Georgia Bulldogs
Kirby Smart Created A Monster In Georgia Bulldogs Fans
By: Michael Spiers
TheSouthernSportsEdition.com news services
There was a time, not all that long ago, when Georgia football fans would have given just about anything for the kind of success we’re enjoying today.
Georgia fans dreamed of national championships, hoped for SEC titles, and celebrated 10-win seasons like we’d just won the lottery.
These days? UGA wins a game by two touchdowns and fans spend the next three days complaining about the offensive line.
Somewhere along the way, Georgia fans have become spoiled rotten. And I’ll be the first to admit that I’m probably one of them.
It’s amazing what a couple of national championships and nearly a decade of Kirby Smart will do to a fan base.
Think about it. Before Kirby arrived in Athens, Georgia was a good football program. Sometimes a very good program.
Mark Richt gave us plenty of memorable seasons, some terrific players, and a couple of SEC championships. But there was always that nagging feeling that Georgia couldn’t quite get over the hump.
We watched Alabama collect national championships like they were frequent flyer miles. We watched Florida enjoy its moments of glory. We even had to endure Auburn winning a national championship, which is something no Georgia fan should ever have to experience.
And through it all, we kept saying the same thing. Just give us one national championship. Just one, and we’ll be happy.
Well, Kirby gave us one in 2021. Then he turned around and gave us another in 2022.
And apparently, that wasn’t enough.
Now, if Georgia doesn’t win by three touchdowns, somebody wants to know what’s wrong with the offense. If the defense gives up a couple of big plays, we’re wondering whether the coordinator knows what he’s doing.
And heaven forbid we actually lose a football game. You’d think somebody had canceled Christmas.
The truth is, Kirby Smart has created a monster. Not necessarily on the football field, although opposing coaches might disagree, but in the stands and living rooms of Bulldog Nation.
He’s made winning so routine that we’ve almost forgotten how difficult it really is.
There are more than 130 teams playing major college football, and practically every one of them would love to have Georgia’s problems.
We’re complaining about whether our team looks impressive enough while other fan bases are just hoping to become bowl eligible. That’s a pretty good problem to have.
And let’s not forget that college football has changed dramatically. The transfer portal, NIL money, revenue sharing, and constant roster turnover have made maintaining a championship-caliber program harder than ever. Coaches aren’t just recruiting high school players anymore. They’re practically rebuilding their rosters every offseason.
Yet somehow, we still expect Georgia to line up every Saturday, dominate from the opening kickoff, and win comfortably enough that we can relax before halftime.
I remember when beating Florida was enough to make an entire season feel worthwhile; when winning the SEC East was a major accomplishment; when we spent the offseason convincing ourselves that next year might finally be the year.
Now we’re disappointed if Georgia isn’t in the national championship conversation by October. Don’t misunderstand me. High expectations are a good thing.
Kirby didn’t build this program so we could be satisfied with mediocrity. Georgia should compete for championships, and fans have every right to expect excellence.
But maybe we ought to enjoy the ride a little more. Because one day, Kirby Smart won’t be standing on that sideline. One day, this incredible run will end.
And when it does, I suspect we’ll look back and wonder why we spent so much time complaining about the occasional ugly win instead of appreciating just how special these years really were.
So, the next time Georgia wins a game that wasn’t quite as pretty as we’d hoped, maybe we should resist the urge to criticize every missed block, dropped pass, or questionable play call.
Maybe we should just smile, enjoy the victory, and remember how badly we once wanted to be exactly where we are today.
Of course, if we lose to Florida this weekend, forget everything I just said.
No High Tide For Dawgs
By: Michael Spiers
TheSouthernSportsEdition.com news services
For years, there has been one place that has given Georgia football fans more heartburn than just about anywhere else in college football. That place is Tuscaloosa, Alabama.
It doesn’t matter how good the Bulldogs have been, how many five-star recruits Kirby Smart has signed, or how many championships Georgia has won; when Alabama is on the other sideline, there’s always been that little voice in the back of every Georgia fan’s mind wondering what could possibly go wrong.
Well, Saturday night, that voice finally got a little quieter.
Georgia walked into Bryant-Denny Stadium and walked out with a 20-17 victory over Alabama, improving to 6-0 and delivering what might be one of the most satisfying regular-season wins of Kirby Smart’s coaching career.
And make no mistake, this was a big one.
Georgia hadn’t won in Tuscaloosa since 2007. Smart had never beaten Alabama on its home field as Georgia’s head coach. For a program that has accomplished just about everything imaginable over the past several years, this was one of the few boxes left unchecked. Consider it checked.
What made Saturday night’s victory particularly impressive wasn’t that Georgia played a perfect game. The Bulldogs didn’t. There were mistakes, missed opportunities, and plenty of moments when Alabama looked ready to take control.
But Georgia did something championship teams have to do. It found a way to win when everything wasn’t going its way.
Quarterback Gunner Stockton deserves a tremendous amount of credit. There were plenty of questions entering the season about whether he could lead this offense through the toughest parts of an SEC schedule. He completed 18 of 22 passes for 249 yards against Alabama, in Tuscaloosa, should answer a few of those questions.
Stockton wasn’t flashy. He didn’t need to be. He was poised, efficient, and didn’t let the moment become bigger than the game.
And how about Dwight Phillips Jr.? His 120 rushing yards gave Georgia the balance it needed and reminded everyone that the Bulldogs can still line up and play physical football when the situation demands it.
But the most encouraging part of the night was probably Georgia’s defense. They held Alabama to 17 points on its home field, that is no small accomplishment. The Crimson Tide have plenty of offensive weapons, and there were stretches when it looked like they might break the game open.
Instead, Georgia kept battling, made critical stops, and gave its offense the opportunity to finish the job.
That’s the kind of football Kirby Smart has built his program around.
Now, I’m not suggesting Georgia should start making hotel reservations for the national championship game. There’s still a lot of football left to play, and anybody who follows the SEC knows things can change in a hurry.
But Saturday night felt different. For years, Alabama was the standard Georgia was chasing. Even after the Bulldogs finally broke through and won a national championship, trips to Tuscaloosa remained unfinished business.
This victory wasn’t about proving Georgia belongs among college football’s elite. That argument was settled a long time ago.
It was about proving the Bulldogs can walk into one of the most intimidating environments in the country, absorb everything Alabama throws at them, and still be the better team when the clock hits zero.
And for Kirby Smart, who spent years working under Nick Saban before building his own powerhouse in Athens, there has to be something particularly satisfying about that.
Georgia didn’t just beat Alabama on Saturday night.
The Bulldogs beat Alabama in Tuscaloosa, stayed undefeated, and reminded the rest of the country that the road to a championship might very well run through Athens.
As a Georgia fan, I can tell you this much: I don’t care whether the final score was 20-17 or 50-17. Walking out of Tuscaloosa with a victory feels pretty darn good.
How ’bout them Dawgs!
Wanting More
By: Joe Delaney
TheSouthernSportsEdition.com news services
The University of Georgia rolls into the 2026 football season with high hopes.
What we have all realized is that in the Kirby Smart era, every year has high hopes! So, what makes this team special?
First is experience. The Dawgs won the SEC again last year and they did it with the second youngest team in the league. Now they return 14 starters from last year’s 12-2 outfit.
Add in a few portal pieces that were starters and this team is loaded with talent and experience. Kirby Smart’s mantra of building from within will show results this year. All that youth is a year older and bigger, stronger and faster.
Second is the schedule. While there are toughies at Alabama and at Ole Miss. They get Oklahoma at home and Florida in Atlanta. Throw in no Texas, Texas A&M, Tennessee or LSU on the schedule and it is manageable.
Next and probably the most important is the system. Georgia builds from within. Kirby is the Saban of here and now. This staff, team and fan base are an ALL IN bunch of rabid DAWGS.
Georgia went 12-2 last year and lost 2 games by a total of 8 points. Ask anyone associated with this bunch of Dawgs and they will say that isn’t good enough. Such are the expectations now in Athens Georgia and throughout the Bulldog Nation. This edition of the Dawgs is hungry.
There are questions. Where did the receivers go? What the hell happened to the pass rush? Legitimate concerns that need to be addressed. Let’s take a quick look at the 2026 team.
On offense it all starts with Gunner Stockton. Back for his second year as a starter. Gunner is a leader and a player. He is one of the most underrated quarterbacks in the country. If Gunner has a great 2026 then the Dawgs will also. Enough said.
The running game will be one of the best in the nation. Returning are Nate Frazier and Chauncey Bowens who accounted for some 1500 yards last year. Add in 3rd year Dwight “peanut” Phillips with his 4.28 40 and lets GO! This will open everything else up for what should be a dynamic offense.
The receivers will be a question mark. The plug and play transfer Isiah Canion will definitely be a go to.
Add in returners London Humphreys and Sacovie White-Helton along with youngsters Talyn Taylor, C. J. Wiley and others and while untested, there is talent. I wouldn’t be surprised to see UGA wide receivers mixed in on the outside and slot with some of the tight ends.
Speaking of tight ends, the tight end room at Georgia is arguably the best in college football. Lawson Luckie, Elyiss Williams, and Ethan Barbour are outstanding. Add in depth and new arrival Kaiden Prothro and Mike Bobo has the opportunity to ruin some defenses this fall.
None of the above will work without a solid offensive line and Georgia has that. Returning starters Drew Bobo, Earnest Green III, and Dontrell Glover are All SEC caliber players. Add in Jah Jackson, Juan Gaston, and exciting freshman Zykie Helton and others and the line should be one of the best in the conference.
Defensively the Dawgs will be good. Whether they can be elite will hinge on two things. First is consistency. As mentioned, in the two games Georgia lost in 2025 they gave up a combined 63 points. They lost those games by a total of 8 points.
Next is an answer to the first. It comes down to a pass rush. If Georgia has 35 sacks in 2026 then you can count them in. If they repeat 2025 and have 20 sacks then you can count them out.
The pieces of the puzzle are all there. Elijah Griffin, KJ Bolton and Ellis Robinson IV are All-Americans and potential first round NFL draft picks.
On the front seven Justin Williams Gabe Harris, Quentavius Johnson, Raylen Wilson, Chris Cole, and Xzavier McLeod, all return.
In the secondary Khalil Barnes, Rasean Dinkins, and Demello Jones are back. There is depth and quality waiting to get on the field behind them.
The kicking will once again be handled by Peyton Woodring and the new punter Drew Miller has big shoes to fill!
After two years of SEC Championships it’s amazing that for Kirby and the Dawgs, that isn’t good enough. The 2026 Bulldogs know where they stand. They want it all.
What Colton Nussmeier Will Bring To Georgia Bulldogs
By: Colin Lacy
TheSouthernSportsEdition.com news services
Nussmeier. It’s a name that has been around the SEC for over a decade in multiple different roles and now the third Nussmeier will be entering the SEC in 2027. Colton Nussmeier committed to play for Kirby Smart and the Georgia Bulldogs.
Colton carries on the Nussmeier legacy after his older brother Garrett Nussmeier played quarterback for the LSU Fighting Tigers.
The older Nussmeier brother finished his 5-year LSU career with over 7,500 yards and 52 career scores. Garrett Nussmeier was the 7th round selection of the Kansas City Chiefs in the 2026 NFL Draft and is now learning as the backup to Patrick Mahomes.
The Nussmeier brothers learned under their father Doug Nussmeier, who is currently the New Orleans Saints Offensive Coordinator and a veteran assistant in the NFL and College Football. He also worked with Kirby Smart under Nick Saban at Alabama from 2012-2013.
Colton has blazed his own trail as a standout quarterback as he enters his senior season of high school. Nussmeier is a four-star quarterback and ESPN’s No. 4 pocket passer for the 2027 class. The 6-3, 190 Texas native chose the Bulldogs over Arkansas and UCLA that had made up his “Final Three Teams.”
The rising senior will suit up for a new team for his final season in the high school ranks as earlier this year he transferred from Flower Mound Marcus Hs to the Dallas-Fort Worth powerhouse Denton Ryan Hs after injuries limited his junior season with Flower Mound Marcus.
As a first-year freshman starter in 2024, Nussmeier threw for over 1,900 yards, 16 touchdowns, with only 3 interceptions. Last season, Colton was hampered by a knee injury that limited his junior season to just eight games.
The commitment from the 4-star quarterback prospect closes the Bulldog’s search for a QB in the 2027 class that was a longer than normal search but marks the 4th top-300 pledge in the class.
Georgia has already landed commitments from the top running back in the class with Kemon Spell. The Dawgs also have one of the top tight ends Jaxon Dollar (#82 in the ESPN Top-300) and offensive tackle Kelsey Adams (#109 in the ESPN Top-300).
While the older Nussmeier (Garrett), took a lot of flack at times at LSU, there was consistency with him as a solid leader for the Tigers in his career (no surprise with his dad’s tutelage).
I know at times the “family heritage” playing a factor can get overblown, but this is one that feels that it has some legs.
The impact that Garrett had on the Tigers program on and off the field shows what this family is about, and while it can’t fully predict what Colton will be, it gives a great glimpse of where the upbringing started.
Pair that with the coaching from Kirby Smart and Mike Bobo in Athens, and even as someone that’s not a Georgia Fan, I’m excited to what Colton Nussmeier can turn into for the Bulldogs in a few years.
Georgia will have returner Gunner Stockton leading the offense in 2026.
Stockton has a 24-5 record as a starter for the Dawgs last few seasons. Next season (when Colton Nussmeier will be a Freshman in Athens), it’s expected to be Ryan Puglisi’s offense after serving as the backup to Stockton in 2025-2026.
The line of Georgia Quarterbacks has been a long and illustrious history and looks like the line continues with the newest Dawgs slinger committing recently.
Why Georgia Bulldogs Can Never Let Kirby Smart Leave For NFL
By: Capers Childs
TheSouthernSportsEdition.com news services
For decades, University of Georgia fans waited for someone who could finally bring the Bulldogs back to the apex of college football. Then, Kirby Smart arrived.
What Smart has built in Athens is more than just a winning football program. He has changed the standard of Georgia football in its entirety.
Before Smart, University of Georgia was a consistently-successful program, but the Bulldogs struggled to break through and become a national championship winning program.
Under previous head coach, Mark Richt (2001-15), Georgia posted a 145-51 record (.740) and remained nationally relevant, but could never reach the top of the college football landscape.
Smart took over as Georgia’s head coach in 2015 and has since built one of the most dominant stretches in college football history.
He currently has an impressive record of 117-21 with a .848 winning percentage. His accomplishments include back-to-back College Football National Championships in 2021 and 2022, a 2017 CFP title game appearance, SEC Championships in 2017, 2022 and 2024, six SEC Eastern Division titles, and eight New Year’s Six bowl appearances. In just his second season, he had the Bulldogs playing for the national championship for the first time in three decades.
What makes Smart so valuable to Georgia goes beyond his records. He took the job at his alma mater and a place he and his family love. His passion for the program has helped create a standard that Georgia fans had been waiting decades to see.
That impact is also reflected in the atmosphere surrounding the program. Georgia football has become one of the most iconic environments in all of college sports. The Dawg Walk, tailgates, and the packed Sanford Stadium is what defines a Saturday in Athens and under Kirby Smart, Georgia is expected to maintain greatness every season.
Smart’s dominance is also shown in recruiting. Before this year, the Bulldogs hadn’t signed fewer than three five-star recruits since 2017, and they have consistently been top 10 in the 247Sports Composite rankings.
That talent has translated directly to the next level. Under Smart, Georgia has produced 21 first-round NFL Draft picks – the same number as his total losses as head coach.
In that span, he has also had 84 players selected in the NFL Draft, including a modern-era record 15 players taken in the 2022 NFL Draft, the most from a single school in the seven-round draft format. Smart has turned Georgia football into one of the strongest NFL pipelines in college football.
Smart’s commitment to the program is also reflected in the investment Georgia has made in him. He is currently on a $130-million dollar contract through the year 2033. He’s making roughly $13 million dollars a year. In fact, only five NFL coaches are making more than Smart is at UGA. So, why would he leave the SEC?
Speculation about Smart eventually leaving for the NFL continues to surface. However, he already has a background coaching in the NFL. In 2006, he was the safeties coach for the Miami Dolphins for just one season under Nick Saban.
During his lone year in the league, the Dolphins finished with an overall record of 6-10-0. After a subpar year, he returned to college football, where his career has reached a whole new level of success
The reality is that Georgia Football is built around Kirby Smart. Every part of the program. If he were to leave for the NFL, Georgia would be losing the foundation of what the Bulldogs have spent decades trying to build.
For Georgia, the question is what the program would look like without Kirby Smart – and for a team built entirely around his standard, that answer is exactly why Georgia cannot afford to let him go.
Natty Or Bust?
By: Joe Delaney
TheSouthernSportsEdition.com news services
Well, spring is here and one of the most beautiful places in the state is Athens. With a temperature in the 70’s and the azaleas busting out everywhere, Athens is hard to beat.
Throw in a couple tickets I had to see the Tennis Dawgs take out South Carolina on a Friday night and the Baseball Dawgs do the same the next day to those Florida Gators and well, it’s just special.
At that same time, we got glimpses of the 2026 Football Dawgs as they were hard into spring practice.
The general consensus was that the football Dawgs could be very special this year. VERY special.
The next week was the spring game and after seeing it, I can see why. These Dawgs are tight. They have leadership, athleticism, depth, and a hunger to go back to the top.
From Kirby on down, these guys want all the marbles in 2026. The great Georgia guru Rusty Mansell put it out there. Georgia has “a roster built to play for a national championship”.
Are they as loaded as the back-to-back National Champions of a couple years back? Maybe not, but they might be just as good. Let’s take a look.
It starts with the top. Georgia has Kirby. The Dawgs also have one of the best overall staffs in the country. Throw in an administration and athletic director that are all on the same page and few programs in the country can match the Red and Black.
On the field it all starts with the QB, and Georgia has a good one in Gunner Stockton. While he might not be as flashy as some, he has that something that his teammates love; grit, determination, and a will to win.
With his experience running this offense, he is one of the top returning signal callers in the country. Behind him are 4 others with Ryan Puglisi currently number 2. Watch out for upcoming Ryan Montgomery who is pushing up the depth chart. The key to these guys is keeping Gunner healthy.
The backs will be very good, led by Nate Frazier. Throw in Chauncey Bowens, the electric Dwight Phillips and a couple of highly touted youngsters and Georgia will run the ball. And look out for Dante Dowdell, a transfer with speed, size and experience. His 20 something yard run while hurdling a defender was one of the spring game highlights.
Next are the wide receivers and tight ends. The wideouts will be bolstered by transfer Isiah Canion, and have talent all over with returners Landon Humphreys, C J Wiley, Talyn Taylor and newcomer Kaiden Prothro a 6’ 6” 230 lb 5-star freshman who starred in the spring game.
This group should be solid especially when paired with the best tight end group in the country. Between Lawson Luckie, Elyiss Williams, Ethan Barbour, and Jaden Reddell, the only problem will be how to get them all on the field.
Reddell showed out in the spring game and there are 2 or 3 others behind these guys. Like I said, this is the best TE group in the country. Look for the Dawgs to run some 3 or 4 TE sets with 1 running back.
None of the above means a thing if the O-line can’t do its thing but Georgia should be deep and very good on the line.
Drew Bobo will anchor the O-line at center. Add in returning starters Dontrell Glover, Juan Gaston, Earnest Green and it will be solid. Oh, and don’t forget newcomers Zykie Helton, and Jah Jackson, all 6’10” 350 lbs of him. This offense will have a hundred different ways to score and should be lethal.
Defensively the Dawgs will be loaded with returning starters all over the place. The D-Line will be big, deep, and athletic with plenty of experience.
Josh Horton, Xzavier Mcleod, Joseph Jonah-Ajonye, Nnamdi Ogboko all return and are back along with Elijah Griffin who has All-American written all over him. There is depth there also.
What the TE’s bring to the offense the LB’s are to the Georgia defense.
Raylen Wilson, Justin Williams, Chris Cole, and Gabe Harris make this group elite and remember the Name Chase Linton. Look for him this fall. There is also depth behind these guys with Nick Abrams, Zayden Walker and others..
The DB’s should be solid with returners Ellis Robinson IV, K J Bolden, Demello Jones, Rasean Dinkins, Kyron Jones, and transfers Braylon Conley, Khalil, and Gentry Williams.
The kicking is in good hands with Peyton Woodring although the punting cannot match the loss of thunderfoot Brett Thorson.
The special teams should be very good with a host of players vying for playing time to get on the field and impress.
All and all this is a loaded football team. Big, fast, physical with depth all over.
To me the keys to a run at the Natty are things that need to be improved on from a 12-2 team in 2025.
First is rush the passer, Georgia was lacking in this last year and the injury to transfer Amaris Williams during the spring didn’t help. That’s priority number one.
Next is, keep Gunner healthy. While there is quality behind him, Gunner is the man.
And last is get a little luck. This team can beat any team in the country if they are on. But they are not the 21 or 22 outfits. They’ll need a little luck here and there. If those three keys come to fruition, I like our chances.
Spring Is In The Air
By: Michael Spiers
TheSouthernSportsEdition.com news services
Spring football is underway in Athens, and the Georgia Bulldogs football are already starting to get a clearer picture of what the roster might look like heading into the 2026 season.
The Bulldogs are approaching the midpoint of spring practice, and in a recent press conference head coach Kirby Smart said he’s been pleased with the work his team has put in so far.
Practices have been competitive, with plenty of young players getting valuable reps as Georgia continues to build depth across the roster.
Of course, it wouldn’t be spring practice without a few bumps and bruises. Quarterback Gunner Stockton has been wearing a sleeve on his knee after dealing with a minor injury during offseason workouts. Smart said Stockton was limited a little early in spring practice but has been out there competing and continuing to improve.
Several other Bulldogs have also been limited.
Wide receiver Isiah Canion, a transfer expected to help lead the receiving corps, has been dealing with a sprained ankle. Defensive back, and former Camden County Wildcat Ja’Marley Riddle is still working back from a significant injury and hasn’t been able to participate much physically yet.
On top of that, a handful of players have been held out of spring practice entirely while recovering from injuries, including Drew Bobo, Gabe Harris, Zayden Walker, Jordan Hall, Kyron Jones and Carter Luckie.
Even with those setbacks, Smart says the team has shown good energy during the first several practices.
One of the biggest storylines this spring is along the offensive line. Georgia made a change during the offseason, promoting Phil Rauscher to offensive line coach after he spent last year with the program as an analyst.
Rauscher brings a long NFL background to the position, and players say he’s already introduced some new ideas, especially when it comes to understanding how the offensive line fits into the bigger picture of the offense.
There’s also plenty of competition up front. Georgia lost a couple of experienced linemen and is rotating multiple players at tackle, guard and center this spring.
Smart said the coaching staff is using spring practice to evaluate as many players as possible while building depth at one of the most important positions on the field.
Another player drawing attention early in spring practice is defensive lineman Elijah Griffin.
Smart said Griffin has shown flashes of being disruptive with his quickness and strength.
The freshman still has plenty of development ahead of him, but the coaching staff believes he has the tools to become a major contributor on the defensive front.
The quarterback room has also been busy this spring. Behind Stockton, several younger quarterbacks are getting a lot of extra work in practice and during seven on seven drills. Smart said repetition is key for developing quarterbacks, and Georgia has been intentional about making sure those players get as many reps as possible.
Meanwhile, the running back group is focusing on the next step in its development.
Smart said players like Nate Frazier and Chauncey Bowens are working on things like pass protection, catching the ball out of the backfield and creating yards after contact.
All of that work will eventually lead to one of the most anticipated events of the spring in Athens.
Georgia’s annual spring game, known as G-Day, is set for April 18 at Sanford Stadium.
The scrimmage begins at 1 p.m. and will give fans their first look at the 2026 Bulldogs in a game type setting.
With several practices still ahead, Smart says the focus right now is simple. He wants his team to keep competing, keep improving and keep building toward the fall.
Driving The Wrong Road
By: Robert Craft
TheSouthernSportsEdition.com news services
Two Georgia Bulldogs football players were arrested on driving-related charges recently, per the Athens-Clarke County jail log.
Junior linebacker Chris Cole, who was fourth on the team in tackles last season, was booked on one count of reckless driving and one count of speeding over the maximum limit.
Sophomore edge Darren Ikinnagbon was arrested and charged with three misdemeanors: reckless driving, speeding and following too closely.
It is unclear if the arrests are connected to the same incident. The police report both players were arrested for driving 105 mph on an Athens highway, 40 mph over the speed limit.
Both players were driving 2025 Mercedes SUVs. They were arrested and released at separate times, within an hour of each other. The bonds were $39 for Ikinnagbon and $26 for Cole
While misdemeanor traffic charges typically do not lead to additional jail time, the program’s history with driving arrests could lead to harsher internal punishment for Cole and Ikinnagbon.
There have now been 13 known instances of Georgia Bulldog players being arrested on driving charges since the January 2023 car crash that killed player Devin Willock and staffer Chandler LeCroy.
In recent history, last November reserve offensive lineman Nyjer Daniels was dismissed from the program after being charged with a felony following a traffic arrest.
Last year, receiver Nitro Tuggle and offensive lineman Marques Easley entered the transfer portal shortly after traffic arrests for which they were charged with misdemeanors.
While details of this week’s arrests are not yet public, the players are expected to remain on the team.
Coach Kirby Smart said he has taken different steps to fix the issues, saying two years ago the program would withhold name, image and likeness payments from players who had traffic arrests or even citations. Suspensions and, in some cases, dismissals have also been issued, especially in the last year.
“Each case is a case-by-case basis,” Smart said last November after dismissing Daniels. “And we’ll always evaluate things on a case-by-case basis, based on the student-athlete’s history and the particulars of the case.”
Cole and Ikinnagbon released statements of apology.
“I recognize the seriousness of this matter and the responsibility that comes with representing the University of Georgia and our football program,” Cole wrote. “I understand that there are high standards for how we conduct ourselves, and I take that responsibility very seriously. I deeply regret the impact and negative attention this has caused for my coaches, teammates and family.”
It continues to amaze me how people excuse the behavior just because they’re football players. I’ve spoken to Bulldog fans who state comments like “no one else cares why should we” or “Well it’s just speeding” or “The Athens Police are out of control”.
We call them kids. They are not kids. They are adults. Yes, young people do stupid stuff. I did. We all did. But it does not excuse or even begin to justify their behavior.
I am not saying kick them off the team or drop an atomic bomb. At the same time, we all should face consequences for our actions, and the behavior should not just be blown off because fans care about their football team’s results.
We might need some legal insight from an attorney or paralegal. Are these players getting preferential treatment with fines and the amount of the bond set?
Killer Kirby
By: Joe Delaney
TheSouthernSportsEdition.com news services
The Georgia Bulldogs have played NCAA Football for 122 years.
During that time they have won over twice as many games as the have lost. That is a very good record.
In the last 30 years the Bulldogs have had a winning record in 28 of those seasons. Not many schools have had that kind of success.
But in the last 10 seasons the Bulldogs have won 117 games. That includes multiple SEC Championships and multiple NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIPS. They have gone from good, to great, to arguably the best college football program in the country.
How did the Dawgs accomplish this? The answer can be summed up in one word, KIRBY.
Leaving Alabama after the 2015 season, Kirby returned to his alma mater where he was an All-SEC defensive back in the 90’s.
Starting with 2016 season, Smart led Georgia to an 8-5 record and a 31-23 win in the Liberty Bowl. Humble beginnings. It was just a mere taste of what was to come.
The 2017 season was highlighted by the 54-48 double overtime win over the Oklahoma Sooners. And while the Dawgs would lose in the National Championship to Alabama that year. The dye was cast.
The Dawgs have gone on during these 10 years to more SEC championships and 2 national championships.
The first National Championship being a thrilling win over the nemesis Crimson Tide 33-18 in 2021. The Dawgs then went 15-0 and back to back in 2022 with the cap being a 65-7 crushing of TCU in the final.
In Kirby Smart the Georgia Bulldogs have the best football coach in the NCAA.
They have become in Coach Smarts words “elite”.
In 2025 the Dawgs went 12-2. The lost 2 games were by a total of 8 points.
They won another SEC championship and finished ranked in the top 5.
Ask a gazillion Georgia fans and they will say it was a good year. A good year? Yeah, that’s it. That’s how high Kirby Smart has set the bar at UGA.
His favorite saying is that “you’re elite or you’re not”. Never has a Georgia football coach expected so much from himself, his players, his team and school. That’s saying a lot when you look back at all the great Georgia coaches.
So how did Kirby Smart go from eating hamburgers at Twin Lakes and coaching linebackers at Valdosta State University to being the head honcho of college football? Two reasons with one being just as important as the other.
First, you coach for almost a decade under the best college coach ever. You coach with Nick Saban every day and you learn and learn and learn. You grow with the guy and when your time comes, you’re ready.
And the second is you bleed Red and Black. Your family bleeds red and black. Kirby isn’t a coach for hire. He’s a damn DAWG. Those two things are what have made him he is. And that is ELITE.
Georgia Bulldogs Philosophy Change?
By: Robert Craft
TheSouthernSportsEdition.com news services
Georgia fell in heartbreaking fashion to Ole Miss.
I’ll break down the moments that decided this game and acknowledge a couple winners and losers.
FOUR MOMENTS THAT DECIDED THE GAME:
Ole Miss kicker Lucas Carneiro 55-yard and 56-yard field goals early: So many times in key Georgia games, we’ve seen an opposing kicker turtle in the big moment.
Carneiro couldn’t have been more different. His first field goal of the night? Sugar Bowl record.
His second field goal of the night? Broke his Sugar Bowl record in 10 minutes.
Those two long-distance field goals early in the game were big from a future confidence standpoint for the key game-winner, but it also wound up having major scoreboard implications at multiple points through the game.
Those two early moments would be great foreshadowing for the final moments of the game that follow.
Trinidad Chambliss’ circus act on third-and-7 to start the fourth quarter: Early in the fourth quarter, Georgia led by five facing a key third-down, which had been shortened by a previous play from Chambliss where he flicked an improvised pass to avoid lost yardage.
The next play was even more miraculous. With Quintavius Johnson and Daylen Everette both free and chasing, Chambliss looked like he might be destined for a long, long negative play.
Instead, he pulled off a moment that will go down in Ole Miss and CFP history forever, escaping both, finding Kewan Lacy who made it just past the line-to-gain to extend the drive.
It put CJ Allen and KJ Bolden out of the game briefly, too. A few plays later, after another explosive, Kewan Lacy marched in for a go-ahead score for Ole Miss.
Georgia’s failed fourth-down conversion: Kirby Smart labeled it a misfire in his postgame press conference, and that’s liable to happen when you have a backup center in a high-leverage decision-making fourth down.
Immediately after Ole Miss’ go-ahead touchdown, the Bulldogs went four plays for negative-2 yards, ending in a Gunner Stockton fumble.
The fourth-down failure? Georgia ran the punt team off, replaced it with the offense, and according to Smart, didn’t intend on snapping it.
Malachi Toliver read that the Ole Miss defender jumped, so he snapped it when others weren’t expecting him too. The play was dead on arrival, and the Rebels took a 10-point lead a few moments later.
Georgia’s third-down incompletion on final possession: Georgia tied the game, but at what cost? Georgia’s third-down play before Peyton Woodring’s game-tying field goal had major clock implications.
Georgia elected to dropback with Stockton who targeted Oscar Delp in the back of the end zone, despite running past the back line. It stopped the clock just a hair under a minute.
Hindsight is 20-20, but a run there and settling for a field goal would’ve resulted in a tie game with around than 20 seconds on the clock, something that likely would’ve caused Ole Miss coaches to kneel and play for overtime. Sometimes it’s the little things.
Winners and Losers:
Loser: The ultimate storyline–It felt like it had been written in the stars: Carson Beck vs. Georgia.
The Bulldogs just needed to hold up their end of the bargain, and they didn’t.
Georgia had too many opportunities to spoil away what would’ve gone down as one of the most climatic weeks of off-the-field chatter that there’s ever been. Beck earned his way there, something Georgia was unable to do.
Winner: Fans begging for Kirby Smart self-reflecting on philosophical changes-Every team left in the College Football Playoff has a transfer-portal quarterback running the show.
At least two of the teams remaining — Ole Miss and Indiana — would identify as programs who built their modern-day prominence in college football via a tactical use of the transfer portal.
In multiple cases, there are some aggressive spenders when it comes to certain status of recruitments.
You can fairly ask: What approach is the right approach in today’s day and age? There’s likely not a definitively correct answer to that.
But what will come of this is that Kirby Smart will be given no choice but to evaluate all available strategies to see if something needs to change to modernize Georgia’s approach.
That’s not to say anything specifically will change, but it’s the type of loss that — at the very least — makes you think.
Loser: Smart’s game-management approval rating-It stinks that’s the case because there were certain moments — like the fake punt — that could’ve added to the legacy of Kirby Smart’s crucial-moment decisions in College Football Playoff games.
Instead, most focus will lean on the third- and fourth-down calls that made Georgia’s challenge of overcoming their failures virtually impossible.
There will be questions about play-calling, or personnel decisions. It wasn’t Smart’s sharpest performance, and he was the first to admit it on Thursday night.
Final Thoughts-There will be a lot of debate in the Georgia world over the next year because of what unfolded in this game.
We’ll get into that over the weeks and months to come. There will be questions about coaches. There will be questions about roster-building plans. There will be questions about decision-making. This isn’t the space where we’re trying to tell fans to not feel or react to those types of things.
A three-year College Football playoff win drought — this isn’t a national championship drought we’re talking about here — is enough to warrant those questions.
But it’s to put that on the back burner for a second to accept something that’s sometime hard to swallow.
Trinidad Chambliss was the best football player in New Orleans on Thursday. He came up in every big moment he was asked to. He threw for 362 yards, and he made it look run-of-the-mill — because it is.
He made the difference-making highlight-reel plays. Chambliss was the best quarterback Georgia faced all year, both times.
There were no answers from the defense. This was a guy playing Division-II ball at Ferris State a year ago, and now he can flip Sugar Bowls on their head.
I know it’s trendy to criticize your own team’s shortcoming when they’re not good enough. Smart is going to do that himself, rest assured.
But this Chambliss historic performance against Georgia deserves the most serious tip-of-the-cap. He was as sensational as any player has been against Georgia in the Kirby Smart era.
It also shows that you need to play at an elite level or better to beat this Georgia program, and that’s exactly what Chambliss did.
Online
Radio/Podcasts
