Andy Sorrells has not missed a Georgia football game since Nov. 10, 2001.
After witnessing his Bulldogs edge out Missouri 28-27, the 29-year-old has been to 191 straight Georgia games.
At a tailgate before Saturday’s game, Sorrells rattled off some of his favorite Georgia wins: Auburn in 2007, Florida in 2007, Louisiana State in 2008 and 2013.
“It’s like you guys are wine connoisseurs,” a nearby Missouri fan said with a laugh.
Sorrells, a 29-year-old native of Grayson, Georgia, was one of many Bulldog supporters to make the trek to Columbia.
The Bulldog fans were in full force on Missouri’s campus: passionate, crazy and fun.
Fred Rose, an Augusta, Georgia, native, set up his tailgate near the intersection of College Avenue and Stadium Boulevard. Music blared and smoke came from a small grill. When I approached him, he greeted me with a smile. He offered me beer, chips and soda.
Rose is a die-hard Georgia fan. Recently, he adopted a bulldog puppy. The dog’s name? Chubb, named after star Georgia running back Nick Chubb.
Though Chubb (the dog, not the player) could not make the trip to Columbia, Rose hopes to bring him to tailgates in the future.
“Just like us, he’s friendly,” Rose said. “He loves to meet people, whether they’re Georgia or Mizzou.”
Like Rose — and, apparently, his dog — Georgia fans were happy to mingle with the Mizzou faithful. Bulldog fans shared food with Missourians at their tailgates, and there were cornhole competitions between fans of both schools.
The Georgia fans were complimentary of Columbia natives.
“I’ve been to every SEC stadium except for Missouri and [Texas] A&M,” Georgia junior Taylor Burns said. “These are the nicest fans. People welcomed us into the stadium, people gave us tours around the city. The nicest fans by far.”
While Missouri may have the nicest fans, Georgia’s are some of the most passionate in the nation. In a sea of black and gold shirts, noticeable red splattered Memorial Stadium.
The Georgia section was nearly full; fans waved red towels and danced. After the game, a swarm of red shirts greeted players as they left the stadium.
“We travel,” Georgia senior Peter Bodunrin said. “The Dawgs travel well.”
After a J’Mon Moore fumble sealed the victory for the Bulldogs, “U-G-A! U-G-A!” chants rang out across a stunned stadium.
“It feels great,” Georgia running back Sony Michel said. “It was great that we was able to come out here and lay it all out on the line until the last second for our fans. We have great fans, great supporters that come out and support us each and every game, and I just thank them.”
Chubb agreed with his teammate.
“We have an amazing fanbase here for UGA,” he said. “And they traveled … and we’re thankful for them.”
Trent Gatz, a 28-year-old Georgia graduate, said that Bulldog fans are obsessed with football.
He’s right. Whether [at home in Athens](https://www.themaneater.com/stories/2015/10/21/athens-gameday-atmosphere-overshadows-columbias/) or on the road in Columbia, the Georgia faithful makes its presence known.
The love of Georgia football is passed from generation to generation. Rose said his father-in-law has gone to Georgia games for 40 years. As his kids grow up, he likes “knowing that when their grandparents are gone and we’re gone, they’ll still be here doing the same thing we did.”
Sorrells was with his uncle for the first football game he remembers. Like Rose, his passion for the Bulldogs came from his loved ones.
“Being in the South, it’s just kind of a way of life,” Sorrells said. “For me at least, it’s a family thing, and I’m sure for most people it’s a family thing … Once you go one time or something, you fall in love.”
