ATLANTA — On Saturday, Georgia takes on the Oregon Ducks at Mercedes Benz Stadium in the team’s first game since winning the national championship in January.
Among the Georgia Bulldog fans eager to see the reining national champions return to the field is a man who has a unique perspective when it comes to his beloved Dawgs.
There are times when the Dawgs national championship season seems like a dream to super fan Billy Copelan. When he looks over the pictures from his January trip to see UGA win it all in Indianapolis or cues up the clip of Georgia’s game clinching play, the tingle of that championship moment comes back.
“I get chills,” Colelan said. “I’m getting chills right now thinking about it. It brings tears to my eyes every time I see that clip and it’s just incredible.”
Eight months after watching his beloved Bulldogs hoist the national championship trophy, Copelan will be in Mercedes Benz Stadium as the Dawgs begin another season. It’s the first time in 41 years that Georgia has entered a season as reigning champs.
“For so many years it was the anticipation and the question, ‘could this be the year?’” Copelan added. "Now it’s entering it almost with a calmness and a kind of yeah, we finally did it.”
Copelan himself has unique perspective.
He was 10-years-old when he traveled with his family to New Orleans to watch the Bulldogs win the 1980 national championship. He remained loyal through the 41-year drought, finally to find his reward in Indianapolis.
“I would still love to rattle off four in a row,” he exclaimed. “I’d love to win about four national championships in a row!”
The Bulldog’s success will no doubt attract new fans this season. Copelan is here to remind them that no one stays on top forever.
“Number one, I would say enjoy the ride because those of us that have been around awhile, we know the lows,” he said. “This is pretty rare air we’re in right now.”
So rare that it sometimes feels like a dream.