The Georgia Bulldogs football program was founded in 1892. The team's first head coach was Dr. Charles Herty, a chemistry professor and former player at Johns Hopkins University. The Bulldogs played their first game on January 30, 1892, against Mercer University, winning 50-0.
The Bulldogs have had a long and storied history. They have won four national championships (1942, 1980, 2021, and 2022), played in 61 bowl games, and have produced numerous All-Americans and NFL players.
Some of the most notable players in Georgia football history include:
- Herschel Walker won the Heisman Trophy in 1982 and led the Bulldogs to a national championship.
- Fran Tarkenton was a two-time All-American quarterback who played in the NFL for 18 seasons.
- Champ Bailey is a five-time Pro Bowl cornerback who played for the Denver Broncos and Washington Redskins.
- Todd Gurley was a two-time All-American running back who won the NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year Award in 2015.
The Bulldogs have had some great coaches over the years as well. Wally Butts led the Bulldogs to three national championships in the 1940s and 1950s. Vince Dooley won the national championship in 1980 and led the Bulldogs to 16 consecutive bowl games. Kirby Smart is the current head coach of the Bulldogs and has led them to two national championship appearances in his five seasons.
The top posts of the internet on the history of the University of Georgia football is found by scrolling down this page. The Georgia Bulldogs have a long and storied tradition of gridiron excellence.
Photo is courtesy of Wikimedia Commons. This is a cropped view of a photograph taken at the football game between Auburn University and the University of Georgia on November 28, 1895 at Piedmont Park in Atlanta. The full photograph (at a smaller resolution) can be seen at Atlanta History Photograph Collection, Atlanta History Center. Photographer, Fred L. Howe (1857-1903).
