Auburn Tigers vs. Georgia Bulldogs (5), 10/5/2024, 3:45pm

Bulldogs 31 – Tigers 13, Attendance: 93,033

Weather: Sunny, 82; Ticket: $287 (Stubhub) Face: $175 Parking: Free ($60 by buddy)

“A Family Tradition” by Tree

The University of Georgia is in Athens, Georgia. It is about an hour east of Atlanta. Unfortunately, that also means that you are likely going to have to fly into Atlanta to get to Athens. Driving in the greater Atlanta metropolitan area is about enjoyable as a getting a tooth pulled. That aside, Athens is a classic college town. There are a ton of bars and restaurants near campus so there is plenty to do from that perspective. It also has a rich music history. It is not necessarily a destination, but it won’t disappoint either.

Our experience was with a family where their tailgating spot was three generations deep. My buddy, P. Smith, got connected with the group because his daughter was a Bulldog and roomed with one in the tailgating lineage. This group was well organized with roles and responsibilities clearly defined. Tents and chairs were set up early and the spot had a clear view of the stadium from the trees. We started with a breakfast casserole, rolled into chicken wrapped with bacon and finished with beer soaked brats. The group size ebbed and flowed with the normal patterns of pre-game activities. While at least a hundred people had wandered through, the average size was a manageable 20 – 30 and it never felt crowded. This crew was savvy, having secured a private port-a-pottie (with key access). With cornhole in the back, shade in the middle, and sun in the front, it was a great spot and a great time. I did also note similar tribes set up during a brief tour of campus that morning. I can’t guarantee as a visitor your experience will be as sublime, but with plenty of spots around campus, you could certainly come close.

Sanford stadium is your prototypical big-time stadium. It seats over 90,000 people and has all the bells and whistles of a Power Five stadium. Entry into the stadium was smooth, although my son noted that it helps if you go in the correct entrance. He said they were like salmon swimming upstream since they went through the wrong gate. Their reward was sitting in the shade for the entire game. Over in our seats in section 103, it was all sun, all day. Even though it was early October, it was hot. Thankfully I was in shorts and had brought a “sweat” towel to get me through the game. The young lady next to me was wearing a summer sundress that was light on the “dress”. I suppose that was so that her cowboy boots would get full attention. She did confide to me that while they may look great, they were a long way from comfortable. Her friend said the discomfort was totally worth it. The other one was not so sure the look was worth the price. As with most, nearly all, SEC schools fashion takes precedence over comfort and there were lots of women who looked like they were ready for the club and not the club seats. On the guy’s side, it was the standard golf shirt and visor look, with the less favorable stereotypical garb of t-shirts and jorts also making several appearances. My favorite though was the cut-off red and black striped overalls with nothing else outfit of the very polite young man behind me. I don’t think he ever broke a sweat with the excellent ventilation the undone bibs provided.

The stadium is comprised primarily of bleacher seats, although seatbacks can be rented. There is one scoreboard and video ribbon all around. Our seats were roughly on the 15-yard line on the lower level. They were decent seats. I expect most seats have good sight lines except for those at the very top of the stadium. I bought my seat on Stubhub for nearly $300. It seemed high, but my buddy’s season tickets, all in, average about $175. While Auburn is a rival, they were having a down year. A little patience would have resulted in a lower cost. My son bought tickets the day of the game for $150. In the shade, and with seat backs, he put his old man to shame. The stadium has a nice mix of concessions and free water stations. Surprisingly, this was the first year they sold alcohol in Sanford stadium, and I did get a souvenir cup. The one drawback was probably the lack of another video scoreboard. Otherwise, the stadium checks all the boxes.

Georgia has numerous traditions, one of which is to play “Between the Hedges”. To be honest, the hedges surrounding the field inside the stadium did not quite have the visual effect I thought it would. It may be because the look has been copied extensively based on both esthetic and effectiveness. It looks great but it didn’t feel as memorable as seeing some of the other college traditions like Notre Dame’s “Touchdown Jesus”. The Bulldog crowd was big, loud and were often on their feet. It is a hostile place to play. The most common cheer was roughly “Goooooo Dawgs, Sic’em, Woof, Woof, Woof.” It sounds great and is heard easily and often. Surprisingly, that much of the music played during timeouts was primarily hip hop. I would have expected more of a country music theme, but I guess the kids prefer it that way. Georgia fans are proud of their end of third quarter light show to fire up the fans. It was fine but I have seen more impressive ones. Supposedly, it looks better at night, but I saw University of Kentucky’s show in the middle of the afternoon, and it was just, if not more, impressive.

I did love the reaction of the Bulldog faithful when they announced that Vandy had upset Alabama. The crowd went wild when they heard that. In the end, the campus and hospitality of the fans along with a well-run stadium are all positives in the Georgia experience.

The luster of this game had been worn off as Georgia had lost Alabama the week before in a game where the Crimson Tide was in charge until the fourth quarter when the Bulldogs mustered a frenzied comeback.  Auburn, on the other hand, was in the midst of a bad season. The Tigers were a 23.5 underdog, and I assumed Georgia would take their frustrations out on Auburn. The game unfolded mostly like that, just not to the extent that I needed.

Auburn took the kickoff, got one first down, then punted. Georgia responded with a long touchdown drive. The Tigers then march down the field, only to have to settle for a field goal. The second quarter was much the same. Georgia scored another touchdown which Auburn countered with a nifty short drive only to see their half ending field goal block. It was 14-3 Georgia at the half, and it was apparent that Georgia was just a little better than Auburn in every phase of the game. Matching field goals to touchdowns was not going to get it done for Auburn.

However, in the third quarter they did just that with each team getting a touchdown. It was the last gasp for Auburn. Georgia scored another ten points while Auburn could only get another field goal. Statistically, Georgia was clearly the better team, winning nearly every category. Auburn needed Georgia to make some mistakes and make none of their own. Unfortunately, there were no turnovers in the game. It meant a comfortable win for the Bulldogs, but not the dominant one (recall that 23.5 point spread) I needed.

We had a great time at Georgia due in part to the generosity of the folks we hung out with. As I noted, they have been in their spot for over 30 years and make sure to let others know. There was a small group of other tailgaters that had set up near our group. And of course, that group was welcomed, but they also let them know the history of the tailgate and an expectation that they would not be giving up their spot. I don’t want to paint this as some sort of conflict because it was nothing of that sort. However, as a visitor, you should be aware of that dynamic as you look for a tailgate spot on campus.

The Georgia experience checks all the boxes. It is a great program with multiple championships (anywhere from four to eight depending on what polls you agree with), a gorgeous campus, and a well-run stadium. The tailgating is great, if slightly dispersed, and the people are very friendly. It is top tier and makes my must-see list, although it would be at the bottom of that prestigious group. The Bulldogs should not be offended by that. Alabama would be characterized similarly when I compare them to some other must-sees like Texas A&M, Michigan, Tennessee, Penn State and Notre Dame.

That said, my trip to Athens, Ga provided me with a reminder of why I love college football. At the tailgate, I had the chance to spend some time with the patriarch and matriarch of the group. They shared stories of their tailgates in the early nineties. Putting all the babies on blankets while they set up the tents, knowing the kids, not yet being able to even crawl, weren’t going anywhere. They told me about how the site had changed over the years and recalled watching their children and then their grandchildren go to Georgia and build on this family experience. This is one more reason why the college football tradition resonates with me. More often than not, it is not just about the team, or the game, or even the school. It is about family and friends bonding over common traditions. Go to Georgia and you will see just that.