Georgia’s day against Oklahoma began with football, but the moment that stood out happened long before kickoff.
As the Bulldogs were making their way to the locker room earlier today, Kirby Smart and several Georgia players paused for a young fan who got a little extra time with the team. Liora Haynes, a 10-year-old Bulldogs supporter and cancer survivor, was there for what was described as the “full Bulldog experience,” high-fiving players as they passed by.
The scene was made even more memorable by Smart, who stayed with the family for “several minutes.”
SWEET PREGAME MOMENT: 10 year old Liora Haynes is getting the full Bulldog experience today. She’s been fighting Leukemia and currently in remission. On their way into the locker room London Humphries, Gunner Stockton, Lawson Luckie , Raylen Wilson, Kirby Smart and others stopped… pic.twitter.com/LjfyVW2y9n
- Alison Mastrangelo (@AlisonWSB) September 26, 2026
It was the kind of interaction that cuts through all the usual noise around college football. The sport can be messy and exhausting, with plenty of off-field distractions, but a moment like this is a reminder of why it still connects so deeply with people. Georgia fans will be locked in for the game, but Haynes already got a day she won’t forget.
Smart, dressed in a full suit and tie in the Georgia heat, still made time to stop, smile and help turn the moment into something special for her.
On the field, Georgia and Oklahoma are set to kick off in Athens at 3:30 pm EST. The Bulldogs enter the game with an offense that leads the nation in points per game heading into the weekend, while Oklahoma is trying to get back to the level preseason rankings expected from them.
What was once projected as a top 10 matchup now lands as another ranked-versus-unranked game for Georgia. Even so, the Bulldogs should still have the crowd in Athens in for a lively night.
In Other News...
Georgia Fans Will Love How Nick Chubb Is Being Sent Off
Nick Chubbs NFL run officially came to an end this week, and the way Cleveland is handling it should resonate loudly back in Athens. After eight seasons in the league, including seven with the Browns and a final stop with the Texans, the former Georgia star announced his retirement and signed a one-day contract with Cleveland so he could retire as a Brown.
The Browns also plan to honor him at their upcoming home opener, a fitting sendoff for a back who built a career around production and toughness. For Georgia fans, it is another reminder of how much Chubb meant at every level, from his college days with the Bulldogs to a pro career that left its mark in rushing yards and touchdowns, even as his final chapter now gets its own proper curtain call. [Read more 🡒]
Georgias Biggest Oklahoma Question Could Change The Entire Game Plan
Nate Fraziers status has become one of the key things Georgia is watching as it turns toward Oklahoma, with the running back still listed as questionable after limping off the field in the previous game. Kirby Smart has sounded optimistic about where Frazier stands, but Georgia has not gone so far as to confirm he is fully healthy, which keeps a cloud over a spot that has carried real weight in the offense this season.
Georgia does have the kind of running back depth that can soften the blow if Frazier is unable to go, but there is no getting around his importance as the teams leading rusher. If he is limited or unavailable, the Bulldogs may have to lean into a different version of their game plan, one that asks more of the rest of the backfield and changes how they approach one of their biggest tests ahead. [Read more 🡒]
Georgia Defense Just Delivered The Play That Buried Oklahoma Early
Georgias defense keeps finding ways to change games in a hurry, and Chris Cole delivered the kind of momentum swing that can bury an opponent before the night really gets going. On Oklahomas 3rd-and-goal chance, John Mateer lost the ball, and Cole turned the recovery into an 85-yard touchdown return that helped Georgia push the lead to 21-0 before halftime.
By the time the Bulldogs added another score before the break to make it 28-0, the tone had already shifted sharply. For Georgia, it was another reminder that this defense can do more than just get stops, it can create points, flip fields and leave an offense trying to recover from one snap to the next. [Read more 🡒]