Dawn of the Dawg
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Georgia football has unique connection to Samford

By Austin Carter

Sep 3, 2022; Atlanta, Georgia, USA; Georgia Bulldogs head coach Kirby Smart reacts with his players after receiving the old leather helmet after Georgia defeated the Oregon Ducks at Mercedes-Benz Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Dale Zanine-USA TODAY Sports
Sep 3, 2022; Atlanta, Georgia, USA; Georgia Bulldogs head coach Kirby Smart reacts with his players after receiving the old leather helmet after Georgia defeated the Oregon Ducks at Mercedes-Benz Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Dale Zanine-USA TODAY Sports /
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Georgia football will host the Samford Bulldogs in Athens this weekend, and these two programs are connected by more than just the mascots.

These teams also faced off in Athens in 2017, with Georgia winning handily 42-14 on the back of Nick Chubb’s 131 yards and two touchdowns. Despite the final score, Samford fought hard in that game and only trailed 21-7 at halftime.

Both rosters are entirely different this time, but the head coaches remain unchanged from that matchup.

Samford head coach Chris Hatcher is in his eighth season with the team. The Bulldogs have gone 41-36 during his tenure, making the FCS playoffs twice in 2016 and 2017. He has served as head coach for a few smaller programs, notably Valdosta State, in which he hired Kirby Smart to his initial coaching staff upon taking the job in 2000.

Georgia football knows the Samford Bulldogs well

All these years later, Smart is a national championship-winning head coach at the helm of one of the top programs in the country. It’s neat to see everything come full circle as he squares off against the one who gave him his start as a coach.

While Samford is an FCS program, Hatcher gets his team ready to play and compete regardless of the opponent. Smart knows this from his experience coaching under Hatcher and facing him in that game in 2017.

One of Georgia’s biggest rivals also has experience with this. Samford gave Florida absolutely everything it could handle last season before ultimately falling to the Gators 70-52. The Bulldogs actually went into halftime with a 42-35 lead, which is simply unprecedented against a program with the stature of Florida.

Even though Samford lost, it made a statement against a major Power Five program, passing for over 400 yards in the contest. Much of the 2022 team is different from last season, but Hatcher will have the team ready to play regardless.

light. Must Read. Georgia football odds and prediction for the Samford game

Georgia should not have much of an issue winning this game, but Samford is a team that will not simply lie down. This grit is a reflection of its head coach and how he can get the best out of his players, a trait that seems to have transferred to his former assistant.

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