A Win Over Irish Could Mean Even More

Just imagine: In front of Touchdown Jesus on the hallowed grounds of Notre Dame Stadium—The House That Rockne Built—containing Georgia enthusiasts numbering in five figures, the Bulldogs defeating the Fighting Irish this Saturday, giving them an all-time record of 2-0 against arguably the most tradition-filled team in college football.

Still, speaking of an all-time record, a win over Notre Dame could be even more so significant in the annals of University of Georgia football—and should be.

Discovered roughly a decade ago, I’ve already mentioned here at least twice before the four Georgia games from the early 1900s that were somehow, someway—likely, simply an error in record keeping—erroneously excluded from the school’s football record books. A recap of the four omitted, unofficial games:

“Officially,” Georgia faced Georgia Tech on November 10, 1906, and Tennessee 11 days later on November 21. However, research has found that an omitted game was played in between the two opponents—a 53-2 victory over Dahlonega on November 17. Notably, Georgia faced the “Mountain Team” on six other occasions in its history—all official results—including during the season before and after (1905 and 1907) the game in question.

The Red and Black did not officially begin its 1908 season until October 10 against, ironically, Dahlonega. However, a closer look reveals that the week before, Georgia defeated on October 3 “The Olympians of Atlanta”—a team from an Atlanta athletic club—at UGA’s Herty Field by a score of 29 to 5.

Likewise, a year later, the Red and Black officially began its season against The Citadel on October 9, although further research indicates Georgia actually opened its campaign a week earlier. For what was initially scheduled to be a game against, again, Dahlonega, was instead a meeting for a second consecutive year with the Olympians on October 2. Although the Red and Black defeated the Olympians 5-0, the star of the game was reportedly a player from the losing side—quarterback Frank Dobson of the athletic club team. Remarkably, Dobson had not only been an assistant coach at Georgia Tech the season before in 1908, but by the end of the 1909 season, he was Georgia’s head coach. This might be the only instance in college football history of an individual playing against and coaching for the same school in the very same season—yet, an unofficial instance.

The Dahlonega game in 1906 is undoubtedly an omission, while little argument can be made that Georgia’s results against The Olympians of Atlanta in 1908 and 1909 were not official games. For one, not once in pre- or post-game reports are the two meetings referred to as exhibitions or practice contests. More so, like many other schools, Georgia played “official” games in its early history a number of times against athletic clubs, teams made up of college all-stars or former football players, and “preparatory” schools, including Savannah AC (Athletic Club), Augusta AC, Atlanta AC, Daniel Field, Locust Grove, and Gordon.

Towards the end of the 1909 season, in several of its editions, the Atlanta Constitution printed game results for selected southern football teams of interest, including Georgia. Routinely listed as the Red and Black’s first result that season was—you guessed it—a 5-0 victory over the Olympians. Evidently, back in 1909, the Olympians game was considered an official result. More than a century later, it should be designated accordingly, as well as the other aforementioned omissions.

Finally, the late great Dan Magill once told me the three omitted victories I discovered should be recognized as official results—so, there’s that too.

There’s also another game, a fourth omission, I discovered which unfortunately didn’t result in Georgia’s favor. Officially, the Red and Black faced North Carolina on November 17, 1900, and, 12 days later, played Auburn on November 29. However, in between the two opponents, research has found Georgia suffered a 6-to-5 loss to the Agricultural & Mechanical (A&M) College of North Carolina (NC State) on November 19. Evidently, instead of riding the train home from Raleigh, N.C., following the loss to UNC that Saturday, Georgia remained in the city for at least two days and faced NC State on Monday, before departing for home.

There you have it, entering this season, Georgia’s official all-time record was 795-418-54, but it should’ve been 798-419-54, 799-419-54 following the win over Appalachian State.

But, besides me and maybe a handful of others, who really cares, right? Even, “UGA” (being non-specific) didn’t seem to be concerned with the matter—at least not enough to do something about the omitted games when I informed them of such two or three times during the last decade. And, honestly, perhaps I couldn’t blame them. I mean, surely, it’s a hassle, especially if having to gain approval from the NCAA, for a college football program to suddenly tack on a few victories and deem the games as official—or, maybe not.

This past spring, I was unexpectedly corresponding with UGA, which had taken a sudden interest in my discoveries. You see, UGA was beginning to work on its football media guide for this season, and recognizing the omitted games would be significant in that 795 official wins plus the three unofficial victories, and a win over Appalachian State to open the year would mean the Bulldogs would trek to South Bend one victory shy of the 800-win milestone.

UGA wanted evidence of the discoveries, which I gave them—and, might I add, plenty of evidence the four games occurred and how they should be recognized as legitimate results. I was told they would be in touch.

Sometime in July, I was very unexpectedly corresponding with NC State, which had gotten wind of its discovered 6-5 win over Georgia in 1900. According to NC State, the game was not recognized in their records, although it is briefly mentioned in a book on the history of Wolfpack football history. I was told they would be in touch, as well.

Later that month, NC State sent me an email, indicating although it was too late to recognize the 1900 game against Georgia in its records—the media guide had already been published—it would do so next year based merely on my findings and the mention of the game in the book.

As far as UGA, well, they weren’t in touch. Nevertheless, I admittingly was anxious to see if they rightfully decided to recognize the four games, at least the three victories—798 all-time wins entering 2017, not 795. After receiving the Bulldogs’ media guide, I flipped to the appropriate page and, alas, discovered the following:

No matter, maybe down the road UGA will finally designate the omitted unofficial games to official status. Until then, some day later this month or during October, the Bulldogs will be publicized as having 799 victories while aiming for No. 800.

It’s just kind of too bad that day isn’t this Saturday. It would have made a highly-anticipated, historic game in South Bend even more so significant than it already will be.