You woke up at 6 that morning just so you could get ready for this big day. The game might not be until 12pm, but that doesn’t matter. Tailgates begin early in the morning and run until kickoff and some even go all day. In fact, tailgaters have already been on campus since Thursday. Today is a big day. You go to Myer’s Quad or one of the fraternity houses before the game.
The guys are dressed in pants with G’s or bulldogs patterning them, button-up shirts, and bowties. You have on a black dress with a red necklace and cowgirl boots. While you wear Nike shorts and a big t-shirt to class, football attire takes top priority because, of course, us southerners need to show respect when we walk into a fine institution such as Sanford Stadium, and looking your finest, you proudly walk into this holy ground.
With the sun blaring down on your already tanned skin, a glistening pom in your hand and your best red and black attire on, you, along with the rest of the crowd, begin to shout out “Glory, Glory to ole Georgia.” The sound of thousands of voices chanting fight songs in unison is deafening. When the team runs out hitting the bulldog on their way onto the field, it no longer matters how hot it is outside because you can feel chills run down your spine. This is the moment you have been waiting for since the clock ran out in the last game the dawgs played. Today marks the beginning of home games filled with tradition.
It’s Saturday in Athens.
With less than a week until kickoff in our glorious stadium, I can’t help but feel a mixture of nerves and excitement. After seeing a win in the dome, some questions have been answered when it comes to our season this year; however, not knowing what might all lay ahead with this football season also leads to excitement. I am excited because this could be our year. I know Georgia fans say that every year that “this is THE year,” and somehow that year is never “THE year,” but one can always hope that if they do their luck rituals just right than their superstitious nature might actually pay off for once. You never know though. Maybe this is our year, and that is why I can’t help but get excited. We have a chance, and even with the losses or challenges we might face this year, none of that matters because with each game new excitement is brought to the table. New plays, new players, and new coaches keep us, as fans, on our toes for the upcoming season.
With the first home game coming up this Saturday, it is time for the Dawg Nation to once more unite in Athens. Get excited. Get nervous, even, because this season, like the others, will be one wild ride, and I can tell you that you are not going to want to miss it.
Commit to the G. Commit to the Nation. I hope to see you on Saturdays in Athens. Go Dawgs!
