Game one delivered the kind of opening day statement Georgia fans wanted to see, and now attention shifts to something a little different: the white out.
Saturday’s opener against Tennessee State was played in brutal heat on Dooley Field in Sanford Stadium, but the crowd showed up anyway and the Bulldogs answered with a 63-3 win. The early chatter afterward centered on how the team looked - development, efficiency, crisp execution, and more speed at every spot. One fan, Atlantan and Ansley Golf Club Swindleteer Henley Hayes, put it this way: “DAWGS look fast, pissed off, hungry and deep!”
That first game gave Georgia plenty to build on, and game two offers another chance to keep that momentum rolling against Western Kentucky. The Bulldogs’ first two opponents may not exactly move the needle, but after a first weekend around college football that featured plenty of sloppy play elsewhere, there’s not much reason to complain about Georgia handling its business.
There’s also plenty else inside this week’s issue for readers following along beyond the scoreboard. Max Champion’s Fast Five features former Georgia quarterback Aaron Murray, who talks about using Coach Smart’s “Keep Chopping” mantra with his son, who recently started cycling with him.
Murray’s connection to the message runs through his broadcasting work, his leadership venture and his support of ESP (Extra Special People). Kevin Butler is back as well with his weekly Players of the Game, though this time he changed the format and selected Units of the Week after so many Bulldogs saw the field in the opener.
The Social Section is packed again, starting with a salute to Bulldog Nation for showing up in force for the Tennessee State game despite the heat. Sanford Stadium was full at kickoff, even if the temperature eventually won out and pushed plenty of fans toward the exits. Fan photos from that game begin on page 30.
Several recurring features also return in this issue. Alexandra Couturier is highlighted in Georgia Girls on pages 26 and 27.
Chad Powell’s Proust Q&A on page 40 includes his favorite class at Georgia, taught by UGA President Jere Morehead. Trent Allen shares how to make a real Bloody Mary in Backstage & Behind the Bar on page 28, and UGA women’s tennis coach Drake Bernstein gets the MIXTAPE treatment on page 29 with a playlist that runs from Bob Weir into two Grateful Dead songs and finishes with four by Goose.
And as the Bulldogs get ready for the white out, the reminder is simple: wear white on Saturday. It should be a blast for players and fans alike.
The issue also closes on a sad note with the passing of Athenian Bobby Poss. He was remembered for his storytelling, his kind heart and the way he always asked about Cheri, the writer’s wife. Loran Smith’s column on page 43 takes a closer look at Bobby and the Poss family.
In Other News...
Georgia Fans Are Being Asked To Pay More Just To Stay Connected
Georgia Bulldogs fans have gotten used to paying more to keep up with their team, whether that means handling the rising costs tied to game attendance, navigating donation requirements for ticket requests or simply finding new ways to stay plugged into the program. The latest reminder comes through the Bulldogs NIL efforts, where access to game highlight videos now comes with a $20 monthly subscription, another small but noticeable shift in how Georgia is packaging its football content.
For a fan base that has helped fuel Georgias rise back near the top of the sport, the asks keep stacking up even as the team sits at No. 2 and the bigger picture around the program stays bright. There is plenty to follow beyond football too, with the SEC baseball schedule for 2027 now on the calendar, but the immediate reality is that staying connected to Georgia keeps getting more expensive, one layer at a time. [Read more 🡒]
Stetson Bennett Just Put His Rams Future Back In Focus
Stetson Bennetts path back into the Rams plans got a noticeable boost when Los Angeles settled on him as the backup quarterback heading into the season. After a summer of camp reps and preseason evaluation, Bennett edged out rookie Ty Simpson, a choice that gives the former Georgia star a clearer place on the depth chart than he had a few weeks ago.
Still, the job hardly feels permanent. Bennett is playing on an expiring contract, while Simpson remains under team control for three more years, which leaves the Rams with an obvious decision to revisit next offseason. For Bennett, the assignment is straightforward enough: keep playing well enough to make it hard for the team to move on. [Read more 🡒]
Georgia Fans Are Furious Over A Bulldogs Access Decision
The first look at Georgias Week 1 win has turned into a headache for some Bulldogs fans, who discovered the video highlights were posted behind a subscription wall on the Glory Glory Georgia website and app. The platform bills itself as a fan-focused hub for exclusive UGA athletics content, but the move immediately rubbed plenty of supporters the wrong way, especially with the game itself already tucked away on the SEC+ streaming platform.
On social media, the reaction was swift and sharp, with fans venting about both the added cost and the growing number of places they need to pay just to follow the team. For a fan base used to seeing Georgia football as a premium draw, the access decision has become its own storyline, and it is one that leaves the school facing some obvious questions about how much exclusivity is too much. [Read more 🡒]