The Super Bowl is Sunday, and Georgia’s well-represented with former players on both teams, but it’s the so-called “Philly Dawgs” on the Eagles defense who have become fan favorites.
With that in mind, if you’re the betting type, both Jalen Carter (+1000) and Nolan Smith (+1700) have longshot odds to be the game’s MVP.
A defensive player hasn’t won Super Bowl MVP since 2016, but if the Eagles defense has success against Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes, one of the Philadelphia pass rushers could have a chance to bring home the award.
Also this weekend, Georgia’s basketball team, fresh off a win vs. LSU, has a crucial home game against No. 22 Mississippi State. It can ill afford this loss if it wants to preserve its chance to go dancing this March.
For the rest of the news, check out our coverage below.
Trivia Time
Which two Philly Dawgs have already played in a Super Bowl?
Answer at the bottom of the newsletter.
Dawgs in the Bowl
Georgia has never been shy to remind fans that it ties LSU for the longest active streak of having at least one player on one of the Super Bowl rosters for 24 years.
This year, the Bulldogs outdid the Bayou Bengals by a mile. LSU has two practice squad players and no one on the Chiefs, while the Bulldogs have several Philadelphia starters and one role player with Kansas City.
Georgia has eight players in this Super Bowl, the most since the Bulldogs started the streak with Patrick Pass, Richard Seymour and Jermaine Wiggins of the 2002 New England Patriots. Below is the full list of Dawgs in the Bowl.
- Philadelphia DL Jalen Carter
- Philadelphia LB Nolan Smith
- Philadelphia DL Jordan Davis
- Philadelphia CB Kelee Ringo
- Kansas City DL Malik Herring
- Philadelphia DB Lewis Cine
- Philadelphia LB Nakobe Dean (IR)
- Kansas City WR Mecole Hardman (IR)
And-1 Opportunity for Georgia
Georgia basketball has the build off its winning momentum from Wednesday night in what would be a massive SEC win on Saturday. The Bulldogs (16-7, 4-6 SEC) will host No. 22 Mississippi State at 6 p.m. looking to boost their postseason resume as March Madness looms closer.
UGA beat LSU 81-62 earlier this week, and looked more like a complete program than it has in recent seasons while doing it. Georgia coach Mike White has led both of his previous teams back to the NCAA Tournament, and a win over Mississippi State this Saturday would be massive for his third program.
The Bulldogs would surpass their regular season win total from White’s first two seasons with a win on Saturday. The game appears all the more crucial considering Georgia plays nothing but top-15 opponents for the next two weeks.
Super Bowl Flashback
Many football fans might not desire to remember the last couple Super Bowls, as the Kansas City Chiefs’ back-to-back title have made them the NFL’s super villain.
But Georgia fans ought to enjoy looking back at least a little bit, considering how the Chiefs ended up winning the game. That was thanks to former Georgia receiver Mecole Hardman, who snagged the game-winning touchdown to beat the San Francisco 49ers in overtime.
The same elite speed and agility that made Hardman so difficult to cover in Athens helped him get open on a short flat route for the game’s final punch, a 25-22 victory shrouded in history.
Photo of the Day
Viral Dawg of the Day
The Philly Dawgs have gotten lots of DawgNation attention this week after Cody Chaffins caught up with several of the former Bulldogs playing for the Eagles this season.
Defensive backs Lewis Cine and Kelee Ringo reminisced on winning national championships in Athens while Nolan Smith talked about the excitement of continuing his red-hot postseason streak in the Super Bowl.
“You could tell us four years ago when I was an underclassman and JD and them were upperclassmen,” Ringo said. “If you told us we were going to be on the same team and playing for a Super Bowl within four years, we’d all say you’re crazy, man.
“I walk in this building, and I’m like, ‘I’m really living young Kelee’s dreams, man,’ and it’s just been a great place to soak it in.”
Quote of the Day
“We haven’t created the same thing on defense we’ve done in the past,” Kirby Smart said. “If you go to years-past defense, we created more turnovers, better third downs to get the ball back. There’s a lot of things we can do better to help our offense.”
Trivia Answer
Jordan Davis and Nakobe Dean
