Marcus Mariota named honorary captain for Oregon-Georgia game in Atlanta

The Oregon Ducks have secured the perfect honorary captain for the season-opener versus the No. 3 Georgia Bulldogs. Former star quarterback Marcus Mariota won’t have to travel far as the new Falcons starter will rep the Ducks on Sept. 3 in his new home of Atlanta.

The Chik-fil-A Kickoff Game between Oregon and Georgia at Mercedes-Benz Stadium is one of the most highly-anticipated matchups of the season. Former Georgia running back Willie McClendon will serve as the Bulldogs’ rep. McClendon was SEC Player of the Year at Georgia in 1978.

The Chick-Fil-A Peach Bowl announced that tickets sold out a month and a half before the game’s kickoff.

Marcus Mariota is now with his third NFL team after leaving Oregon as one of the most decorated Ducks in program history. Drafted by the Tennessee Titans in 2015, he played his last two seasons with the Raiders. After serving his time as a backup, he signed with Atlanta this offseason.

The 2014 Heisman Trophy winner was the first-ever for the Ducks and the first from the state of Hawai’i. He was also Oregon’s second unanimous first-team All-American.

Mariota gets fresh start in Atlanta

After trading Matt Ryan, the Falcons added Mariota and drafted former Cincinnati star Desmond Ridder. Although Ridder could be the future of the organization, that future won’t start this fall. For the former Duck, this is the perfect opportunity to show the league that his time isn’t over. He had just 18 completions in 30 pass attempts over the past two years with the Raiders.

“It’s a great opportunity for me to prove, not only to myself but to those who have believed in me,” Mariota said after the move. “I’m excited. The last couple of years was a great reset.

“We are going to be really versatile and be able to do a lot of different things and that’s going to play to our advantage,” Mariota continued. “I think this offense can hunt.”