ATHENS — Georgia football fans couldn’t have hoped for a more fantastic Friday between the approval of an $80 million football facility and best-case scenario for injured offensive tackle Isaiah Wilson.
The UGA athletic board’s approval of the new facility — which is technically an expansion of the Butts-Mehre Building and will be completed in 2022 — raises the tally of new football facilities under Kirby Smart to more than $170 million.
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The Bulldogs, at long last, are putting themselves on a level playing field with the programs they are competing against for national championships.
Wilson, it turned out, suffered a sprained ankle in Wednesday night’s practice — not a break, or a knee injury, as some had feared when reports leaked out earlier in the week.
Fans of the No. 3-ranked Bulldogs have plenty of reasons for optimism this season, and they’re all ready for the 4 p.m. game on Saturday at Sanford Stadium against Murray State.
The day will start with legendary Georgia coach and athletic director Vince Dooley being honored before the game, and it will end with a lopsided scoreboard. Maybe even more lopsided that it needs to be, depending on how much motivation Smart serves up to his Bulldogs after the Murray State coach’s outlandish comments.
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It’s one thing for an underdog to talk about how much it believes in itself. But it’s quite another for the opposing coach to talk about how much harder his team will play than the seven-TD favorite.
Does anyone really believe any team could come into Sanford Stadium in Georgia’s home-opening game and play harder than Smart’s team on a day Dooley is being honored?
More — much more — from Friday’s special presentation of “On the Beat” from the Hull Ingles location just outside of Athens.
Ingles On The Beat Special
DawgNation Murray State week
Adam Anderson getting new looks on defense, what we learned
Injuries to Isaiah Wilson and Kearis Jackson detailed by Kirby
Matt Landers says he has a lot left to prove
Kirby Smart on “The Georgia Standard”
Travon Walker’s freakish athleticism on display in opener
Cover 4: Most improved Georgia player since last season
QB Jake Fromm operating offense with hidden complexities
Georgia football betting line, massive favorite over Murray State
