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Tasty Tailgating: A UGA Athletics Dietitian’s Seven-Layer Taco Dip

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Nutrition is an essential part of athletic success. Within each UGA Athletics program, a dedicated team of nutritionists works with athletes to ensure that they have the knowledge and resources to fuel themselves for success–both in and outside of their sports. 

Maria Williams (BSFCS ’07, MS ’09) is a sports nutritionist with UGA Athletics and has worked with swimming and diving teams, baseball, men’s tennis and equestrian. Her seven-layer taco dip recipe is both delicious and nutritious–she substitutes low-fat Greek yogurt for sour cream to add protein and reduce fat.  

Read on to learn how to eat like an athlete. 

Seven-Layer Taco Dip 

Ingredients 

1 (15 oz) can refried beans  

1 ½ cups plain, low-fat Greek yogurt  

1 tbsp taco seasoning  

1 ½ cups guacamole (store-bought or homemade)  

1 cup mild or medium salsa  

1 ¼ cups Mexican blend cheese, shredded  

1 ¼ cups iceberg lettuce, finely shredded  

Optional additional toppings:  

1 cup grape tomatoes, quartered   

1/4 cup black olives, pitted & sliced  

2 scallions, diced  

¼ cup pickled jalapeno slices  

Instructions 

  1. Spread the bean layer in an 8×11 baking dish or similar medium sized (clear) dish.  
  2. Combine Greek yogurt and taco seasoning in a small bowl, then add the yogurt mixture as the second layer.  
  3. Spread the guacamole layer followed by the salsa layer.  
  4. Add the remaining layers over the salsa layer in the following order: cheese, shredded lettuce, grape tomatoes, black olives, jalapeno slices, and diced scallions.     
  5. Serve immediately or refrigerate and serve later. Enjoy with any type of tortilla chips.  
EXPLORE UGA ALUMNI FOOTBALL HQ

Q&A with Alex Urban (MA ’12), TOUR Championship Executive Director

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Alex Urban (MA ’12) is living his childhood dream: this past May, the PGA TOUR named Alex executive director of the TOUR Championship. After falling in love with the sport of golf early in life, he now plans, facilitates and advocates for one of the most prestigious golf tournaments in the United States. The TOUR Championship is truly Alex’s perfect workplace, and why wouldn’t it be? It’s full of Bulldogs!

The TOUR Championship runs August 24 – 28, the first under Alex’s leadership (want to go? Here’s how to do that). Ahead of the big event, Alex generously took some time to answer a few questions about his time at UGA, the PGA TOUR, and everything in between.

Q: What is your first UGA memory?

A: My first memory is walking into the Grady College when I was touring colleges for grad school and being instantly amazed by the campus and the facilities. I was, at the time, choosing between UGA and UF, and thankfully, there is no doubt in my mind that I made the best possible decision.

Q: Where did you spend most of your time on campus?

A: When I was on campus, I was mainly in the Grady College of Journalism and Mass Communication. I love that part of campus because it’s right there by the Tate Student Center and, of course, Sanford Stadium. Outside of Grady, I did spend a decent amount of time at the Zell B. Miller Learning Center and the Main Library – graduate school requires a lot of reading and writing! As a former competitive swimmer, the 50-meter pool in Ramsey was awesome too.

Q: As you progressed in your career, what was the most valuable lesson from UGA that you carried with you?

A: I learned so many things in my time at UGA—both in and outside of the classroom. One thing that has really stuck with me is the value of measuring progress and success. For example, when we evaluate marketing campaigns or tactics, it’s easy to fall into the trap of just guessing what is working and what is not. It’s so important to create accurate ways to measure output both pre- and post-implementing tactics so you work with the best information to make decisions.

Also, the value of listening is something I am always being reminded of. There are a lot of smart people in the world, and teams operate so much better when leaders get out of the way and listen. There is nothing more important than listening – to a similar point above, listening allows you to get the full picture before making strategic decisions.

Q: What is the best thing about being executive director for the TOUR Championship?

A: Very few people in the world get to say they work in their dream job, and I am one of the lucky members of that club. When I was 15 and thinking about what I might do for a living, I knew it was a dream to work in sports, but then to work in my favorite sport is special. I love the sport of golf so much and this job. I feel like I get to make my own mark on the history of the game and make a positive impact on our community.

Q: How often do you hear “Go Dawgs” from players and other PGA TOUR staff?

A: All the time! As you might imagine, there are a ton of Dawgs that work for the PGA TOUR, especially with it being headquartered not too far away in Ponte Vedra Beach outside of Jacksonville. I was at our headquarters for five years, and of course, the Georgia-Florida game is a can’t-miss event every year. As far as our players, there are so many on TOUR that you can’t go too long without running into a Dawg.

I was lucky enough to be working the Sony Open in Oahu during the first national championship game against Bama and helped set up the bet between Kevin Kisner and Justin Thomas where the loser had to wear the winner’s jersey for a hole during the Pro-Am. While it was a sad week for UGA that time, Kevin was a good sport. There have been a lot of happy Dawgs at the PGA TOUR since January!

Q: What does your day-to-day look like in your job?

A: I get asked this all the time, and it’s so hard to answer because it changes so much depending on the time of year or even the day of the week. We put on a small city to operate a world-class tournament like the TOUR Championship, so on any given day, we might be working with one of our proud partners – Southern Company, Coca-Cola and Accenture – or doing budgeting, marketing, speaking engagements, operational build items, signage, community outreach, permitting—the list goes on. It is truly impossible to get bored in a role like this given the breadth of the job.

Q: What does the volume of UGA golfers on tour say about the program Coach Haack runs?

A: It says three things in my mind:

  1. Coach Haack knows how to identify great players.
  2. He knows how to coach them so that they grow into PGA TOUR-level players.
  3. UGA is an ideal place to hone a player’s skill.

It is truly amazing what Coach Haack has been able to accomplish, and the ever-growing, already huge list of Dawgs on TOUR highlights that. I teed it up a few times at the University Golf Course, and it’s obviously a pretty good test of golf!

Q: How does the PGA TOUR involve itself in philanthropy in the communities it touches?

A: Throughout the season, PGA TOUR events generate millions of dollars for the communities they play in, and none underscore the importance of that more than the TOUR Championship here at East Lake. Since 1998, the tournament has generated more than $42 million in charitable donations to the East Lake Foundation, the First Tee of Metro Atlanta, Purpose Built Communities and a few other local charities. These charities directly impact the community immediately surrounding the course—what the East Lake Foundation and the Cousins family have been able to accomplish to improve this area is remarkable.

You look at the construction of an impressive building like the Drew Charter School, and you can see that charitable impact at work—it isn’t just a number. And those things all work in concert to make the city of Atlanta and East Lake a better place to live. We take that responsibility very seriously. Every year, two First Tee of Metro Atlanta students earn the right to hit the opening tee shot on Thursday through a series of essays, interviews and golf tournaments. It is such a special way to start the week and highlight our commitment to this community.

 

Thank you to Alex for spending some time with us and giving us a peek into the working life of a Bulldog running the TOUR Championship! Find tickets to the event on their website, and watch the top 30 PGA TOUR players compete at East Lake Golf Club from August 24 – 28. Stay informed by following the official TOUR Championship on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

Learn More About the Tour Championship

Turn up the volume and jam your way to Indianapolis

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The Bulldogs are heading to Indianapolis, vying for a National Championship victory over Alabama on January 10. Whether you’re enduring the 9-hour drive to Lucas Oil Stadium or cheering on the Dawgs from Athens, a good old-fashioned playlist will help you prepare for an epic showdown in Indy.

From “Glory” and “Baba O’Riley” to “Dooley’s Junkyard Dogs” and “In the Air Tonight,” we’ve got you covered with over 140 songs in our Road to Indianapolis: National Championship Edition playlist.

Watch out, Bama. “The Boys are Back in Town” and are looking to rise up “Against the Tide.” “I Gotta Feeling” that our Dawgs are going to “Rock You Like a Hurricane” come January 10. “Don’t Stop Believin’,” Bulldog Nation!

How to watch the 2021 SEC Championship: Georgia vs. Alabama

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On Saturday, Dec. 4, all eyes will be on Georgia and Alabama as they tee it up in Atlanta’s Mercedes-Benz Stadium for the 2021 Southeastern Conference Championship Game.

This will be the first time that the Bulldog Nation and the Crimson Tide have met in the SEC title game since the 2018 Championship, when the Alabama won 35-28. This time, Georgia enters the arena with a No. 1 ranking that it’s held for more than a month. Alabama enters at No. 3.

As the 4 p.m. EST kickoff approaches, make sure you know how you’re watching the game, Dawg fans.

If you’re watching on TV:

Tune into CBS to watch the game. If your cable or satellite package includes the SEC Network, you can find the championship there, too. Use the SEC’s channel finder to determine availability.

If you’re streaming:

Stream on CBSSports.com or on the CBS Sports App.

If you’re listening:

You can listen online with the SEC Sports online audio player, with georgiadogs.com or with The Varsity Network’s app.

Attend an official UGA game-watching party

No matter where you are, Bulldogs never bark alone. Find an alumni game-watching party and share the fun on social media using #AlwaysADawg.

 

Through the Ages with “The Heart of the Bulldog Spirit”

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Saturdays in Athens wouldn’t be the same without the sounds of the University of Georgia’s Redcoat Marching Band. Using the interactive timeline below, march through the ages to learn about the origins, the growth and the many traditions of “the heart of the Bulldog spirit.”

Through the ages with "The Heart of the Bulldog Spirit"

Alumni Podcast Spotlight: Waitin’ Since Last Saturday

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Born in Five Points in Athens, Waitin’ Since Last Saturday is a podcast focused on UGA athletics helmed by two Dawgs—Scott Duvall (AB ’00) and Tony Waller (BSA ’90, JD ’93)—and an Illinois grad who quickly developed his own Bulldog fandom, Will Leitch. We asked the three of them about how the podcast came to be, their personal UGA-fan “origin stories,” favorite moments from the pod, and more.

How did you all meet?

Scott: Will and his wife moved to Athens and we hung out for a couple years. He got to experience his first-ever Georgia game-watching party with me and my friends in 2013. The Dawgs lost against Clemson, but he was sold on the fun and passion of being a Georgia fan.

I met Tony through Will. He introduced me to Tony at a Georgia basketball game and I remember asking Will, ‘Hey, is he that famous Georgia blogger?’ He was indeed that. The next couple of times I ran into him, it was like we had hung out for years.

What was your UGA experience like?

Scott: My UGA experience was fantastic. As far as football goes, there were many ups and downs and a lot of losses to Florida. But the years I spent as an undergrad in Athens caused me to fall in love with the city—and fall in love with my girlfriend, whom I married a year after graduation. I graduated with a BA in Speech Communication and have used those skills to help develop my talent as a filmmaker, photographer and podcaster.

Tony: It was an interesting time in the University’s life. We were transitioning from the Davidson to the Knapp years, downtown was transitioning from mom-and-pop stores to more student focused businesses, parking was still out on the other side of the railroad tracks near the loop. I was fortunate to live in my fraternity house for three years after a year in Russell, so I was always close to campus—a great thing because I was very involved in campus activities.

Will: My wife is an alum, and we met in New York City in 2007. I knew she loved football—how could you go to UGA and not?—but I didn’t quite realize how much until the 2012 SEC Championship Game. We were living on the 22nd floor of a high-rise apartment building in downtown Brooklyn, watching the game with our new infant sleeping in the next room. When Chris Conley came up just short at the goal line, I was legitimately afraid my wife was going to throw an office chair out the window and onto unsuspecting New Yorkers hundreds of feet below. I wanted to be a part of anything that would make someone so passionate. When we moved here in 2013, with our kids going to school just across the street from Butts-Mehre, it was impossible not to get sucked in.

When did you know you were a Bulldog?

Scott: I was playing in a high school baseball game my senior year, and my mom held up my acceptance letter to UGA while I was in the on deck circle. I have no idea what I did during my plate appearance that day, but I was as excited as I could be. A few months later, I moved into Creswell Hall.

Tony: In 1978, when I was listening to Munson call the Rex Robinson FG to win at Kentucky while riding back from a rec. sports playoff football game in Port Wentworth.

What was the inspiration behind Waitin’ Since Last Saturday?

Scott: We were at Grindhouse Burgers on Lumpkin Street talking Georgia football, of course. I remember Will casually saying, “I’d do a podcast with you two.” Tony and I looked at each other and basically in unison, said, “Oh, we’re so doing this.”

Tony and I thought it was cool to have Will as a co-host. He wasn’t from here, didn’t grow up a Georgia fan and didn’t even attend Georgia. It would be a journey for him to learn in real time, during shows, the little nuances of why we do things a certain way in Athens.

Tony: I’ve had two different UGA Athletics-focused blogs over the years. I’ve always liked talking more than writing, so I’ve been doing podcasts in my head for years. Given the chance to work with a talented producer like Scott and a smart writer like Will just gave me an excuse to do so out loud.

How did you get started?

Scott: Our first show and the majority of our shows for the 2015 and 2016 seasons were recorded at my house in east Athens. Why my house? Well, I had one condenser microphone. I remember we had a hard time getting the sound just right. You could imagine three guys talking into one mic. But that’s what we did for the first few episodes. Then Tony bought two more. We still use those same three mics today.

How has the podcast grown over the past 6 years?

Scott: We just hit over half a million downloads. But, in all honesty, we gauge our growth on interactions. When someone stops us at a football game, or at a restaurant and lets us know how much they enjoy the show, that means so much to me. I especially love it when it happens when my family is around— my kids usually just roll their eyes.

We have sponsors during the football season and that helps validate the hours we put into the show. Growth is good, but the three of us would probably still do it only if 50 people listened.

Was there a moment where you felt like the podcast really took off?

Tony: We had fortuitous timing, in that we started a podcast in August of Coach Richt’s last season. Having a coaching transition and the excitement of Coach Smart’s first season helped us grow, but 2017 really gave us legs.

Scott: Some of the best shows we did coincided with the Dawgs’ 2017 season. It was the “revenge tour”—that’s how we kept referring to it—and the response on social media and download numbers shot up dramatically as Georgia kept winning games.

How do you balance the podcast with other commitments? When do you find the time to record?

Scott: I’m always editing. It doesn’t matter if it’s a corporate video for the University of Georgia or a local non-profit, or if I’m going through a photoshoot for a client. I’m always editing, and I love it. Having said that, there are times where I have a huge deadline and Will and Tony are great to understand that I either can’t join them or won’t be able to edit the show.

Tony: We just have to be intentional about carving out time. My wife gets that talking with these two is my personal counseling time. The fact Scott hits record is just a bonus.

What has been your favorite moment in creating the podcast?

Scott: My favorite moment is anytime Tony goes off on one of his crazy stories about his trip to Columbia, South Carolina or smoking meats, or throwing shade at opposing fans and coaches. I’m convinced Tony could be a stand-up comic.

Which guests have stuck out to you?

Scott: Georgia beat writer Seth Emerson is always a good one because he has the pulse of the team and it’s great to provide that kind of insight to our listeners.

Tony: The two Australians I spot interviewed in the stands during the break at the start of overtime at the Rose Bowl. These guys picked a heck of a game to get their first American college football game under their belts.

Any new, exciting content that listeners can anticipate this season?

Scott: Yep, I gazed into the future and Georgia’s going to win the national championship this year.

This one’s for Will. You’re an alumnus of the University of Illinois, but having been in Athens this long and in this specific era, do you now consider yourself a bigger fan of UGA or Illinois?

Will: Fortunately, these teams have yet to play each other—other than in women’s college basketball—since I moved here, so I don’t have to face this often. But I grew up right next to Champaign and have orange and blue (the good orange and blue, not the Auburn orange and blue) in my blood. If Illinois ever plays at Stegeman, you’ll see me in my season ticket seats wearing the Illini colors, I’m afraid. But I won’t be a jerk about it.

The real question: Who would my CHILDREN cheer for? Let me know when you know the answer so I can update my will.

Dawgs through the Decades: UGA in the 1980s

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As the birthplace of higher education in America, UGA is guided by a respect for history and tradition while keeping a firm eye on the future. We’re taking a trip down nostalgia lane this fall to learn about college life through the decades. So put on your acid wash jeans and roll up those blazer sleeves … it’s time to head back to the 1980s.

The 1980s were defined by pop culture, consumerism and the end of the Cold War. It was a spirited decade in America and that was no different on the UGA campus. Long-standing traditions found their humble beginnings during these years. Our historic campus also expanded with newly established buildings and organizations.

Students in the 1980s were hopeful and enthusiastic about the opportunity to improve the future. They embodied the spirit of UGA, striving to create better communities around the world and empower the next breed of Bulldogs to continue that tradition. Among UGA’s distinguished alumni from this decade, there are professional athletes, writers, educators, business leaders and government officials. Bulldogs from the ’80s demonstrate the incredible value of a degree from UGA.

Campus Highlights

Here are a few key moments from UGA’s history in the 1980s: 

1980

  • UGA was accorded sea-grant status
  • Center for Global Policy Studies established (editor’s note: now the Center for the Study of Global Issues-GLOBIS)
  • Coach Vince Dooley reinstated “silver britches” as part of the UGA football uniform
  • The UGA football team won a National Championship
  • The UGA Board of Regents voted to approve the Red and Black‘s independence from the university
  • The UGA Athletic Association established its first women’s track and field team

1981

  • Harold Wright became the first Black drum major for the Redcoat Marching Band

1982

1983

1985

  • UGA celebrated the bicentennial of its founding
  • The men’s tennis team won UGA’s first NCAA team title

1986

1987

1988

1989 

UGA Map 1986

UGA’s campus in 1986. Notice any differences from today?

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Chapel Bell 1989
UGA library 1980
Arch 1989
UGA national champs 1980
Mascot 1981
Graduation 1980
Class in the 1980s

Classic City Entertainment

With a growing and more diversified music industry, Athens saw new bands and venues emerge in the 1980s. The 40 Watt Club moved to a larger space, and the landmark Georgia Theatre was reopened as a music venue in 1989.

The Athens music scene spread to houses around Baker Street and in clubs such as the Georgia Bar and Tyrone’s OC. College students danced to local bands like the Side Effects, the Tone Tones, the Method Actors, Pylon, Love Tractor, and the Brains. The B-52’s and R.E.M. paved the way in pop culture, becoming the first internationally renowned bands from Athens after launching a string of hits in the early ’80s.

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R.E.M. performing 1989
Widespread Panic performing 1989
1989 concert
Concert 1989
Student playing guitar 1980

Music Essentials

The 1980s saw the emergence of hip hop and electronic dance music. Artists like Madonna, Cyndi Lauper, Michael Jackson, and Def Leppard revolutionized the music scene with their eccentric looks and cutting edge performances. Reminisce on the ’80s with this UGA Alumni throwback playlist!

TUNE INTO THE 1980s

Fashion Trends

The 1980s boasted bold styles, colors and silhouettes. Eclectic fashion was all the rage, with trends ranging from permed hair and ripped jeans to shoulder pads and oversized blazers.

Most Bulldogs in the ’80s opted for casual attire like crew neck Georgia T-shirts, cuffed jeans, thick ankle socks and white sneakers or Doc Martens. “Power dressing” became popular at the height of the decade as women wore jumpsuits, structured tops, pinstripe pants, chunky jewelry and bright colored high heels. Androgynous fashion also evolved throughout the 1980s; women adopted a more traditionally masculine style, while men continued to experiment with traditionally “feminine” looks.

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Fashion 1985
Mens fashion 1980
Men's fashion 1985
1989 hairstyle
1989 hairstyle
Charlita Stephens Walker Homecoming Queen '89
Students 1980
1989 fashion
1989 fashion

Technology

  • Personal computers became common on campus in the 1980s. Many students swapped out their typewriters for computer labs in libraries and dorms. However, before the Internet, these computers were only capable of playing games, word processing, and mathematical calculations.
  • Walkmans were the first form of portable, personal music. Students could be seen enjoying their favorite cassette between classes.
  • Boomboxes were a much larger alternative to portable music. Students lugged these gadgets around campus and downtown, tuning into local radio stations like WUOG.
  • VHS players allowed students to watch films from the comfort of their dorms, apartments and houses. Bulldogs could also record football games straight from the TV and watch the highlights later.
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1980s computer lab
1989 TV
1989 phone
1989 Boombox

Whether you’ve been Calling the Dawgs since the 1980s or just learned the words to “Glory, Glory,” we remain united by the Arch and the Hedges. We are Georgia Bulldogs, and we Never Bark Alone.

Stay tuned as we continue on this trip down nostalgia lane. Next stop: the 1990s!

(and don’t forget to check out the 1970s post in this series!)

*Shannon Moran, writing/communications intern for UGA’s Division of Development and Alumni Relations, is researching and writing this special blog series.

Eight reasons why Uga is the best mascot

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1. He’s a loyal family man

Uga has been owned by the same family since he arrived on the University of Georgia’s campus in 1956. Frank W. Seiler’s (BBA ’56, JD ’57) family of Savannah, Georgia, owns the English Bulldogs and is as much a part of their family as he is the UGA family.  

Uga in Sanford Stadium

2. He knows how to live in style

Sweating in the Georgia heat during a home game? What’s that? Uga’s on-field home is a permanent air-conditioned dog house located next to the cheerleaders’ platform. He gets to sit on a bag of ice to chill during the hot fall Saturdays in Athens. He also has his own room at UGA’s Center for Continuing Education & Hotel. 

Uga outside of his air-condition dog house

3. He’s graced the cover of Sports Illustrated Magazine

Uga is a model, plain and simple. Oh, and Sports Illustrated also named him the No. 1 mascot in all of college football. Nothing big.  

GIF of Uga

4. He has his own car

What’s that coming down the tracks? Uga in a Victory Red Suburban provided by Athens Chevrolet! Uga rides to Georgia games in style in an official vehicle that has a custom license plate detailing his name and roman numeral.  

Uga in the trunk of Victory Red Suburban car

5. He’s taken on a longhorn and survived the day

You might remember the 2019 All-State Sugar Bowl against the University of Texas Longhorns where their mascot, Bevo, charged Uga X and everyone went up in a frenzy. Good thing is that Uga came out unscathed. What other mascot has been targeted by an almost two-ton longhorn and survived?  

GIF of Kirby Smart

6. He’s a movie star

Petition to get Uga a movie franchise like Beethoven? Uga V made a cameo appearance in the 1997 film “Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil” and had several scenes with John Cusack’s character walking through Forsyth Park. He had no bad sides, and the camera loved him. 

Uga with his tongue out

7. He knows how to work hard

The GIF speaks for itself. Good boy.  

8. He has the best squad

Name a better trio. We’ll wait.

Uga X with UGA mascot and Chip Chambers

UGA athletics director pledges $100K to need-based aid

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Josh Brooks (MS ’14), the newly named J. Reid Parker Director of Athletics at the University of Georgia, recently pledged $100,000 to create a need-based scholarship that will support UGA students from Athens-Clarke County.

“This generous gift reaffirms Josh’s commitment to the success of University of Georgia students,” said President Jere W. Morehead. “I am very excited about the future of UGA Athletics with Josh at the helm, and this scholarship gift is a terrific start to his tenure. Need-based aid is a vital tool to improve our university, so we are grateful to Josh for his support in that area.”

Brooks’ pledge came less than a week after he became UGA’s 12th director of athletics, his seventh post in 11 years working for the university’s athletic association.

“I love this town, this community, and I want to help make a difference here locally,” said Brooks. “I have three children who go to school here in Athens-Clarke County, I live here in Athens, and I’m aware of how many kids are in need in this county, so it is important to me to help these students find a pathway to the University of Georgia.”

Brooks’ gift will create a Georgia Commitment Scholarship (GCS), adding to the more than 550 endowed, need-based scholarships created under the GCS program since its launch in January 2017. These scholarships will be awarded in perpetuity and provide recipients with support through special on-campus programming in partnership with the Division of Academic Enhancement.

“Our new director of athletics has only been in the role a week, and he’s already making a positive impact at UGA,” said Kelly Kerner, UGA vice president for development and alumni relations. “Josh’s belief in the power of a UGA education—and the support he’s demonstrated as a result—will open doors for generations of students.”

Marlise O. Harrell, 1969

The scholarship, which will be named the Marlise O. Harrell Georgia Commitment Scholarship, honors Brooks’ late mother-in-law.

“Education was always important to her, it was something she always stressed with my children, her grandchildren,” said Brooks. “She had a heart of gold, and she was someone who always put other people first in everything she did.”

This gift is the latest example of Brooks’ support for the Athens-Clarke County community. He was heavily involved in the creation and implementation of the “Dawgs for Pups” initiative benefitting Athens-Clarke County students. The initiative has, to date, provided Wi-Fi hotspots and organized food and coat drives for grade-school students.

“For me, charity starts locally,” said Brooks. “So, when I was blessed with the opportunity to become director of athletics, I felt the responsibility to give back. The University of Georgia has done so much for me, and I felt it was important that I give back in a way that supports the university and the community I love.”

Previewing the (new!) 2020 UGA football schedule

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It seemed in doubt for a while, but for the moment, Georgia football is on the horizon.

The COVID-19 pandemic has required a dramatic reappraisal of fall sports by colleges and universities across the country, but after much deliberation, the Southeastern Conference is moving forward with fall football, unveiling reconfigured 10-game, conference-only schedules for its 14 members on August 17.

Let’s begin with the major caveat: this is as tentative as tentative gets. As public health conditions change in the shadow of COVID-19, so too will college football conditions. But let’s assume that things go as well as can be hoped, and we see full-powered college football in 2020. What do our Bulldogs face?

University of Arkansas

Saturday, Sep. 26, 2020 | 4PM ET | SEC Network
Donald W. Reynolds Razorback Stadium – Fayetteville, AR

Arkansas RazorbacksFor many Georgia fans, it may seem a little cruel that in the Razorbacks’ first season under head coach Sam Pittman— beloved former offensive line coach for UGA—they would open their season against the formidable Bulldogs. Blame COVID-19 if you want, but the Dawgs should walk into and out of Fayetteville comfortably, as the Razorbacks have lost 19 consecutive SEC games and lost several key players on a defense that finished last year ranked 110th in total defense.

Auburn University

Saturday, Oct. 3, 2020 | 7:30PM ET | ESPN
Sanford Stadium – Athens, GA

Auburn Tigers

Things were already going to be strange with this matchup—it’s been 83 years since this game was played in October—but now with the schedule shake-up, the Deep South’s Oldest Rivalry becomes a week 2 matchup. It will be a notable contest for another reason, however: this is Georgia’s 125th game against the Auburn Tigers. The last 15 contests against the Plainsmen have favored the Dawgs: UGA is 12-3 since 2006, a record that would likely surprise most of Bulldog Nation. In that same time period, however, the Bulldogs have never gone more than 4 games without giving one up to the Tigers. After winning three in a row, can Kirby keep the streak alive, or will shouts of War Eagle drown out the Chapel Bell?

University of Tennessee

Saturday, Oct. 10, 2020
Sanford Stadium – Athens, GA

The unchecked UT dominance of the 90s has waned ever since Verron Haynes planted a hobnail boot into the checkered end zone of Neyland Stadium: Georgia is 13-6 against the Vols since 2001, and our last three contests have been decided by an average of 32 points. That said, after last season’s loss to the Dawgs, Tennessee reeled off a 6-1 record—an impressive feat after early season losses to BYU and Georgia State. If Jeremy Pruitt has gotten the Volunteers to turn a corner, Tennessee could give UGA much more of a game this go-round. But without the time and structure of the typical offseason where that corner-turning usually occurs…

University of Alabama

Saturday, Oct. 17, 2020 | 8PM | CBS
Bryant-Denny Stadium – Tuscaloosa, AL

The last time the Georgia Bulldogs went to Tuscaloosa, they left on an overtime, game-winning bomb from Matt Stafford to Mikey Henderson. Since then, as Dawg fans are well aware, things have been all Bama in this series, which stands at 40-25-4 all-time in the Crimson Tide’s favor. Any trip to Bryant-Denny is difficult, but this one may be even more challenging than our originally scheduled one—at least then there was a possibility of catching early-season Bama napping. As it stands now, though, this game will likely see two heavyweights tuned up and ready for high-level football.

University of Kentucky

Saturday, Oct. 24, 2020
Kroger Field – Lexington, KY

Kentucky WildcatsAfter a 10-3 year in 2018, Mark Stoops’ Wildcats regressed a bit in 2019 with a 7-5 record. This was mostly expected, as the Cats lost a number of all-timers on both sides of the ball to the NFL Draft. Kentucky loses another playmaker this year in Lynn Bowden, the dynamic WR/QB who gave defenses fits. Well, MOST defenses: Georgia handled Bowden and Kentucky in a miserable, soggy game in 2019. This game lines up as a classic “trap game” for the Dawgs, who will be coming off of an undoubtedly grueling, highly anticipated game against the Tide and could overlook the ‘Cats as they look ahead to the bye week and the Gators after that.

University of Florida

Saturday, Nov. 7, 2020 | 3:30PM ET | CBS
TIAA Bank Field – Jacksonville, FL

Florida GatorsUnfortunately, this new schedule doesn’t allow the Georgia-Florida game to fall directly on Halloween, which always feels like the appropriate time for this match: hordes of lizard creatures assemble, draped in rags of garish orange and blue. The good guys in red and black will fight to extend Georgia’s win streak to 4, which would be the longest streak in this series in over a decade. Dan Mullen has steadily improved the Gators since his arrival in 2018, and our last game was decided by a single touchdown, so this figures to be yet another hotly contested match on the bank of the St. Johns River.

University of Missouri

Saturday, Nov. 14, 2020
Faurot Field – Columbia, MO

Missouri TigersSince Missouri joined the SEC in 2012, the Tigers have only managed one win in eight games against the Bulldogs. But those games all saw either Gary Pinkel or Barry Odom at the helm for Mizzou, and now head coach Eli Drinkwitz will lead the Tigers. Drinkwitz served in various assistant roles for over a decade at a variety of schools before taking over the Appalachian State Mountaineers last season. In his one season at App State, his team set a Sun Belt record for wins (12), won the conference and became the first-ever Sun Belt program to earn a Top 20 ranking in the AP poll.

Mississippi State University

Saturday, Nov. 21, 2020
Sanford Stadium – Athens, GA

Mississippi State BulldogsOne of the more exciting SEC developments in the last year was Mike Leach’s arrival in Starkville. This is actually Leach’s second stint in the conference—he was Kentucky’s offensive coordinator/QB coach from 1997-1998, when he and head coach Hal Mumme turned quarterback Tim Couch into a no. 1 NFL Draft pick (you read that right). It remains to be seen how well Leach’s prolific offense translates to the modern-day SEC, but even without his high-flying scheme, MSU already had senior running back Kylin Hill, the SEC’s leading rusher in 2019. And Leach’s new defensive coordinator, Zach Arnett, led a San Diego State defense that, over the last two seasons, was among the nation’s best in multiple categories. Don’t be surprised if this game gives us some trouble.

University of South Carolina

Saturday, Nov. 28, 2020
Williams-Brice Stadium – Columbia, SC

The Dawgs will travel to their second Columbia of the year with one thing in mind: revenge. The 2019 USC-UGA game set off a wave of soul-searching and second-guessing that still lingers in the minds of many Bulldog fans and, ultimately, became the reason Georgia was kept out of the College Football Playoff. Despite UGA holding a massive advantage in the all-time series (51-19-2), this game now looms large for the Dawgs. But with former Georgia QB and offensive coordinator Mike Bobo joining former Bulldogs Will Muschamp, Bryan McClendon and Thomas Brown on the USC coaching staff, the Gamecocks could have a rejuvenated offense, so the South Carolina of 2020 may be more difficult than the 2019 edition.

Vanderbilt University

Saturday, Dec. 5, 2020
Sanford Stadium – Athens, GA

This isn’t who we normally close the season with, but I guess we can trade one set of nerds for another. The ‘Dores and the Dawgs face-off Between The Hedges for their 81st meeting. This series has been one-sided for decades, with the Bulldogs winning 43 of the last 50 contests. Still, Kirby is 3-1 against Vandy, and head coach Derek Mason is good for one or two upsets a year, so UGA will need to give an honest effort to make sure they don’t give Vanderbilt a reason to extend Mason’s contract.

More than ever before, make sure to stay connected with the UGA Alumni Association this season. COVID-19 will change how we enjoy the game this year, but the Alumni Association will be rolling out a variety of ways, before and throughout the season, to bring the “Saturday in Athens” feeling directly to you, wherever you are. From the hedges to your home, we Never Bark Alone! Go Dawgs!

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