There have been hundreds of beloved players that have come through Athens. Not all of these guys were the best in college history, but they were loved regardless. Win or lose, fans rooted for these Bulldogs.
Here is a top five list of the most loved players to play in between the hedges for Georgia football.
5. Brock Bowers
It is hard not to love the best tight end in college football history if he has played on your team. Brock Bowers burst onto the scene at UGA as a true freshman and helped lead the Dawgs to back-to-back National Championships and an SEC Championship. He was a 3-time First Team All-American as well as 2-time John Mackey Award winner. He ranks top five all-time in Georgia history in notable career receiving records as a tight end which almost never happens.
Everyone loves Bowers. The way that he played was only a nice bonus to the love fans have for him as a person.
4. Jordan Davis
Jordan Davis is universally loved, not just by Georgia fans. In 2021, Davis was the key leader of one of the greatest defenses in college football history. A 6'6", 340-pound defensive tackle that ran like a linebacker was fun to watch for anyone. Not only that, but he had character. He was humble and passionate for Georgia football. In his last game in Athens, he led the Red Coat Marching Band in their alma mater and even ran for a goal line touchdown. Davis was even a top ten finalist for the Heisman in 2021. Seriously, how can you not love this guy?
3. Herschel Walker
This one comes without explanation. The greatest player in college football history happened to be a Georgia Bulldog. In his freshman season, Herschel Walker led Georgia all the way to an undefeated National Championship. For over 40 years, that was the only championship the Bulldogs ever held.
Walker set record after record in Athens. To this day, he is the all-time leader in every rushing statistic in Georgia history. Like many others on this list, Walker was also a likable guy that all teammates and fans spoke highly of, so that makes Walker an easy top three choice for this list.
2. Nick Chubb
The guy that ranks second in almost every rushing statistic behind Walker in school history, Nick Chubb. Chubb came in as a true freshman and in week one took the world by notice. He had an incredible run versus Clemson where his helmet came off as he was still churning for big yardage.
That play was only a glimpse of what was to come. If not for his knee injury his sophomore year against Tennessee, there is no telling what records he would have set in Athens. As it stands, he is loved by all. He was quiet and mild-mannered, but yet always delivered. He ran for 145 yards and two touchdowns in the College Football Playoff semifinal against Oklahoma his senior year on the way to a National Championship appearance. If you were a football fan, you were a Chubb fan back then.
1. Stetson Bennett
Nobody can argue with Stetson Bennett being at the top of this list. It is not recency bias either, it is just a fact. Bennett has one of the greatest underdog stories in sports history, not just football. A walk-on joins a loaded SEC roster and works his way into becoming a Heisman finalist and back-to-back National Champion as the starting quarterback.
Not only that, but Bennett was the MVP of every major bowl game and National Championship he appeared in. "The Mailman" always delivered when it counted, and that is what fans loved most. Bennett came in and won games that fans normally expected to be heartbroken in. He transformed a program and made it into what it is today, a dynasty.