82 Days to Kickoff - Dawg Post Countdown

ATHENS - It really was a remarkable catch. 

Fred Gibson's remarkable catch during No. 7 Georgia's 27-25 win over No. 22 Alabama on October 5, 2002 at Bryant-Denny Stadium in Tuscaloosa was Georgia's coming out party that season. 

Gibson probably arrived the year before when the Waycross receiver blistered Kentucky during No. 17 Georgia’s 43-29 win over the Cats. Kentucky led the game 22-7, but then Gibson exploded for a school-record 201 receiving yards on nine catches with 2 TDs. 

But a year later Gibson made a circus-like catch that helped Georgia beat Alabama in Tuscaloosa for the first time ever (a slew of the games between the school were played in Birmingham). It propelled the Dawgs to the program’s first SEC title in 20 years.

Georgia still needed to recover from a mistake Gibson made: “Georgia receiver Fred Gibson bobbled a pass in the flat from David Greene and Alabama's Charlie Peprah grabbed the ball away and went 35 yards for the touchdown. After the extra point, Alabama had its first lead, 25-24, with 8:24 to play,” - the New York Times wrote about the game. 

Not deterred, Georgia stopped the Tide from scoring again, and set themselves up for Billy Bennett’s game-winning 32-yard field goal with only 38 seconds left in the game. 

Other notable 82s in the history of the Bulldogs…

Bill Hartman punted a ball 82 yards during Georgia’s 7-6 win over Tulane on November 13, 1937 at Sanford Stadium in Athens.

Jermaine Phillips scored a touchdown on an 82-yard interception return during No. 23 Georgia’s 35-15 win over Ole Miss on November 17, 2001 at Vaught–Hemingway Stadium in Oxford.

Isaiah McKenzie scored a touchdown on an 82-yard punt return during Georgia’s 35-21 win over UL Lafayette on November 19, 2016 at Sanford Stadium in Athens.

Top UGA players to ever wear the No. 82

WR Richard Appleby
WR Amp Arnold
WR Fred Gibson