Back in Black was the song that rocked Sanford Stadium for this 111th showdown between the Dawgs and the War Eagles of Auburn.
The word was out for all Dawg fans to leave their traditional red on the hangers and wear black for this game on a crisp, perfect fall football day.
The fans answered and blacked out Sanford Stadium. The senior Dawgs lobbied all week for the black jerseys for this game, but Coach Richt never would commit and sent his team out for warmups in their traditional red, home-game shirts. After warmups, the team always gathers in the locker room for quiet prayer in the dark. When the lights came on, the staff began passing out the black jerseys — causing an eruption of cheers and firing the Dawgs up into a frenzy. The Dawgs then ran out of the tunnel and blacked-out Sanford Stadium exploded. I’m sure the cheers echoed all the way to the plains of Auburn.
The Black Dawgs took the field and for the second year in a row, the defense makes a big play against Brandon Cox, Auburn’s QB. Cox dropped back to pass on their very first play from scrimmage, and the Dawgs Kelin Johnson snatched his first of two interceptions on the day. This interception set up the Black Dawgs first score, a 32-yard field goal by Brandon Coutu. The Black Dawgs then took a 17-3 lead by early in the second quarter. As the second quarter wore on, the Black Dawgs’ initial frenzy seemed to wear off, and the highly talented Auburn defense, ranked fifth nationally, slowed the Black Dawgs’ offensive attack.
Auburn’s offense also started to the move the ball on the ground with their three very talented running backs. You could almost feel the momentum swing as Auburn ripped off 17 unanswered points and then, with 7 minutes left in the third, went on top 20-17 on a Wes Byrum 33-yard field goal (Hey, Erik, remember him?).
This is where Coach Richt, the new Coach Richt, in his best Johnny Cash getup right down to the black shoe strings, challenged his young team’s manhood. And the Black Dawgs answered. Even the writers strike couldn’t stop The Knowshon Moreno Show! He finished the day with 101 yards rushing and two touchdowns. His special guests this week were, of course, Matt Stafford and back in the lineup, No. 20, Thomas Brown. Brown finished off Auburn early in the fourth, by ripping a 53-yard run up the middle to the 1-yard line. The Dawgs scored the final 28 points of the ball game, and for the third week in a row, scored more than 40 points. This hasn’t been done since the 1942 season, when Georgia won the national championship.
Black Dawgs won big over their closest rival, beating Auburn 45-20. Coach Richt’s motivational gimmick worked to perfection once again. And it didn’t cost us 30 yards. Sanford Stadium was blacked-out and even Uga wore a black jersey for the game. When Daisy saw her uncle in his black jersey, she started her Christmas list.
The good guys in black took care of their backyard and sent the Tigers back to the plains of Auburn with a black eye! The Black Dawgs are still in the SEC hunt, but need those little Smokies of Tennessee to lose to the Commode-Doors next week.
The Black Dawgs host the Kentucky Wildcats in Sanford Stadium Saturday, and I’m hoping for another 40 plus-point effort out of the Black Dawgs to send those Wildcats home black and blue.
Once again, it’s great to be a Black Bulldawg on Saturday night. Ding, ding, ding. Go Dawgs. Sic 'em. Woof. Woof. Woof.