Twice a decade, a little college from the South Georgia town of Statesboro has the chance of, of . . . of twice a decade: to beat a Georgia football team.
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Wakening from an anonymous slumber, the Georgia Southern Eagles . . . it is Eagles, right? . . don the gold and blue . . . and white, or blue and white . . . anyway, they put on their local college sweatshirts and caps and travel to Athens.
Actually, Georgia Southern students travel to Athens often, joining in the fall revelry of a Georgia football tailgate while taking in the wonders of the greatest college town in America. They wear the red and black and enjoy the weekend perks and pleasures of the elect. They blend into the campus scene and the downtown nightlife. But when it’s Georgia Southern against the Bulldogs, there is no blending in, only, “Letting ‘em know” . . . and getting whipped.
This year, it would be different. October conversations in Bullock County roadhouses . . . make that the Bullock County roadhouse . . . took on an optimistic tone.
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“You know they lost Chubb.”
“And their quarterbacks are no good.”
“Man I would love to be Georgia”
“Beat.”
“What?”
“Beat. You said be.”
“Sorry.”
“I was a sophomore that last time we played Georgia. A freshman the time before that.”
Nov 21, 2015; Athens, GA, USA; Georgia Bulldogs running back Sony Michel (1) runs against the Georgia Southern Eagles during the second half at Sanford Stadium. Georgie defeated Georgia Southern 23-17 in overtime. Mandatory Credit: Dale Zanine-USA TODAY Sports
“What happened?
“They squished us like a bug.”
“Yea.”
“USA Today says the coaches are fighting among themselves.”
“USA when?”
“Today.”
“They said it today?”
“Yea.”
“I would love to be those guys.”
“Beat.”
“Yea.”
“We can beat ‘em this year.”
“They only have one running back and he’s only got one hand not broken. We can beat ‘em.”
“You think so?”
“Yea. I mean, if we can get a turnover early and frustrate them, then maybe pick up a fumble and run it in, get a little lead, the pressure will be on.
“Yea.”
“Maybe we can get them into overtime they’ll choke.”
“Yea. We can do it. I didn’t come to Statesboro to get beat by Georgia three times before I graduated?”
“You gonna graduate?”
“Yea. I mean, probably. I hate to leave. Love going up to Athens for the ball games four or five times a year.”
If any team is going to beat Georgia this looked like a pretty good year. Poor quarterback play, a one-handed running back, one wide receiver over 5’10”, dissension in the coaches office, fans screaming, twitter twittering.
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“They’re a mess.”
“Yea, and we’re not.”
“Maybe we can be those guys.”
“Beat.”
“Either one.”
And so the Georgia Southern fans came to Athens and brought their team. It was a good team – not the best team to play against Georgia in Sanford Stadium this year, but good. And they brought their band, not the best band to play in Sanford Stadium this year – actually not even the best band with Southern in its name. But they came.
GASO (might need to discuss some new initials at the roadhouse) beat Florida last year. This could be the year to beat Georgia.
The GASO fans made their usual spirited attempts to make everyone around them hate GASO. There is nothing more disliked than a loud mouth wannabe.
For Georgia fans, it was senior night. It was a chance to continue the long climb out of the October depression.
The Eagles were motivated. They played well. And the game went according to the Eagle script. Georgia fumbled a chance to put the game away early. Georgia Southern got a touchdown on a miraculous reverse field run. The Dawgs presented the Eagles with a seven point gift on a fumble returned for touchdown.
Nothing went right for the Dawgs, everything went right for the Eagles.
But the Dawgs kept their focus on the next play and slowly, inexorably, almost imperceptibly, took control of the game. And with a calm that befuddled the attendees, the Dawgs embraced the overtime challenge.
“And then they squished us like a bug . . . again.”
“Yea.”