Cocktail Thursday: Clemson Edition

If your Georgia Bulldogs are about to take on a national title contender to open the season while dealing with a spate of injuries, a dash or departures, and a pastiche of pandemic, you could probably use a drink. I can help with that.

There’s truly something magical about this first full week of college football. It’s a time of renewal, of rebirth. Across the Southland the mornings seem just a touch cooler, and the light itself is a touch different, kinder.

I don’t know what Saturday’s game will bring specifically. I remain convinced that Georgia will need a big effort up front from Jordan Davis, Devonte Wyatt, and Jalen Carter. It would also be helpful if a young secondary could put in a preternaturally mistake-free effort against a super talented Tiger receiving corps. Also gonna need a couple of offensive linemen getting their most snaps ever to avoid mistakes. And a couple of talented young receivers to make plays. What I’m saying is that, I continue to believe that a lot has to go right for Georgia to win this one.

But then it’s not like the Tigers have everything on cruise control to begin the season, either. Maybe DJ Uiagaleilei is the second coming of Trevor Lawrence. Maybe he pushes a little too hard and makes some mistakes. Dabo Swinney this week also said he doesn’t really have a single go-to guy at center, and flatly refused to comment on a key defender’s COVID status.

The great thing about this first game is that after months of analysis we finally get to see what happens. After hours of film study, stats breakdowns, and talking to the experts we think we know what will happen. In truth, we know nothing. This time last year Devonta Smith was an undersized but productive receiver and Mac Jones was viewed as an iffy substitute for Tua Tagovailoa. Tom Herman was safely employed at Texas. Eleven months ago the Mailman was delivering.

We. Know. Nothing.

And that’s ultimately the beauty of our big dumb sport, which regenerates into a new incarnation of insanity every fall, full of possibilities.

And what’s the perfect drink for the dawning of a new, incoherent college football season?

An Awaken, My Love.

It’s a seasonal release from our friends at Creature Comforts Brewery in Athens, a barrel-aged imperial stout brewed with cinnamon and Columbian coffee from another Athens purveyor, 1000 Faces Coffee.

Nothing is guaranteed to help you rise and shine quite like the combination of caffeine and 13.7% ABV stout beer. It’s a beer that, much like a new college football season, leaves me equal parts titillated and terrified. Three of these during the tailgate and you’ll not only be awake for the entire 7:30, prime time TV matchup. You’ll be up at 1:00 am talking to yourself in the late games comment thread and wondering when MaconDawg is going to post the MVDs. And maybe cleaning your kitchen. And your neighbor’s. Cheers! And...

Go ‘Dawgs!!!