Thursday Dawg Bites Is Glad That Georgia Is On Your Mind

I’m not sure what the music selection is around the Ohio State University football offices.

But I’m pretty sure it includes Willie Nelson or Ray Charles, among those who over time have made the song, “Georgia On My Mind” famous.

This week reminds us that Georgia still lives rent-free in the heads of the Buckeyes.

Gene Smith, OSU’s Athletic Director, was testifying on Wednesday before Congress in favor of NIL. A whole other side conversation could be had about its merits, but that’s not the story of the day as far as Georgia is concerned.

The notable statement came as Buckeyes receiver Marvin Harrison, Jr. was mentioned, and once again, OSU remains obsessed with the “if if and buts were candies and nuts” of last year’s epic game against the Dawgs.

”We could have won a national championship last year if we would have let Marvin Harrison play, ” Smith told Congress on Wednesday.

It’s a new normal. Texas fans have chanted, ‘we want Georgia.” One of the biggest perceived “blue bloods” of the sport is obsessed with the Dawgs.

There’s a degree of infatuation that OSU has with Georgia, and until the Buckeyes beat the Dawgs, Georgia may as well be collecting rent for the space Ohio State allows it to take up in its collective head.

No matter where you were at halftime on Saturday, two thoughts probably cross the mind.

“Of course, the Allstate promotion winner makes a field goal”

“Well...I’d love to hear what Kirby is saying right now.”

We now know the answer to the latter after the official release of some of what was said at halftime.

There’s obviously a big difference between this and the ‘leaked audio” that has previously gone massively viral.

This piece has been edited within an inch of its life. There’s a certain framing that Georgia wants out there with everything, and this has the feel of the NFL Films “Sounds of the Game,” content, which is not a bad thing, but it’s also going to be approved by multiple angles as opposed to a “leaked audio.”

Clearly, the fact that Kirby Smart called the shot of what the offense would do sticks out.

But there’s more - we see the leadership in the locker room that has this team in place to three-peat. It’s a nice look as well at how coaches beyond Smart handled halftime.

Two other underrated parts - Carson Beck’s winking as if he KNOWS what the offense is about to do, and as Glenn Schumann gets the defense primed up, you can tell how much Will Muschamp knows what to expect based on how he looks from the side of the shot.

It’s not as organic as previous audio clips have been, but it’s still an inside look that’ll get Dawg fans fired up.

Trent Dilfer should feel right at home Saturday night in Athens when UAB faces a Georgia team with a stellar defense and an offense and quarterback that is maligned by a segment of the defense - see the 2000 Baltimore Ravens for context.

Regardless, Dilfer’s excited for the atmosphere of the SEC at night, one that he ranks above that of a Super Bowl.

Go Dawgs!