Georgia Bulldogs Countdown to Kickoff: 82 Days
Fred Gibson is the first Georgia Bulldogs star that comes to mind for me when I think about the number ’82.’ Clemson fans would very much like to forget about him.
But Gibson didn’t just terrorize Clemson. He racked up enough receptions and yards from 2001-04 to become the second-leading receiver in Georgia football history. His 2,884 yards still beats out A.J. Green‘s 2,619.
Only Terrence Edwards finished with more from 1999-2002 (3,093).
Edwards (30), Green (23) and Tavarres King (21) do have Gibson (20 – tied with Chris Conley) beat in the touchdown department.
But none of those guys caught a ball on his Whatchamacallit to help Georgia beat Alabama in Tuscaloosa
The late Pat Dye questioned whether or not Georgia was ‘Man Enough’ to beat Alabama in Tuscaloosa in 2002.
David Greene lofted up a lefty bomb toward the Alabama pylon to let Fred Gibson prove the Dawgs had all the manpower they needed to beat the Tide.
Georgia went on to break its 20-year SEC Championship drought after their prove-it game, and an underrated call from Larry Munson.
Clemson still has nightmares about the Ware County phantom
I just made that nickname up. Check out Gibson’s high school tape though. I think it could’ve stuck.
It all began with Gibson’s kickoff return for a touchdown in the Georgia Bulldogs’ season-opening 31-28 win over Clemson in 2002.
Clemson had an illegal procedure penalty on its original kick, and Gibson made the Tigers pay on the re-kick.
“I have never had that many breakdowns in all my years of coaching. If I had a special teams coach, this would have been his last game,” former head coach Tommy Bowden said.
Then in the ACC’s Death Valley in 2003, Gibson made Clemson pay on defense. The only thing close about this game was Clemson, South Carolina’s proximity to the sun.
Georgia won 30-0 in a southern scorcher. Gibson had four catches for 104 yards and this 56-yard burner:
Recent Georgia Bulldogs Countdown to Kickoff Stories
No. 83 – 83 yards, 83 points and one 83 jersey
No. 84 – Ladd McConkey and Kevin Butler kicks a long one
No. 85 – Georgia defeats No. 1 Florida in 1985
Does your blood run Red and Black?
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