Despite a top 5 ranking, Georgia football got no love from ESPN's Kirk Herbstreit during his annual preseason Herbie Awards. He barely even mentioned Kirby Smart's Bulldogs in the hour-long program, noting only that they will face challenges with a young team, especially Gunner Stockton. And Herbstreit gave Georgia the ultimate thumbs down by picking Texas to win the SEC Championship this season.
Where is the love from Kirk Herbstreit?
In 2024, Herbstreit nominated former Bulldog Carson Beck as a field general (Jaxon Dart won), but Beck's season was below expectations. So, are the Herbie Awards due the weight of prophetic declaration, or merely an annual chance to instigate discussion and argument among football fanbases? Does anyone pay that much attention to the Herbie Awards? Will the snub matter to Smart or any of his players? These and other questions are yet to be answered, but the actual wins and losses of real football will tell the tale.
Given his penchant for ignoring outside influences, it's a likely bet that Smart won't even make mention of the Herbie Awards. He'll be too focused on getting his players ready for their first game of the season against Marshall. For the players, what happens on the field will matter more to them than any preseason hype. Winning against Alabama, Florida, Texas and Georgia Tech will go far in proving the naysayers wrong this season. And the support of the Georgia students has a lot to do with their long streak of winning home games.
Georgia's Spike Squad and Paint Line also disrespected
When choosing the best student section, Herbstreit chose Penn State, noting they show up early and wear a sea of white. That's it, the blandness of a white out versus the iconic characters of Spike Squad and the consistent brand of Paint Line in the Georgia student section? UGA fans should voice their displeasure for this lack of attention.
Herbstreit is well-respected for his announcing and analysis, but perhaps he missed the boat this year by ignoring the Georgia Bulldogs.