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Get to Know Your Opponent: Tennessee Volunteers

2025-08-03T09:00:00-04:00

Photo by Perry McIntyre/ISI Photos/Getty Images

College football season is coming faster than Cash Jones on a wheel route. Your Georgia Bulldogs will open the season on August 30th, and between now and then we’ll be previewing every opponent, and today with the Tennessee Volunteers.

The Volunteer File

Location: Knoxville, TN. It’s actually quite a nice city, located on the banks of the Tennessee River which is unfortunately unnavigable thanks to submerged goalposts discarded there prematurely. That tracks.

Head Coach: Josh Heupel, aka Hamwise Gamcheese. 5^th Season. Career record 65-23, UT 37-15

2024 record: 10-3 (6-2 SEC). Made the College Football Playoffs as the No. 9 seed, before falling to eventual national champion An Ohio State in the first round.

The Volunteers started 4-0, winning an OOC game handily against a bumbling NC State squad, before bumbling themselves at Arkansas (which is where the questioning of Nico really began). They took care of business at Neyland, winning the next 4 home games against Kentucky, Mississippi State, Florida, and even Alabama. But then they had to leave the friendly confines to play Between The Hedges. That didn’t end well… for them.

They finished convincingly against UTEP and a good Vanderbilt team yet were left out of the SECCG thanks to UGA’s tiebreaker win. So as the #9 CFP seed they went up north to Columbus, OH and were summarily trounced by a Buckeye team that was looking to avenge an implausible loss to a team even more up north.

Game Time: Saturday, September 13, 2025 in Knoxville. This will be the 3:30 pm ET game on ABC.

Fun fact: Famous alumni include Chris Moneymaker, Dave Ramsey, and Paul Finebaum. The renowned Anthropology Research Facility is “the first of its kind to permit systematic study of human decomposition.” Which explains a lot, and is a good use of what is buried beneath the stadium.

Roster Changes: The Volunteers picked up 7 new players via the portal, most notably Sam Pendleton (OL) from Notre Dame. Well, he is the highest ranked player to transfer in. The most notable is the QB Joey Aguilar who came down from the mountain (App State), had a cup of oat milk latte with a half pump of vanilla, extra ice, and a dusting of cinnamon on the West Coast (UCLA), then came up to another supposed mountain in Knoxville. All that courtesy of the unofficial team trade between UCLA and UT to get rid of Nico Iamaleava.

Iamaleavin’ is obviously the most notable player to transfer out, but he held the door open. Because UT also lost their best returning receiver in Squirrel White, and another 6 receivers, the best returning tight end, and a backup QB. 27 Volunteers in all sought greener pastures outside of Knoxville, or at least a stadium turf that doesn’t end your career prematurely.

The portal wasn’t the only way out of Knox County. Graduating, or at least getting drafted were All-SEC O-linemen Cooper Mays and Javontez Spraggins. Those guys helped produce the SEC Offensive Player of the Year in running back Dylan Sampson, whose production is frankly almost impossible to replicate.

Another calling card of UT is the defensive front. But the NFL called, and Defensive Coordinator Tim Banks is going to try and replace newly-minted Atlanta Falcon James Pearce and KC Chief Omarr Norman-Lott.

2025 Outlook:

Tennessee opens the season in Mercedes-Benz against a Syracuse team looking to build on its own 10 win season. Fran Brown is having to replace a lot, but don’t count him out.

The Vols home schedule includes ETSU, our own Georgia Bulldogs, UAB, Arkansas, Oklahoma, New Mexico St., and Vanderbilt. They travel to Miss. St., Tuscaloosa for the 3^rd Saturday in October, Kentucky, and Florida.

The Hillbillies rank 81^st nationally in returning production, and losing such a big chunk of your roster is always a tough thing. But they have gained a veteran gamer in QB Joey Aguilar who should pick up what Josh Heupel puts down. The Vols will always run the ball under Heupel, and it isn’t like the orange receiving corps were high performers last year.

It’s hard to believe they were ranked 12^th in scoring and 15^th nationally in total offense, but that was misleading if you didn’t take out the 9 touchdowns scored against Kent St., 9 touchdowns against Chattanooga, and 8 touchdowns against UTEP. I expect the orange offense to take a couple of steps back.

The defense will likely keep them in ball games, and they face new quarterbacks and new offenses against virtually all of their conference schedule. They did manage to keep preseason All-SEC defensive back Jermod McCoy. Originally a Beaver from Corvallis, McCoy came to Tennessee in 2024 and took over the starting DB position immediately, picking 4 passes and shutting down his side of the field. Gunner Stockton would do well to know where he is in the pre-snap. (Late edit: apparently McCoy has an ACL injury in camp and there is no timetable on his return.)

They do have to play Georgia, Alabama, and Florida in SEC play, but miss Texas and LSU. I think they lose to all 3 heavyweights, plus stub their toe against an improving Oklahoma. That adds up to an 8-4 regular season. And since I’ve already spoiled it:

GlimmerTwinDawg prediction: Frazier runs in 2 scores, Gunner throws for 1 and runs for 1, and Woodring saves us from a couple of stalled drives. UGA 34, UT 19.

We’re just a few weeks away from this game, and it is never too early to hate orange. Do that. And as always…

GO ‘DAWGS!!!

Opponent Preview: Austin Peay Governors Need To Legislate Some Points

2025-08-02T20:57:02-04:00

Jamie Rhodes-Imagn Images

Let’s continue our tour of Georgia’a 2025 opponents with the powerhouse Austin Peay Governors.

Actually, powerhouse may be overselling it a bit. Nevertheless, the Guvs are on the schedule, so the Guvs get the preview treatment.

The Austin Peay File

Location: Clarksville, TN

2024 Record: 4-8, 3-5 United Athletic Conference

Home Stadium: Fortera Stadium (capacity 10,000)

Notable Governor: Relatively slim pickings to be honest. It’s possible the most well-known Austin Peay alum is actor David Alford, best known for for playing Bucky Dawes on television’s Nashville.

Jeff Faris returns as the head coach in Clarksville after an inaugural season that saw the Governors struggle to a 3-5 record in the United Athletic Conference.

Offense: A Handful of Happy Returns

The Governors have some pieces back from 2024. The bad news is that they don’t score a ton of points last season, so those pieces need to be a little more productive to get them above .500.

Chief among the returners is graduate QB Austin Smith. After starting 16 games at Eastern Michigan the Jonesboro, Ga. native took over last season in Clarksville and had a fairly solid season. The 6’3, 209 pound Smith completed 62.3% of his passes for 15 touchdowns, and added 4 more scores on the ground. But he also accounted for 7 interceptions, and needs some help to get more points on the board in 2025 for a unit that only averaged 22.4 points per game last season.

Leading 2024 rusher La’Vell Wright (608 yards, 5 touchdowns) has transferred to Western Kentucky. However 5’8, 166 pound sophomore Corey Richardson returns after going for 291 yards and a touchdown on 47 Carrie’s last season. Richardson is also a solid threat in the passing game, where he pulled in 6 receptions for 61 yards as a freshman.

Up front Chandler Kirton returns as an all-conference selection at center. Kirton has started 13 games at center and 23 at right guard through three seasons. But overall the Governors don’t have a lot of big bodies on the offensive front, and there are a lot of new faces. Among the FBS talent who transferred in for a chance at playing time: former Georgia Southern guard Nate Lewis, former Purdue tackle Joshua Sales, and former North Carolina tackle Eli Sutton. Another transfer, Eli Edwards from Mercer, also could see action. Unfortunately for the Guvs there’s a chance the Bulldogs get to them before this group has gelled, and that could be bad news.

Defense: An inapt Animal House Metaphor

Like Otter, Boone and the rest of the boys at Delta house, Austin Peay’s defense just needs the du(d)es.

Defensive back Ellis Ellis, Jr. was voted preseason All-UAC off a 26 tackle, 3 interception, 6 PBU effort in 2024. And Edge Davion Hood (27 tackles, 7 TFL, 2.5 sacks in 2024) is a productive leader up front.

But leading tackler linebacker Dion Hunter (97 tackles) is gone, as is second leading tackler safety (96.0 tackles) Jaden Lyles, who transferred to Western Michigan. Third leading tackler Bo Spearman (54 tackles) declared for the NFL Draft. Sending a pattern here? Austin Peay gave up a pedestrian 28.2 points per game in 2024, and while I’m not sure they’re going to beat that in 2025, I’m pretty sure they won’t hold the Bulldogs below that total.

The Bottom Line

This game is a tune up between a semi-solid FBS opponent (Marshall) and the SEC opener against Tennessee. The goal will be to put this Governors squad picked by league media to finish 6th in the UAC away quickly on a hot afternoon in Sanford Stadium and move on to more important things. Anything less than that will be suboptimal.

Prediction: Georgia 55, Austin Peay 10.

A Dozen Decisive ‘Dawgs: #10 Zachariah Branch

2025-08-01T03:05:00-04:00

Dale Zanine-Imagn Images

This morning’s installment of our countdown of Georgia Bulldogs whose output could decide the team’s season focuses on a new face who could make big contributions in more than one phase of the game.

Zachariah Branch was hailed as one of the premier transfer portal pickups of the offseason. Which makes total sense. Only a handful of genuine, first team All-American candidates come on the market in any given offseason. And one like Branch who could make a difference both on offense and special teams is even more valuable.

During his two seasons at USC the Las Vegas native hauled in 78 receptions for 823 receiving yards and 3 touchdowns. 47 of those receptions and 503 receiving yards came during his standout sophomore season. Those type of numbers would be a welcome addition in a Bulldog receiving corps that needs to replace a lot of lost 2024 production.

But Branch also served as a return specialist, registering five kickoff returns for 105 yards as well as 13 punt returns for 74 yards. As a freshman in 2023 he won the Jet Award honoring the nation’s top return specialist after tallying 16 punt returns for 332 yards and a touchdown while also registering 24 kick returns for 442 yards and another score. For his efforts he was named First Team honoree as a return specialist by USA Today and the Sporting News.

That’s a tantalizing resume for a Bulldog squad that lost its top two punt returners from 2024. Anthony Evans had 17 punt returns for 129 yards last season, and Malaki Starks chipped in 4 returns for 39 yards. Starks obviously is earning favorable reviews as a rookie for the Baltimore Ravens. Evans transferred to Mississippi State soon after Branch announced his decision to come to Athens.

I have no idea how or if those two decisions are related. But Branch’s skills as a returner are clear, so much so that SEC writers already voted him preseason first-team as both a return specialist and all-around contributor. That’s a pretty powerful endorsement for a player who has yet to take the field for an SEC game.

That being said, Branch may be needed more at receiver than in the kicking game. He’s a legitimate early round NFL prospect and could play any number of spots. But I think he could be the league’s best slot receiver, comparing to Ladd McConkey, albeit perhaps not with the same virtuoso route running skills. Still, Branch’s elusiveness combined with his top end speed could make him a threat both in the quick passing game and to take the top off defenses. Mike Bobo is going to need someone to fulfill both roles, and Branch could be just the guy.

2025 Floor: Starter at receiver and primary kick returner, All-SEC consideration at both.

2025 Ceiling: Lives up to preseason press, pushes for first team All-American status. First day NFL draft pick.

Go ‘Dawgs!!!

Last Chance for ‘Dawgs To Make Playoffs

2025-07-30T07:00:00-04:00

Photo by Andy Lyons/Getty Images

We’ve come to the final event of the PGA Tour regular season. The FedEx Cup Playoffs are next up, and to get into those you need to be in the top 70 of the season-long points list. And this is the last opportunity to get points and secure your spot for the post-season.

The tournament is the Wyndham Championship, held at Sedgefield Country Club in Greensboro, North Carolina. As usual, the tournament consists of two rounds Thursday and Friday, with the top 70 making the cut and playing the final two rounds over the weekend. And you only get FedEx Cup points if you make the weekend. There are a few former Bulldogs who need to do just that.

Last week Kevin Kisner had one of his best finishes the last couple of years with a T28 at the 3M Open, but that moved him to 184th place. That is unfortunately mathematically eliminated from playoff contention. The same can be said of Brendon Todd. He’s had a poor 24 months, and is all the way down to 227th.

Greyson Sigg did get a T39 last week, yet lost 3 spots down to 160th (thanks to guys below him getting a high finish). The only way to move into the top 70 for the playoffs is to win the Wyndham this week. That would be a tall order, considering he’s never had a top 3 finish in his 5 years on Tour.

Will Chandler is in the same boat considering he’s 159th in points. Only a win Sunday keeps him playing.

There are a few ‘Dawgs who just need a solid week to keep their hopes alive:

Keith Mitchell is in 72nd place and will need a cashmere-smooth T58 or better to make the playoffs.

Chris Kirk is one spot behind in 73rd and needs at least a solo 43rd or better.

Davis Thompson sits in 78th, so he will need a tie for 21st, or better, if he wants to make the playoffs. In his 3 years on Tour, he has 25 top 25 finishes, 8 top 10s, and a win so this is entirely doable.

That was the bad and not so bad news. The good news is that this season’s points list dictates that those in 57th or better position are mathematically guaranteed to make at least the first round of the playoffs. And that includes some of the boys from Athens:

Brian Harman is 19th. He isn’t guaranteed the 2nd round due to the bonus points available in the post-season, but he’s close.

Harris English is 6th in points, Russell Henley in 4th, and Sepp Straka is 3rd. All had Tour wins this season plus a lot of high finishes, and they’re virtually locks for both Memphis and the 2nd round at the BMW in Maryland.

The tournament will be broadcast by CBS (and PGA Tour Live on ESPN+ if you so choose) with normal viewing windows each afternoon. A significant sidenote is that this will be the last official broadcast by Ian Baker-Finch who is retiring after this week. You might not be familiar with “Finchie” but he was a very good player in the 80’s and 90’s, evidenced by his British Open win in 1991. Possibly just as famously developed a case of the yips with his golf swing and retired from play at a young-ish age. But he made a perfect transition to television, and I’ve enjoyed his measured, sometimes mirthful, analysis the last 20 years.

In summary, 4 former Bulldogs will be in the playoffs, and there’s a more that realistic chance 3 more will qualify, plus 2 others that can make it with a Hail Mary. That’s always cool to see. I hope you enjoy the last few meaningful golf tourneys before the pigskin begins. And as always...

GO ‘DAWGS!!!

Opponent Preview: Marshall Thundering Herd Enter 2025 A Mystery (Even To Each Other)

2025-07-29T20:54:49-04:00

Barbara J. Perenic/Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

It’s time to kick off our previews of every single 2025 Georgia Bulldog opponent. We begin with a team that not only isn’t that familiar to Bulldog fans, but probably aren’t particularly familiar with each other: the Marshall Thundering Herd.

The Marshal Files

Location: Huntington, West Virginia

Home Stadium: Joan C. Edwards Stadium (capacity 30,475). Edwards Stadium is one of only two FBS stadiums named for women.

2024 record: 10-3, (7-1 Sun Belt)

Notable Herdmember: Before he threw Momma from the train, met Sally, or went to work for Monsters, Inc. irrepressible funny man Billy Crystal attended Marshall on a baseball scholarship. However the baseball program was suspended during his freshman year and he never actually got to play a game. He moved back to New York after one year and never looked back.

Marshall Football and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad December

Life comes at you fast. Especially in today’s college football world.

The Herd stampeded through a pretty soft Sun Belt schedule, pulled off a big win at James Madison, then demolished Louisiana in a 31-3 blowout to win the conference title.

That ten win season was the program’s first since 2015. How could things get much better, right?

Then the world of modern college football showed up at the Herd’s door, and it delivered really rotten news. First head coach Charles Huff took the Southern Miss job. Over the next week and an half everyone except the reserve long snapper and the backup ball boy jumped into the transfer portal. How many players decamped from Huntington? Enough that there weren’t enough players left to even play in the bowl game the Thundering Herd earned by playing their best football in a decade. Such is the brutal irony of life in college football’s squishy midsection.

Now, Marshall’s starting over.

And they’re doing it the newfangled college football way: by bringing in transfers. All the transfers. Heck, they even got a new athletic director this week. It’s possible that no more than five people connected with Marshall football at this moment have any idea where the switches are that turn on the weight room lights.

New head coach Tony Gibson is stepping into his first top job after six solid years as NC State’s defensive coordinator.

Things could come together for his team if some of the talent he’s brought in gels quickly. If the run game clicks early, the schedule’s manageable enough for Gibson to make some noise in the Sun Belt in year one. Then again, if things don’t click, three wins may be the ceiling for an outfit that is as close to a black box as any FBS team I’ve tried to scout.

Film of the 2024 Marshall Thundering Herd is as useful for understanding the 2025 iteration as watching Three’s Company reruns would be for learning how to play cricket.

Marshall Offense: Explosive (at least on paper)

Offensively, Marshall will be coordinated by Rod Smith, who helped make Jacksonville State’s offense one of the more productive in the nation last year. It’s a total reset, but there’s some potential here.

Quarterback Zion Turner was at Jacksonville State with Smith last year but threw only a single pass in the single game in which he played (it fell incomplete). Cartersville native and former 4 star Florida Gator Carlos Del Rio-Wilson is a dual-threat signal caller with a solid 6’2, 215 pound build who completed 48 of 102 passes over two seasons at Syracuse before being sidelined by injury in 2024.

I anticipate he’s the guy for what Smith wants to do offensively. QB Tyler Huff ran for 1,344 yards and 15 touchdowns in this same system last season, and Del Rio-Wilson can both run and spin the ball pretty well.

Smith’s offense is a spread, run heavy attack that spreads the ball around. Tre Stewart tore it up at Jacksonville State with 1,638 yards and 25 touchdowns from the tailback spot in 2024. Now, it’s up to Michael Allen (UNLV transfer) and Jo’Shon Barbie (formerly of McNeese State), both of whom averaged over five yards a carry last season.

Up front, Logan Osburn returns at center, Jalen Slappy is a seasoned guard, and 348 pound Shunmarkus Adams is the likely starter at the other guard spot. The tackles are both transfers, but the big one (literally) to watch is 6-9, 356 pound Tyler McDuffie from Hampton. All told, the offensive line has more continuity than anywhere else on the team, and they’re going to need it.

Tight end Toby Payne snagged 17 catches for 168 yards and tied for the team lead with 6 touchdown catches last year. Getting him involved in the offense will be one of Smith’s priorities. The bad news? That’s because almost every significant contributor in the receiving corps from last season left.

Demarcus Lacey (Jacksonville State) is an explosive addition, and Antonio Harmon (Mississippi State) has size at 6’ 3, 200. If history is any guide, Smith will engineer a way to get those guys the ball.

The Marshall Defense: I’m not sure what they’re cooking, but the ingredients seem to be high quality.

The 2024 Marshall pass rush was among the best in the Sun Belt. And it is basically gone. Edge Mike Green (17 sacks) is gone to the NFL, and almost everyone else who got to the QB last year is gone too. Paul Hutson (Campbell transfer) brings some size at end, but the pressure might need to come from the inside this year.

The Herd have actually great got size there: 335-pound KaTron Evans (Charlotte), 330-pound Tyas Martin (Jackson State), 300 pound Jamaal Whyce, Jr. (South Carolina), and 300 pound Jalil Rivera-Harvey (Arizona State) are a stout unit, and could be one of the deeper interior line units in the Sun Belt.

The linebacking corps is also mostly new faces, but there are pieces to work with. Javae Gilmore (Mississippi State) has the build for the middle, and Jibreel Al-Amin (Jacksonville State) is an athletic playmaker who had 23 tackles in 2024 for the Gamecocks despite only spot duty.

The secondary has an actual returning starter, as safety Jadarius Green-McKnight (38 tackles, 1 interception in 2024) decided to stick around. Senior cornerback Daytione Smith has played a lot in a reserve role and started once in 2024, but otherwise it’s a whole new group from the portal.

Immaculately named safety Boogie Trotter (Tennessee State) racked up 62 tackles last season. Cornerback Marvae Myers-Glover (Middle Tennessee) has been around since 2019 and had 41 tackles and 4 pass breakups last year.

The Bottom Line

There’s really no way of knowing how this Marshall team is going to come together by season’s end. I expect things to be humming along pretty well by week ten. But when the Herd come to Athens for opening weekend about the only thing they’ll have going for them is the element of surprise. That doesn’t seem likely to be enough to topple a top five Georgia team. I expect the Marshall offense to scheme up a handful of big plays on a Bulldog defense that’s replacing some key contributors on the back end. But I also anticipate them giving up at least a couple of turnovers that will keep this one out of reach for the visitors.

Score prediction: Georgia 38, Marshall 10

Go ‘Dawgs!!!

A Dozen Decisive ‘Dawgs: #11 Joenel Aguero

2025-07-29T02:30:00-04:00

Dale Zanine-Imagn Images

We continue our look at twelve Georgia Bulldogs’ whose development will define the 2025 season with a veteran defensive back who could be called on to step into a variety of critical roles.

There’s an odd phenomenon that you may have noticed in the college football world. It goes like this: a can’t miss, five star recruit signs to play for a powerhouse program. Maybe even your favorite college football program. Every observer expects the can’t miss prospect to be a can’t miss star from day one. But then….things happen. Maybe the budding star runs into a stacked depth chart. Maybe it takes awhile to fully assimilate to a new, complex college system. Maybe an injury intervenes.Whatever the case, people begin to wonder whether the blue chipper is ever going to live up to all that nascent potential.

Joenel Aguero can lay claim to all of the road blocks outlined above. After coming to Athens as a national top 50 recruit in the class of 2023. But he ran into a loaded depth chart with veterans like Javon Bullard, Dan Jackson, and Malaki Starks soaking up most of the snaps at safety and Star. Nevertheless the Lynn, Massachusetts product played in 12 games in his freshman season, racking up 7 tackles. The highlight of his season was probably the blocked punt against Florida that went for a safety and served as the exclamation mark for a first half evisceration of the Gators.

Aguero entered 2024 vying for a starting spot and indeed made five starts, finding a home at Star. However a broken hand sustained against Texas slowed him throughout the second half of the season. Aguero’s 26 tackles on the season, 1.5 tackles for loss and a single QB pressure marked him out as a solid contributor. But it would also be fair to say that he and the Bulldog coaches were hoping he’d have a bigger impact.

2025 now sets up as a season in which Aguero not only could step in as a key piece of the Red and Black defense, but absolutely must. Malaki Starks and Dan Jackson have moved on to the NFL, and along with senior Daylen Everette and fellow junior Daniel Harris Aguero is now one of the veterans who have to step forward.

He has several things working in his favor. After two years in the Bulldog system Aguero should be able to play faster and more instinctively than in the past. We saw some flashes of that during the G Day game in which he was among the more disruptive defenders coming up to the ball. The 5’11, 205 pounder has looked more like a linebacker than a DB since he stepped on campus as an early enrollee. Kirby and Co. need him to bring the type of run support and unfettered aggression that Javon Bullard delivered from the same spot in 2022 and 2023.

Another thing working in Aguero’s favor is that while the safety rotation is unproven, the cornerbacks bracketing him will be sound. Everette has All-American potential at CB1, and Daniel Harris looked solid after taking over for Julian Humphries midseason. He’ll still likely get a push from sophomores Ellis Robinson and Demelo Jones. All of which means that Aguero should have some solid help in coverage.

That’s good news because there’s any area of his game which concerns me it’s Aguero’s coverage skills. He doesn’t have great length with a frame just shy of six feet, and is built for jacking up ball carriers more than running downfield. That being said, I was encouraged by Aguero’s effort covering USC transfer Zachariah Branch at G Day, where other than giving up one touchdown on a well thrown fade route he was solid.

Sadly if Aguero has the kind of season Georgia needs him to have, the kind of season you expect from those big time, can’t miss recruits, this will likely be his last season in the Classic City. But if that season ends deep in the College Football Playoffs, I think I can live with it.

2025 Floor: Starter, All-SEC consideration.

2025 Ceiling: Consensus All-SEC, first day NFL draft pick.

Go ‘Dawgs!!!

A new look coming for Dawg Sports in August

2025-07-24T12:00:00-04:00

Our coverage remains the same but with a new look

In just a couple of weeks, Dawg Sports is switching to a new platform as part of SB Nation’s network-wide move to a new publishing platform. This will change the look of the site and also make it faster and more reliable on any device you use. This is an upgrade.

When you land on the site, it will look cleaner – less clunky, with more white space, a better ad experience with faster load times – but will still have all the usual articles, analysis, and news by all the folks you know.

Community discussion and content created by you will be more prominent in the new design. The best comment threads will be easy to find, and staff and commenters alike will be able to start conversations whenever they like with a brand new tool.

We’re planning on an early August reveal, so we wanted to give you a heads up. You’ll hear more from us when it’s almost here. The site will look a little different, feel a little faster, and, most importantly, have a bigger role for you, the community.

So, stick around and check it out!

‘Dawgs On Tour: Majors Over, Ryder Cup Looms for Former Bulldogs

2025-07-23T07:00:00-04:00

Photo by Alex Slitz/Getty Images

Sunday’s conclusion of the Open Championship also brought about the end of this golf season’s major tournaments. It was a nice showing for the Red and Black, considering Scottie Scheffler practically wrapped up the Gold Medal by lunch Friday.

Brian Harman didn’t pick up any ground over the weekend but held steady and made a bomb on the 18th to secure a tie for 10th. Russell Henley picked up steam seemingly each day, carding a final round 65 and also tied for 10th.

Harris English started fast, weathered the Friday, and shot 68-66 in the final rounds to jump into 2nd place. He was playing in the group immediately in front of Scheffler, battled Chris Gotterup for 2nd the entire round, but eclipsed him with some timely putting the last couple of holes.

For the past few decades, the PGA Championship was held in August, proudly declaring itself as “Glory’s Last Shot” and the last chance to win a major in the calendar year. But with autumn eyeballs sliding into football, the governing bodies of golf made a few changes: move the season-ending Playoffs to August, move the PGA Championship back to the May slot held by the Players Championship, and bump the Players to March. By doing this, the golf world felt comfortable holding at least one premier event in each month March through August, and acquiescing September and Fall to pigskin.

This means the conclusion of the golf season (well, mostly) is only a month away. We have the 3M Open this weekend in Minnesota, the Wyndham Championship in North Cackalacky next week, then the playoffs start with St. Jude in Memphis, the BMW (in Maryland this year), and ending in Atlanta with the Tour Championship August 21-24.

So let’s do a quick review of how the former Bulldogs fared in the four major championships in 2025, and the “unofficial 5th major”:

Players Championship (9 entered):
T10 - Davis Thompson
T14 - Sepp Straka
T30 - Harris English
T30 - Russell Henley
T42 - Chris Kirk
T61 - Will Chandler
MC - Keith Mitchell, Greyson Sigg, Brian Harman

Masters (7 entered):
T12 - Harris English
T36 - Brian Harman
T46 - Davis Thompson
MC - Russell Henley, Chris Kirk, Sepp Straka

PGA Championship (7 entered):
T2 - Harris English
T55 - Chris Kirk
T60 - Brian Harman
MC - Sepp Straka, Keith Mitchell, Davis Thompson, Russell Henley

US Open (7 entered):
T10 - Russell Henley
T12 - Chris Kirk
T59 - Harris English
T59 - Brian Harman
MC - Davis Thompson, Sepp Straka, Will Chandler

Open Championship (6 entered):
2 - Harris English
T10 - Brian Harman
T10 - Russell Henley
T52 - Sepp Straka
MC - Chris Kirk, Davis Thompson

Harris English has decided to have himself a year. Don’t call this a surprise, but you can call it a comeback. Remember that in 2020-21, English won twice and had 12 top 25s in 26 entries. He suffered an injury in 2022 that shut down his season. His next year showed a little promise with 22 of 30 cuts and 5 top 10s including a runner-up.

The momentum continued last season with 21 of 26 cuts and 11 of those were top 25. And this season is even better, winning at the Farmers in January and making 16 of 18 cuts. Plus his tie for 2nd at the PGA Championship and the solo 2nd last weekend at Royal Portrush.

So not only is he now 6th in the FedEx Cup Playoffs points standings, he’s also up to 6th in the US Ryder Cup team standings (the top 6 are automatic qualifiers for the team). He joins Russell Henley who is 4th in Ryder Cup standings, and Brian Harman who is 12th. If you add in Sepp Straka currently 6th on the European side, the University of Georgia might produce 4 of the 24 players at Bethpage come September. And that is a Bulldog point of pride.

As always...

GO ‘DAWGS!!!