired bar and eatery with a massive TV perfect for watching the game.
Knoxville attractions
The World’s Fair Park, initially created for the 1982 World’s Fair Exhibition with the theme “Energy Turns the World,” is one of the city’s most recognizable attractions. In addition to a large lawn and amphitheater, visitors can tour the Sunsphere, a sculptural tower and observation deck with views of the city.
Maple Hall, a boutique bowling hall located in the historic J.C. Penney building, is one of the city’s most unique attractions. Upstairs, guests can enjoy craft drinks in the cozy cocktail lounge after they play.
Maple Hall’s 11-lane bowling area is equipped with leather couches, a full bar, HDTVs from every angle and relaxing lounge areas. (Photo: Maple Hall)
Not making the trip to Knoxville and looking to connect with Dawgs in your own area? Find your local UGA alumni chapter and cheer on the Dawgs with fellow alumni at a game-watching party near you.
Larry Munson is one of the all-time greats in college football commentating, and his legendary career covering the Georgia Bulldogs—from 1966 to 2008—made him as central to UGA’s football history as Vince Dooley. Munson’s highlight reel spans decades and includes dozens of teams, but two of his most legendary calls signaled the start of new eras of Georgia football. And they came against the same opponent: Tennessee.
Munson’s calls made those games legendary, but even without a freshman “running over people” or a “hobnail boot,” games in the Georgia-Tennessee series were destined to have iconic moments. After all, we’re talking about the second and third winningest football programs in SEC history.
A Coronation in Knoxville
Perhaps the strangest thing about this rivalry is that, despite having played each other since 1899, despite being founding members of the Southeastern Conference and despite the schools’ campuses being separated by less than 150 miles, the Dawgs and the Vols have only met 50 times. Compare that to Georgia and Auburn, who started playing each other in 1892, but have met 126 times.
By 1980, the Bulldogs and Volunteers had only met 17 times, with Tennessee holding a one-game lead in the rivalry: 8-7-2. Georgia went to Knoxville to open the 1980 season, and the hopes they had to tie the series faded quickly. The Dawgs found themselves down 9-0 quickly, and their offense couldn’t sustain a drive. Vince Dooley knew his team of upperclassmen was strong at a number of positions, but tailback wasn’t one of them, and the early results here had proven that. So, he made a change.
The impact of that decision wouldn’t become clear until the second half, when Tennessee extended their lead to 15. No one knew it then, but that was the end of their scoring, and the beginning of Georgia’s season. Freshman Herschel Walker, who had spent the second quarter feeling out the defense and getting up to game speed, broke out in the second half and announced himself to the world with the Bulldogs’ first touchdown of 1980, immortalized by Larry Munson.
A safety and another Herschel touchdown later, UGA stunned the Knoxville crowd, pulled even in the series with the Vols and began their march to a national championship.
11 years, 11 points and a lot of praying
In 2000, Jim Donnan was in his fifth season as UGA head coach and in the proverbial hot seat. At most schools, a record of 32-15 doesn’t put you in trouble. But at Georgia, when that 32-15 contains a 5-11 record against Florida, Tennessee, Auburn and Georgia Tech, your record against everybody else means a lot less. Nevertheless, UGA started the 2000 season with a 3-1 record heading into a home game against Tennessee, who owned a nine-game winning streak over the Dawgs.
Tennessee was 2-2, with losses to no. 6 Florida and an unranked LSU team. This was out of character for the Vols, who were just two years removed from a national championship, and their ranking tumbled to 21. Still, they had no fear of the no. 19 Bulldogs. After spending nearly every year of the 90s beating Georgia, why would they?
They found the why by halftime, when Georgia took a 7-3 lead into the locker room thanks to a stifling defense. After the half, Tennessee scored to take the lead, 10-7. But Georgia answered with a Jasper Sanks rushing TD, then ended the discussion in the fourth quarter with a Musa Smith touchdown and Tim Wansley’s second interception of the day with less than two minutes remaining.
The feeling of impending victory over the Vols, foreign to Bulldog fans for over a decade, was too much for many in attendance. The raucous crowd began to spill onto the field after the game-sealing interception, and play had to be halted until the crowd could be removed. Security kept the fans under control until the final whistle.
It was dramatic, it ended Tennessee’s dominance over UGA and it marked the only time the goal posts were torn down in Sanford Stadium’s history. But many may not remember this game, because by season’s end, there was much more this game did NOT do than what it did do. It did not spark a magical season for the Dawgs. It did not save Jim Donnan’s job. It did not herald the arrival of a new era.
Bulldog fans would have to wait a year for that.
“Another Hobnail Boot?”
Richt’s tenure at Georgia wouldn’t be quite as dominant as the Tennessee streak that preceded him, but he certainly leveled out the rivalry before his 2015 departure: Richt went 10-5 against the Vols from 2001 – 2015, bringing the all-time series record to 21 Georgia wins, 22 Tennessee wins, and 2 ties.
When Kirby Smart arrived in Athens, Knoxville had been in disarray for some time. Lane Kiffin’s ignominious midnight exit, Derek Dooley’s poor results and Butch Jones’ big game struggles all kept the Vols from coming close to their former glory. But in 2016, Tennessee was fresh off a bowl win over the no. 12 Northwestern Wildcats, they had brought in a top-20 recruiting class, and it looked as if they might finally be pulling things together.
They were 4-0 coming into a week 5 game in Athens, including a win over no. 19 Florida the week before. Georgia was 3-1 and had just been blown out by Ole Miss, a loss that nearly saw them fall from the top 25.
Smart had prepared his team well, taking a 17-7 lead into halftime. But in the second half, the Volunteers outscored the Dawgs 21-7. After multiple miscues, Georgia finally managed to string together a drive as the final minute wound down, and with 10 seconds left, down 28-24, Jacob Eason found Riley Ridley for a 47-yard touchdown pass that gave the Bulldogs the lead.
A short kickoff was returned by Tennessee to midfield, and with four seconds left, the Vols turned a heart-stopping Georgia win into a heartbreaking loss.
This one stung for Georgia fans, and it stung even more when Tennessee rattled off three consecutive losses after this: no. 8 Texas A&M, no. 1 Alabama, and unranked South Carolina, who Georgia would beat in week 6.
That sting lasted exactly one year. Because in 2017 and every year since, the Bulldogs have beaten the Volunteers by no fewer than 23 points. This is the most dominant stretch of games in the history of this rivalry, which now stands at 26-23-2 in the Bulldogs’ favor.
So, if we understand a “Hobnail Boot” play to be one that signifies a dramatic, come-from-behind game-winner that ushers in a changing of the guard, then when Gary Danielson called Tennessee’s 2016 Hail Mary “another Hobnail Boot,” he did Mr. Munson a great, great disservice.
Today, Josh Heupel is the Volunteers’ head coach, Tennessee’s sixth in 15 years. Last year, UT came into Athens with all the hype in the world, fueled by the potent offense of Hendon Hooker, Jalin Hyatt and Cedric Tillman. But from the first whistle, the Bulldogs figured out the dynamic offense that felled Alabama and earned lavish national praise and extended the Dawgs’ win streak in the series to a record six—surpassing a win-streak record that had stood for just under a century.
Just a few short years ago, the UGA-UT rivalry was barely significant, but national spotlights are shining on these contests once again. For now, the Bulldogs maintain a firm grip on the series, but with a resurgent program igniting the long dormant Volunteer fan base, we’re going to see the best shot Tennessee can muster when the Dawgs enter a raucous Neyland Stadium on Nov. 18. Hopefully, this trip goes as well as the one 21 years ago.
https://alumni.uga.edu/wp-content/uploads/FeatImg-2021-HotRTennessee-V1.jpg4231220Clarke Schwabehttps://alumni.uga.edu/wp-content/uploads/uga-alumni-nba-1.pngClarke Schwabe2023-08-21 12:05:232023-10-30 09:51:25History of the Rivalry: Tennessee
The University of Georgia Bulldogs once kicked off from their own 8-yard line. This wasn’t at a time when the rules of football were dramatically different, nor was it the result of player error. The Dawgs kicked off in the shadow of their own goal posts by choice.
It was so important that they thumb their nose at their opponent and break the rules of the game that they said, “Fine. Put the ball wherever.”
What drives a team to this point? Winning at this level of college football requires scratching out every last tiny advantage, but UGA was willing to give up nearly 30 yards of field position in the first quarter of a game against a hated rival.
Why? It’s a long answer, over a century old, but it’s the reason the Georgia-Florida rivalry is one of the best in sports. And while there are dozens of moments one could point to, we’ll isolate three pivotal snapshots in the series.
Our villain’s origin story
It’s 4th and 8 for the Gators. Down 20-10 against the Bulldogs, they’re on their own 25 with time running out. Stephen Spurrier is under center, the senior quarterback responsible for so many great Gator moments. Just last week, he had mounted a heroic, fourth-quarter drive against Auburn and kicked the game-winning field goal himself, practically cementing his place as the 1966 Heisman frontrunner.
The seventh-ranked Gators needed some of those heroics now, but Spurrier was having a bad day—multiple sacks and three interceptions—and he had always struggled in Jacksonville, having gone 1-1 against the Bulldogs, who were on the rise under third-year coach Vince Dooley.
Florida’s first undefeated season, a shot at their first SEC Championship, and the pride of having conquered the hated Bulldogs all hung in the balance for Spurrier on this fourth down.
The ball is snapped, and almost immediately Georgia’s pass rush is in his face. But Spurrier spots a receiver dashing for the first down marker. He finds his man two yards from a new set of downs and a sliver of hope. In an instant, three red shirts appear and topple Florida’s hopes.
Just like that, it was over: no undefeated season, likely no SEC title, and a losing record for Spurrier in his playing career against the Bulldogs.
In a post-game interview, Spurrier said, “I’ve never had a good day in the Gator Bowl and I guess I never will. It’s a jinx place for me.”
The Bulldogs couldn’t know it then, but embarrassing the hyper-competitive Spurrier here planted a seed. What grew out of it, nearly a quarter century later, would give the Gators everything they ever wanted and give the Bulldogs an archnemesis for the ages.
Reasons to destroy some property
After Spurrier left Gainesville, the Dawgs took control of the series, going 16-6-1 from 1967 – 1989. The Gators were no pushovers during this stretch: Ten times in those 23 games, the Gators came to Jacksonville ranked, and only once did they walk away with a victory. This run included perhaps the most well-known moment of the Georgia-Florida series.
But in 1990, Florida called their Heisman winner home, and the impact was immediate: The Gators went from 7-5 in 1989 to 9-2 in 1990. Meanwhile, Georgia was in its second year under Ray Goff, who had been named head coach after Vince Dooley retired in 1988. In ’89, Goff’s Dawgs could only reach 6-6, but they did get a win over Florida.
That was Goff’s last victory over the Gators. Spurrier and his Florida teams began their ascent, and Georgia—despite going 9-3 in ’91 and 10-2 in ’92—got swallowed in the Gators’ wake. And in 1995, it all came to a head.
In the mid-90s, Jacksonville’s stadium was being rebuilt to prepare for the Jacksonville Jaguars, so the Georgia-Florida game moved to each team’s home stadium for the ’94 and ’95 seasons. The 1994 game was played in Gainesville, where the Gators romped, winning 52-14. In 1995, things didn’t look much better. The Gators, back-to-back SEC champs, came to Athens with two wins over top-10 teams, while Georgia had not beaten a ranked team since January 1993.
So, on October 28, 1995, the Gators walked into Sanford Stadium for the first time in 63 years, and things played out exactly as you’d expect. Future Heisman-winner Danny Wuerffel threw 5 touchdowns before leaving the game in the third quarter. His backup would throw two more and bring the final score to 52-17.
It remains the record for points allowed by the Bulldogs at home. Legend has it that Spurrier stated after the game that he had wanted to “hang half a hundred” on Georgia because “we heard no one had ever done that before.”
This account is disputed by Spurrier, but whether it’s true or not, he exacted humiliating revenge on the Bulldogs that night, a highlight for his Florida coaching career, which ended in 2001 with 6 SEC titles, a national championship and an 11-1 record against Georgia.
“And here comes the entire team!”
The 2001 season began with a new head coach for UGA, Mark Richt—formerly the offensive coordinator for some of Bobby Bowden’s best Florida State teams—and it ended with Steve Spurrier’s departure from Florida.
Richt would quickly re-establish UGA as a contender, winning the SEC in 2002 and 2005, but he could not find consistent success against the Gators. This was especially frustrating for Georgia fans who watched Ron Zook, Spurrier’s successor, win no more than 8 games every year.
Things became even more frustrating when, after Richt’s first win against Florida in 2004, the Gators fired Zook and hired Urban Meyer, who immediately returned UF to their Bulldog-beating ways and won a national title in year two.
This brings us back to the start of our story. By 2007, Richt had more SEC titles (2) than he had wins against Florida (1). And with a trip to Jacksonville to play the defending national champions looming, Richt and every other Bulldog on Earth was well aware that the Dawgs were 2-15 against Florida since 1990.
Richt knew the Dawgs needed something, anything, to shake off this bad juju and inject some swagger into their game if they hoped to compete with the Gator Goliath. In the week leading up to the game, he told his team: after our first touchdown, celebrate so much that you get a penalty.
So, when Knowshon Moreno leapt over a pile of bodies to score the first touchdown of the game midway through the first quarter, the entire offense celebrated in the end zone. Eleven Bulldogs quickly turned into 53 as the Georgia sideline migrated as one into the endzone.
Nearly every referee on the field hurled a yellow flag into the air as Georgia players jumped, screamed, danced, posed, chest-thumped and fist-pumped in the end zone.
It felt like a dam breaking. Decades of nerves, doom-saying and head-shaking all shaken off with one exuberant moment. The Gators answered back with a touchdown almost immediately, but it didn’t matter: the “Gator Stomp” was such an unexpected, audacious and spirited action that the Gators flinched, and Georgia knew that was all they needed.
UGA won, 42-30, and the brazen celebration launched them to finish the season as the no. 3 team in the nation. Even when Florida won the next three matches, often by a great margin, the Gators knew Georgia could no longer be counted on to dutifully suffer through their Jacksonville trip on the way to a 9-3 record and a good-not-great bowl game.
Florida knew now that if you weren’t careful, the Bulldogs would stomp you.
Since the Gator Stomp, the Georgia-Florida series has been close to even, with Georgia taking nine games to Florida’s seven. However, since Kirby Smart’s return to Athens in 2016, the Dawgs have taken seven games to the Gators’ two. Georgia is at the height of its powers after back-to-back national championship titles, and Napier is working to rekindle hope in the hearts of Florida fans, so expect a classic Georgia-Florida contest: a charged battle between two well-acquainted foes with championship aspirations.
https://alumni.uga.edu/wp-content/uploads/FeatImg-2021-HotRFlorida-V2.jpeg4231220Clarke Schwabehttps://alumni.uga.edu/wp-content/uploads/uga-alumni-nba-1.pngClarke Schwabe2023-08-21 08:55:292023-10-06 17:02:39History of the Rivalry: Florida
As the College Football Playoff prepares to expand its field to 12 and the SEC grows its ranks to 16, the University of Georgia hopes to expand its championship tally in a historic way.
A third consecutive national championship would make Kirby Smart’s Georgia Bulldogs the first team with that distinction since the 1930s. But standing between them and college football history is a slate of teams eager to knock off the back-to-back champions.
UGA Alumni has got a LOT going on this season, so make sure you’re connected with us so you find out the latest on game-watching parties, exclusive Alumni content, and news from on campus and all over the Bulldog Nation.
The Skyhawks play in the Football Championship Subdivision’s Ohio Valley Conference, so this should be a nice tune-up for the Dawgs. Fun fact: a former UT Martin player, Ray Williams, currently holds the world record for heaviest drug-tested, raw squat at 1,080 pounds. That’s three UGA offensive linemen, with about 100 pounds to spare.
This will be the first meeting between the Bulldogs and the Cardinals, who come from Muncie, Indiana. Ball State, a member of the Mid-American Conference, is coming off of a 5-7 season, so this game gives Kirby Smart and company one more chance to explore the roster and prepare for conference play in Week 3.
South Carolina
Sanford Stadium – Athens, GA Sept. 16 @ 3:30 p.m. – CBS
The Gamecocks once again appear to be a solid team poised to take down an unsuspecting front runner or two. With quarterback Spencer Rattler returning for his final season, head coach Shane Beamer has a dynamic weapon who appeared to find his rhythm at the end of 2022. Pair that with a couple of young playmakers in the defensive secondary, and South Carolina could frustrate Georgia’s early season.
University of Alabama at Birmingham
Sanford Stadium – Athens, GA Sept. 23 @ TBD – TBD
The last contest in Georgia’s season-opening, four-game home stand brings the Blazers to Sanford Stadium. UAB’s last appearance in Athens resulted in a 56-7 win for the Dawgs in 2021. The Blazers will still be figuring out exactly what they’ve got in first-year coach Trent Dilfer, and the Bulldogs will take a deep breath before diving into the bulk of their SEC schedule.
Last year, chaos in the program led the Tigers to a season to forget. New head coach Hugh Freeze brings in an offense that will give the Plainsmen a fresh look and, Auburn fans hope, the spark they need to get closer to even footing with their two championship-caliber rivals. The Tigers have bright spots—running back, offensive line, defensive backfield—but the ongoing renovation may lower their ceiling.
Kentucky
Sanford Stadium – Athens, GA Oct. 7 @ TBD – TBD
Despite having a second-round draft pick under center, last year’s Wildcats underperformed. And while Will Levis is gone, offensive coordinator Liam Cohen returns to Lexington from the NFL and could provide a boost for Big Blue Nation. Also, Levis was replaced by Devin Leary, a transfer from North Carolina State and a talented, experienced QB. As is typical for Stoops’ Kentucky teams, the defense looks solid. Lots of things point to a bounceback year for the ‘Cats.
Clark Lea is doing exactly what he needs to do in Nashville. No, they’re not contending for the crown in the east, but they are steadily trending upwards and, after last year, they’ve got a few impressive pelts on the wall. Vandy might be bowl-bound once again, but they’re still far from threatening the Dawgs.
TIAA Bank Field – Jacksonville, FL Oct. 28 @ 3:30 p.m. – CBS
Year one under head coach Billy Napier pretty clearly did not go the way Florida fans wanted. Napier has stressed again and again that rebuilding in Gainesville will take time, and that probably means more than two years. Yes, the Gators have racked up some recruiting wins of late, their running backs are strong, and they’ve retooled last year’s woeful defense. But the presumptive Anthony Richardson replacement is Graham Mertz, the former Wisconsin QB who was notoriously inconsistent, and their offensive line was hit hard by the draft and the transfer portal.
Missouri
Sanford Stadium – Athens, GA Nov. 4 @ TBD – TBD
This feels like a do-or-die year in Columbia for head coach Eli Drinkwitz. Mizzou has been stagnant for years, save a few recruiting wins like defensive back Ennis Rakestraw and wide receiver Luther Burden. Without a dramatic improvement—and Tigers fans might regard a fourth-place finish as such—the Drinkwitz era may be coming to a close. If there’s hope to be found for the Tigers, it’s on the defensive side, where they return the vast majority of last year’s strong unit.
Ole Miss
Sanford Stadium – Athens, GA Nov. 11 @ TBD – TBD
The last time Georgia played Ole Miss, the Rebels gave Kirby Smart the worst loss, by point margin, of his career. The Rebs had one of the most potent rushing attacks in the country last year, and most of that offense returns this year—led by impressive sophomore running back Quinshon Judkins and junior quarterback Jaxson Dart. Ole Miss’ defense is now led by former Alabama defensive coordinator Pete Golding, who many expect to improve on last year’s lackluster unit, but we’ll see just how well the players adapt to a new scheme.
If the Vols and the Dawgs make it to this point in their schedule without a loss, this will be the game of the season—for all of college football. Expect to hear a lot about this one early on, and if Josh Heupel’s offense continues to blow past opponents, particularly with a new offensive coordinator and new quarterback Joe Milton, expect to hear about it all the way through the season. If the crowd in Knoxville can do this year what the crowd in Athens did last year, this could be a real test for the Bulldogs.
Georgia Tech
Bobby Dodd Stadium at Hyundai Field – Atlanta, GA Nov. 25 @ TBD – TBD
As of this writing, Tech fans seem satisfied with new head coach Brent Key. Granted, after Geoff Collins, he needed to do little more than be a thorn in Georgia’s paw to gain that satisfaction, but that’s exactly what he did in 2022. Flipping the script and taking a game from the Dawgs would be nothing short of miraculous. But rivalry games have a special kind of magic—even if the term rivalry is used generously here—so we won’t totally discount the possibility.
The intersection of UGA Alumni and UGA football is alumni.uga.edu/football. Bookmark that page today to stay up-to-date on game-watching parties and special events, insightful and fun videos and blogs, unique opportunities to show off your Bulldog pride and all things alumni during the season!
https://alumni.uga.edu/wp-content/uploads/FeatImg-2023-CFB23Preview-V3.jpg4231220Clarke Schwabehttps://alumni.uga.edu/wp-content/uploads/uga-alumni-nba-1.pngClarke Schwabe2023-08-07 09:45:442023-09-06 12:49:19Previewing the Georgia Bulldogs’ 2023 football schedule
Former Georgia Bulldog Travon Walker, the No. 1 overall pick in the 2022 NFL Draft, has donated $44,000 to UGA Athletic Association via the Travon Walker Foundation.
“The University of Georgia has made a major impact on my career in many ways,” Walker said. “Without the University of Georgia, to be honest, I really don’t know where I would be at this point. I’m truly grateful that I went to the University of Georgia, which helped instill me with leadership, integrity and discipline. One of the main things that made me contribute and give back to the University of Georgia was just the simple fact that the university poured so much into me. UGA helped provide me with the opportunity to continue my journey and do things that I like to do, which are to play football and go to school to get a great education. Those factors played a major role in my decision to attend the University of Georgia, and I’m extremely thankful about that decision.”
Walker’s gift is part of the Foundation’s #BlessUp44 campaign. The initiative will annually donate $4,400 44 times, synonymous with the jersey No. 44 Walker has worn throughout his football career. The donation to UGA represents 10 of those offerings for 2023.
The Walker Foundation’s donation has been specifically ear-marked for UGA Athletics’ Sports Medicine program and the purchase of specific equipment to assist in both rehab and training.
“We greatly appreciate Travon’s generous donation through the Travon Walker Foundation,” said Ron Courson, the UGA Athletic Association’s Executive Association Athletic Director for Sports Medicine. “Travon represented the University of Georgia extremely well both on and off the field and continues to make positive impacts now through his play in the NFL with the Jacksonville Jaguars and in the community through his foundation. The funds will be used to purchase a Kineo Intelligent Load system. Kineo is a new generation robotic machine from Italy designed for both rehabilitation and training. It offers a wide variety of testing and training capabilities and is the first unit that can test with both open chain and closed chain. This gives us outstanding functional training capabilities and will greatly benefit our student-athletes.”
Walker was a standout at Upson-Lee High School in Thomaston, Ga., where he was named first-team all-state in football and second-team all-state in basketball as a senior. He was ranked among the nation’s top-10 defensive line prospects in the Class of 2019 by every major recruiting services.
Walker blossomed at Georgia and started at defensive tackle in all 15 games during the Bulldogs’ 2021 College Football Playoff National Championship season. As a junior, he tallied 37 tackles, 6.0 sacks, 7.5 tackles for loss and a team-high 36 quarterback pressures, closing out his Georgia tenure with a career-best seven pressures in the national title win over Alabama. Walker was named SEC All-Freshman in balloting of league coaches in 2019 after recording 15 tackles, with 2.5 sacks and 3.5 tackles for loss. He helped clinch the SEC East title with a fourth-down sack at Auburn.
Walker became the fifth Georgia player to be selected first overall in the NFL Draft when he was chosen by the Jacksonville Jaguars. With the pick, Georgia tied Notre Dame, Oklahoma, and USC for the most first-overall picks by one institution at five. In his rookie season, Walker started 14 of 15 games played and recorded 49 tackles, 3.5 sacks, one interception, two passes defended and one forced fumble while helping the Jaguars reach the Playoffs for the first time since 2017.
About the Travon Walker Foundation
The Travon Walker Foundation is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization committed to helping the youth of today be where their feet are. We show young people how to use their strengths to identify, plan, and pursue their passions. The Travon Walker Foundation aims to inspire the next generation of leaders, entrepreneurs, and community builders. The foundation’s focus areas include job creation in Thomaston, Ga., (Travon’s hometown); business and financial literacy for youth; youth sports facility & equipment improvements; and community development in Thomaston.
https://alumni.uga.edu/wp-content/uploads/FeatImg-2023-TravonWalker-V1.jpg4231220Clarke Schwabehttps://alumni.uga.edu/wp-content/uploads/uga-alumni-nba-1.pngClarke Schwabe2023-07-25 13:42:352023-07-25 13:44:29Travon Walker’s TW Foundation Donates To UGA Athletics
This year, the University of Georgia could become the first school in modern college football history to win three consecutive national championships, and the Dawgs’ road to glory begins on G-Day, April 15, in Sanford Stadium.
The annual G-Day spring scrimmage will pit Bulldog against Bulldog, capping a month of spring practices with an intra-squad game between the Red team and Black team. G-Day could tell us much about what we’ll see in the fall: who succeeds Stetson Bennett at quarterback? How will Georgia account for departed defensive lineman Jalen Carter? Can the Dawgs find a counterpart for Brock Bowers as dominant and versatile as Darnell Washington?
Kirby Smart plays his cards notoriously close to the vest, so we may not get answers to all these questions, but light will be shed on how UGA plans to transition from 2022 to 2023.
The G-Day game will be open to the public, so watch this space and the UGA Athletics site for information on how you can get a seat in Sanford for our first glimpse of what could be a history-making squad. UGA alumni can also update their info to make sure they’re getting the latest UGA info—about the upcoming season and much more—sent directly to them.
https://alumni.uga.edu/wp-content/uploads/FeatImg-2023-GDay-V1.jpg4231220Clarke Schwabehttps://alumni.uga.edu/wp-content/uploads/uga-alumni-nba-1.pngClarke Schwabe2023-01-30 08:12:252023-01-30 08:22:582023 G-Day date set, chase for history begins
It’s 4th and 8 for the Gators. Down 20-10 against the Bulldogs, they’re on their own 25 with time running out. Stephen Spurrier is under center, the senior quarterback responsible for so many great Gator moments. Just last week, he had mounted a heroic, fourth-quarter drive against Auburn and kicked the game-winning field goal himself, practically cementing his place as the 1966 Heisman frontrunner.
The last time Georgia played Ole Miss, the Rebels gave Kirby Smart the worst loss, by point margin, of his career. The Rebs had one of the most potent rushing attacks in the country last year, and most of that offense returns this year—led by impressive sophomore running back Quinshon Judkins and junior quarterback Jaxson Dart. Ole Miss’ defense is now led by former Alabama defensive coordinator Pete Golding, who many expect to improve on last year’s lackluster unit, but we’ll see just how well the players adapt to a new scheme.
