A QUICK LOOK AT - Georgia

by Jack Witthaus

The Institution

School Quick Facts

Official Name:

University of Georgia

Nickname:

Bulldogs

Location:

Athens, GA

Enrollment:

33,367

Founded:

1785

Mascot:

Hairy Dawg

Live Mascot:

Uga (English Bulldog)

Fight Song:

"Glory, Glory"

SEC Division:

East

Founded in 1785, the University of Georgia is the first state-chartered university in the US.

Several Yale graduates helped create the school, which is why its oldest permanent building, Old College, mimicks the design of Yale’s Connecticut Hall.

It’s interesting to note that two early leaders of Georgia signed the Constitution in 1787—Abraham Baldwin and William Few.

Like the school, Athens has an antiquitated feel with its Federal architecturally styled buildings.

Unlike most schools in the SEC during the Civil War, Georgia closed its campus in 1863 and didn’t reopen until January 1866.

The school first allowed women to enter in 1903 and later integrated in the 1960s.

Georgia boasts some of the earliest fraternities and sororities. In fact, the first Phi Beta Kappa chapter was established at the university in 1914.

Georgia Football

Football Quick Facts

Venue Name:

Sanford Stadium

Venue Capacity:

92,746

Venue Surface:

Natural Grass

First Season:

1892

Overall Record:

748-400-54

Last Season:

10-4 (7-1 SEC, Outback Bowl loss)

Head Coach:

Mark Richt (106-38)

Football Rivals:

Auburn, GA Tech, Florida, Vanderbilt, Alabama, Kentucky, South Carolina, Clemson, Tennessee

The old football program claims more rivals (9) than any other program we’ve covered. One of its biggest is the rivalry with neighbor Georgia Tech, nicknamed “Clean, Old-Fashioned Hate.”

Bulldog, or “Dawg,” football plays in the 15th largest stadium in the world, Sanford Stadium, with a capacity a little under 93,000. Like “The Swamp,” Georgia features an old stadium, built in 1929.

The Dawgs claim two National crowns (1942, 1980), 26 bowls, two Heisman winners (Herschel Walker and Frank Sinkwich), and 12 SEC championships. Georgia also has 12 players and four coaches in the College Football Hall of Fame along with 29 Consensus All-Americans.

The program is the second most profitable in college football.

Georgia also claims many traditions. One slightly creepy tradition is burying each live mascot, Uga, in a mausoleum near the main entrance at Sanford Stadium. As you might guess, Georgia is the only program in the nation to do this tradition.

Before every game, players participate in the “Dawg Walk,” a glorified entrance into the Sanford Stadium. The Chapel Bell is rang after every Bulldog win.

The football program started in 1892 by chemistry professor Charles Herty. Later, Glen “Pop” Warner coached the football team. In a game in 1895, Pop’s team may have witnessed the first forward pass in a game versus North Carolina.

Wally Butts led the Bulldogs to its first National Championship in 1942. His squad posted an 11-1 record, winning the Rose Bowl.

In 1980, Vince Dooley, the winningest Georgia coach, coached the Dawgs to their second National Championship in the Sugar Bowl. That season, the Bulldogs went undefeated.

Under current head coach Mark Richt, Georgia will be hard to beat this season. Richt has guided his teams to two SEC championships and five SEC East championships, including one last season.

Mizzou is set to play Georgia on September 8 at Faurot Field.

Georgia Basketball

Basketball Quick Facts

Venue Name:

Stegeman Coliseum

Venue Capacity:

10,523

First Season:

1905

Overall Record:

1261-1183

Last Season:

15-17, (5-11 SEC)

Head Coach:

Mark Fox (35-28, 158-71)

NCAA Final Fours:

1

Like Florida, Georgia’s basketball history really doesn’t start until the 1980s. Hugh Durham (298-216), the winningest basketball coach. Durham brought in talented star Dominique Wilkins, who dropped out his senior year for the NBA in 1983.

That year, Georgia made its first and last Final Four appearance. North Carolina State eliminated the Bulldogs and went on to win the National Championship.

Georgia has made nine Big Dance appearances and last appeared in the Sweet Sixteen in 1996.

In 2008, Georgia won the SEC tournament, their second tournament victory since the legendary 1983 season. The team was dubbed as the “Dream Dawgs” as they posted a 4-12 record against conference opponents and went 13-16 for the season.

Like Mizzou, Georgia had a preseason trip to Italy this year to take on international basketball opponents.