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Georgia wore black jerseys when it took on Auburn in 2007.

The pros and cons of wearing the black jerseys against Auburn

Connor Riley
Connor Riley

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Let’s talk about Georgia and the black jerseys

If you’re a Georgia fan who pays attention to Twitter, you’ve probably noticed that some are calling for the Bulldogs to bust out the black jerseys this week against the Auburn Tigers. One only needs to search the hashtag #BlackOutAuburn to see that a vocal portion of the Georgia fan base wants to see the Bulldogs in black.

Of course, Georgia wearing black always seems to come up around this time of year, especially given the opponent. For those who don’t remember, Georgia came out in black jerseys during the 2007 game against Auburn. The Bulldogs, who had lost to Auburn at home in 2005, came out charged up and rolled Auburn 45-20. Georgia hasn’t lost at home to Auburn since they put on those black jerseys in Sanford Stadium.

Let’s review the pros and cons of Bulldogs in black:

Pro: Just look at this clip of the team and crowd prior to the fourth quarter. There’s just so much joy and happiness in Sanford Stadium, and I’d bet there’s a good chance fans and players would have a similar attitude if the Bulldogs came out in those, admittedly, beautiful black uniforms.

Con: Of course, not even a year later, Georgia tried to use the same black-jersey effect for a game against Alabama. The Crimson Tide raced out to a 31-0 lead at halftime and won 41-30 over a then No. 1 ranked Georgia. The black jerseys disappeared for the rest of the Mark Richt era.

Con: In his time as head coach, Kirby Smart has let Georgia wear the famed black jerseys once. That came back in his first season against Louisiana-LaFayette. Georgia won 35-21 that day, but like most of the 2016 season, the game itself was rather forgettable. The Bulldogs gave up 276 rushing yards that day, which is still the most surrendered in the Smart era.

Pro: But there’s another element to consider—and I’m sure DawgNation’s recruiting reporter Jeff Sentell will have more on this throughout the week—but this figures to be a massive recruiting weekend for Georgia. It’s a night game in Sanford Stadium, and it’s the Bulldogs first home game in over a month. Regardless of the jersey color, fans are going to light up Sanford Stadium. You know Smart will be looking to use the environment to impress 2019, 2020 and 2021 prospects on Saturday.

I feel pretty comfortable saying that a majority of the fan base will be more fired up if Georgia does come out in black jerseys. Which in turn will leave a better impression on the recruits in attendance.

In summation, the black jerseys shouldn’t be that big of a deal. Oregon wore all-black on Saturday against UCLA. Ohio State did the same against Nebraska. Only at Georgia does the debate over alternate uniforms seem to be a serious talking point between fans. Personally, I agree with DawgNation Daily host Brandon Adams on the issue. Just wear them on senior day. Make it a reward, and something you know and can plan for every year. Sure this means wearing them against Georgia Tech every other year, but I still think Georgia should embrace how cool the black jerseys look and the possible effect they have would have on the crowd and players.

I’m sure you have your own thoughts on the black jerseys, so let me know what you think.

Top Dawg Tuesday

Every Tuesday, we give out the Top Dawg award, which goes to the former Bulldog in the NFL that had the best week. And for the first time in over a month, it’s not going to Los Angeles Rams running back Todd Gurley.

Gurley still found the endzone on Sunday, as he scored his league-leading 16th touchdown. But it wasn’t enough, as the Rams lost for the first time all season, falling 45-35 to the New Orleans Saints. Fellow former Georgia running back Nick Chubb also rushed for 85 yards and a touchdown in a losing effort for the Cleveland Browns.

It was a standout out week for some of the former Georgia defenders. Jordan Jenkins of the New York Jets picked up 2 sacks on Sunday but the Jets lost 13-6 to the Miami Dolphins.

The Chicago Bears also got standout performances from both Leonard Floyd and Roquan Smith. Floyd had a pick-6, while Smith led Chicago with 12 tackles. The Bears dominated the Buffalo Bills on Saturday, winning 41-9.

But this week’s Top Dawg actually goes to the oldest Bulldog in the NFL—New Orleans Saints tight end Benjamin Watson. The 37-year old hauled in 3 catches for 62 yards in the Saints win over the Rams. One of those catches went for a 13-yard touchdown, and it led to a pretty great celebration and announcement from Watson.

After scoring, Watson stuffed the ball into his shirt and rubbed his belly. The former Bulldog then held up two fingers to signify that he and his wife were expecting twins. It was certainly a special moment for Watson, who played at Georgia from 2001-03.

So because of his celebration and his role in the Saints win, Watson is our Top Dawg for Week 9.

Past Top Dawg winners:
Week 1: ReShad Jones DB, Miami Dolphins
Week 2: Shawn Williams DB, Cincinnati Bengals
Week 3: Matthew Stafford QB, Detroit Lions
Week 4: A.J. Green WR, Cincinnati Bengals
Week 5: Todd Gurley RB, Los Angeles Rams
Week 6: Todd Gurley RB, Los Angeles Rams
Week 7: Todd Gurley RB, Los Angeles Rams
Week 8: Todd Gurley RB, Los Angeles Rams

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