Football Daily

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The preservation of football history and rekindling memories of some bygone star of the gridiron is a passion for many of us. There are few greater research satisfactions than finding a long-forgotten story of a player one knows little about.

Timothy P. Brown looks back at how six promising athletes mentioned in a pre-season article actually did. The players are Don King of the Clemson Tigers, Frank Brooks of Georgia Tech, Joe Mastrogiovanni, a Wyoming quarterback, Kurt Burris, a linebacker of the Oklahoma Sooners, Notre Dame Fighting Irish quarterback Ralph Guglielmi, and Pat Eubel, an Army Black Knight runningback.

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Timothy P. Brown discusses the 1939 game of when the Georgia Bulldogs and the Yale Bulldogs on the gridiron.

It was Bulldogs vs, Bulldogs in this game played prior to WWII.

The roar of Sanford Stadium today thunders with the echoes of national championships and Heisman winners. But before the crystal trophies and ESPN rankings, there was a simpler time, a time when the Georgia Bulldogs were just cutting their teeth on the gridiron. From 1892 to 1917, these early Dawgs laid the foundation for the powerhouse program we know today, a story paved with mud, grit, and the birth of a Southern tradition.

Born in 1892 with a 50-0 drubbing of Mercer, the Bulldogs' infancy was characterized by a spirit of exploration. Coaches like Doc Herty and Jumbo Slattón experimented with formations and strategies, laying the groundwork for Georgia's future offensive identity. Games were brutal affairs, played on makeshift fields with rudimentary equipment and often under dubious officiating. Still, the players embraced the rough-and-tumble nature of the game, forging a tough and resilient attitude that would become a Bulldog trademark.

Rivalries, the lifeblood of college football, began to take shape during this era. The first meeting with Auburn in 1892 ignited a fire that has burned brightly for over a century. Games against Clemson and Tech, though nascent at the time, hinted at the epic clashes that would define future generations of Dawgs. These early contests, far from the televised spectacles of today, were community events, uniting students, alumni, and townsfolk in a shared love for the red and black.

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The Georgia Southern Eagles football program, with its iconic blue turf and triple-option offense, boasts a unique and fascinating history. But where did it all begin?


Early Glimpses:


1909: The seeds of Eagles football were sown as early as 1909, with unofficial teams like "The Culture" playing local squads.
1924: The Eagles officially took flight, fielding their first continuous team under the nickname "Blue Tide."
1941: World War II grounded the program for nearly four decades, with players, like many Americans answering the call to duty.


Rebirth and Rise to Prominence:
1978: President Dale Lick, recognizing the potential of football for the university and community, championed the program's revival.
1981: Enter Erk Russell, a legendary defensive coordinator from the University of Georgia, tasked with building the Eagles from scratch.
1984: The Eagles, now sporting their iconic "Eagles" nickname, joined the NCAA Division I-AA (now FCS) ranks, ready to soar.

Golden Age under Erk Russell:


1985-2000: This period marked the Eagles' dominance in I-AA, capturing a record-setting six national championships under Coach Russell's leadership.
Triple-Option Takeover: The Eagles became synonymous with the innovative and exciting triple-option offense, led by stars like running backs Tracy Ham and Adrian Peterson.
"The Prettiest Little Stadium in America": Paulson Stadium, with its intimate atmosphere and iconic blue turf, became a beloved symbol of Eagles football.

Transition to FBS and Beyond:


2014: The Eagles embarked on a new chapter, joining the Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) and the Sun Belt Conference.
Facing New Challenges: The transition to FBS brought stiffer competition and adjustments to new rules, requiring the Eagles to adapt and evolve.
Sun Belt Champions: Demonstrating their resilience, the Eagles captured their first Sun Belt Conference title in their FBS debut season, proving their continued competitiveness.

Present and Future:


2023: The Eagles continue to soar in the Sun Belt, aiming for further conference championships and national recognition.
Developing Champions: The program emphasizes player development and academic success, nurturing well-rounded individuals both on and off the field.
A Legacy of Soaring: With a dedicated coaching staff, passionate fanbase, and rich traditions, the Georgia Southern Eagles football program is poised for continued success and exciting chapters in its ongoing story.

Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets Logo on Chris Creamer’s Sports Logos Page - SportsLogos.Net. A virtual museum of sports logos, uniforms and historical items. Currently over 10,000 on display for your viewing pleasure

The Panthers struggled down the stretch in 2019, but the season-opening win at Tennessee opened a lot of eyes, including their own in a way.

The University of Georgia played its first football game in Athens against Mercer University on January 30, 1892. According to an interesting post on the UGA.edu website, the Bulldogs started their first gridiron campaign with Chemistry Professor Dr. Charles Holmes Herty, organized not on Georgia’s first football team but the first in the deep south of America.

In this first game, the Bulldogs hammered Mercer 50-0. Their schedule for that first season consisted of only one other game, which took place on February 20 against Auburn.

An exciting story that comes from the article tells that in this first game on the athletics fields (now known as Herty Field), some reports indicate that the official scorer for the game missed at least one touchdown when he walked to the city alcohol dispensary on Broad St. across from the campus to purchase a bottle of whiskey during the game. With a 50-point differential, the players from Mercer may have wished they had joined him!

The official Football page for the

Born October 28, 1972, in San Diego, California - Terrell Davis was a running back out of Long Beach State & Georgia. Davis transferred to the University of Georgia from Long Beach State. During his first season with the Georgia Bulldogs, Davis backed-up future NFL starting running back Garrison Hearst. After Hearst graduated, Davis became the top running back during the 1993 season. The Pro Football Hall of Fame enshrined Terrell Davis in 2017.