The mascot formerly known as Russ

The coronation will take place before the FAU game.

Dawg in the hat

Here’s a plug for one of those “why didn’t somebody thing of this before?” items – Georgia hats with the design feature of being able to hold securely a pair of sunglasses.

It may be a little hard to tell from that picture, but the hat has side pockets which fit the earpieces and a ridge on the bill against which to set the frames.  (You can see how the glasses sit more clearly here.)  Anyway, it’s a good quality item that comes in four versions.  If it’s something up your alley, check it out.

And a brief shout out to Sawhorse is due for furnishing Hoppy with a bunch of these to pass out to folks after he subjects them to the Montana Project on Saturday.  Gracias, guys!

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Thoughts on South Carolina-Vanderbilt

Georgia will wake up tomorrow morning trailing somebody in the East.  You can read Jerry Hinnen’s preview here; it’s a good summary of the keys to the game.

One thing Jerry doesn’t mention is how dominant the Gamecocks were in last year’s meeting between the two.  Vanderbilt was held to 77 total yards and five first downs on offense.  The only reason the score wasn’t more lopsided was because Garcia threw four picks.

But neither team brings back its quarterback from that game.  Which gets me to the three things I’ll be watching most closely as an interested party who’s a fan of another SEC East program:  (1) Marcus Lattimore’s recovery; (2) Jordan Rodgers’ progress as a passer; and (3) the South Carolina secondary.

My gut tells me that the first item is the most important.  If Lattimore is able to come back tonight without missing a beat, it feels like a long night for Vandy.  It’s a big season for Spurrier and he’s not screwing around with his preparations for an opener against a conference foe.  James Franklin is going to learn what it’s like to be taken seriously in the SEC.  If Lattimore is shaking off the rust, I still like the ‘Cocks, but it’ll be a closer time for them.

And speaking of being taken seriously – you can’t sell out a home opener against a division opponent after last season’s momentum?  Shame, shame, Vanderbilt.

Phil Steele’s prediction

He doesn’t think Georgia will cover.  (PHIL’S FORECAST: GEORGIA 44 BUFFALO 17)

Georgia enters the season with high expectations once again and it will be interesting to see how they handle them just one year after HC Richt was on the hot seat after a 6-7 2010 campaign and a 0-2 start to LY. UGA has won 29 str HG’s by 30 ppg vs non-conf/BCS schools (last loss in the ‘97 opener hosting SM). The Bulldogs are without 4 susp’d players and have a big SEC gm next week with their first road trip to Missouri. On the other side, Buffalo does have 15 returning st’rs and only has Morgan St and a bye on deck but are will be playing without the heart and soul on their D in LB Mack. With a veteran QB the Dawgs will give some playing time to the bkps and expect to see a lot of true frosh in this one incl RB Marshall (PS#2) and OL Theus (PS#3) as UGA rolls.

I can see the defensive backups giving up a late score.  I’m not seeing seventeen points, though.

“Only in America.”

I posted this clip last year on the season’s first day.  I haven’t seen anything in the interim that does a better job of expressing why we love college football so much, why we’re willing to tolerate the petty BS, the money-grubbing and the egoism that occupies our attention much of the time, so you get the pleasure of watching it again.

Call it a GTP tradition, if you like.  And enjoy tonight’s games.