Georgia football countdown to kickoff: 50 days to go

The 2018 Georgia football season begins in 50 days.

We’re now halfway through the countdown to kickoff. We started at 100 days and now there are only 50 days left until the 2018 Georgia football season begins. Writing these countdown stories, I try to think of topics ahead of time. But normally I find the topic at the last minute. Not today though.

All week long leading up to day 50, the only topic in Georgia football history that I could think of was the day Darryl Gamble had against LSU in 2008. Gamble, wearing the number 50, opened and closed the game with interception returns for touchdowns. Gamble, a linebacker, only had three interceptions in his entire career at Georgia. He made sure people would remember two of them.

The two touchdowns wound up being the difference in a shootout. LSU were defending National Champions. Georgia deserved that championship. Both entered the game with crushing losses. This was a chance to right the ship for both teams, a lot was on the line.

Both squads bolstered a lineup of stars. Georgia had Matthew Stafford, A.J. Green, Knowshon Moreno, Mohamed Massaquoi, Rennie Curran and Reshad Jones. LSU featured Charles Scott, Brandon Lafell, Patrick Peterson and Kelvin Sheppard. In CBS’s hype package for the game, they labeled it a heavyweight fight, complete with a ring announcer. Fitting as both teams traded blows round after round.

Thanks to Gamble, the Dawgs struck first. On LSU’s very first play of the game, Gamble intercepted Jarrett Lee on the 40-yard line near the middle of the field. No one got in the big man’s way as he marched into the end zone for the opening score.

LSU answered, but great drives late in the first quarter and early in the second quarter had Georgia up 21-7. The scores came from a short plunge by Fred Munzenmaier and a five-yard fade from Stafford to Kenneth Harris. LSU answered with 10 points in the middle of the second quarter, but Blair Walsh nailed a 50-yard field goal through the uprights to give Georgia a 24-17 lead.

Georgia seemed to take control of the game as the second half began with a 49-yard pass from Stafford to A.J. Green on a quick strike in the middle of the field. Later in the third quarter, Moreno out ran LSU defenders for a 68-yard touchdown. Hilariously, during the play, Verne Lundquist said that Moreno did not have great speed after he got past the linebackers.

At that point, to the surprise of many, including the Bulldog faithful, Georgia led 38-17. LSU answered though with a short run by Scott to cut the lead down to 38-24. But Stafford showed his legs off with a seven-yard touchdown run to extend the lead to 45-24. The Tigers answered again with a pass to Keiland Williams with 8:47 left in the game.

The score was then 45-31. Two scores, but not insurmountable, especially in Death Valley. A Georgia drive stalled and LSU went back to work with around four minutes left on the clock. This was their chance to cut the lead back down to one score.

And then Gamble intercepted Lee again. This time he caught the ball at the Georgia-47 and sprinted down the sidelines for his second score of the game. One interception-touchdown is rare enough. Two in one game by one player is spectacular.

There was still time on the clock, LSU even scored again on a long pass to Lafell. But Gamble’s last score put the game out of reach. There just wasn’t enough time for LSU to score 21-unanswered points.

That game was the highlight of Gamble’s career. He remained a solid player for Georgia in his final two years. His career stats include 160 tackles, 10 for a loss. His NFL career was nothing special, only lasting two years and never receiving much playing time.

Next: Georgia, Auburn and the college football Mecca of Atlanta

But to shine in a game of that magnitude. One that CBS called a heavyweight bout with ring announcer and full hype package. Inside Death Valley, where dreams go to die. Against the defending National Champs. Live national television.

For fans to remember him most for that one game. Those two interceptions. Two touchdowns. That doesn’t sound too bad actually.