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Georgia begins spring practice looking to get back on top after falling just short in 2023

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Georgia begins spring practice looking to get back on top after falling just short in 2023


ATHENS, Ga. (AP) — Carson Beck returned for another season at Georgia to take care of some unfinished business.

He’s doing it in style, too.

The Bulldogs quarterback shrugged off his new ride — a $300,000 Lamborghini he called “just a car” — and began spring practice Tuesday focused on bringing another national title to Athens.

In Beck’s initial season as the starter, Georgia just missed a chance to become the first team in the Associated Press poll era to win three straight crowns with a three-point loss to Alabama in the Southeastern Conference title game.

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That defeat influenced Beck’s decision to pass on the NFL draft and return to the Bulldogs for one more year.

“We had a really good year. Obviously our goal is always to win it all,” Beck said. “We didn’t achieve that goal. I’m coming back with that same mindset because we didn’t reach that goal.”

Of course, the NIL era has made it financially viable for many college athletes to spend additional time in school.

Look no further than Beck’s luxury Italian sports car.

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“I’ve always been a huge car guy,” he said. “Being able to get that car, obviously it’s a blessing.”

Beck’s lucrative return is a big reason that Georgia should remain one of the nation’s top teams. After spending three years as a backup, he finally got his chance to start and took full advantage of it.

Leading the Bulldogs to a 13-1 record, he completed more than 72% of his passing attempts for 3,941 yards and 24 touchdowns, with just six interceptions.

“He has high standards. He has high expectations,” coach Kirby Smart said. “His decision to come back was built around doing something different, doing something special.”

For Beck, spring practice feels a whole lot different than a year ago, when he was battling for the starting job with Brock Vandagriff and Gunner Stockton.

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There’s no doubt who’s taking the snaps this season.

“Last year, I was coming in and wasn’t sure if I was going to be the starter or not,” Beck said. “Now, coming back, having been the starter, I can kind of hone in and focus more on what I need to improve on compared to just trying to compete against other guys. I can really focus on competing against myself.”

Coming in as a dethroned champion rather than a defending champion makes no difference to the way Smart is approaching the new season.

“Every year starts fresh,” the coach said. “For me it’s a fresh beginning with a new team. I’ve been trying since the last whistle to recreate this team. What does the 2024 team look like? That would be regardless as to how last year finished. Each season is independent of the previous.”

Even with stars such as Brock Bowers moving on to the NFL, Smart heads into his ninth season having built a program that is more about reloading than rebuilding. Another stellar recruiting class was augmented by a group of talented transfers, led by former Florida running back Trevor Etienne.

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Etienne transferred to Athens after rushing for more than 700 yards each of the last two seasons with one of Georgia’s biggest rivals.

“Everything that we’ve heard about Etienne before he got here has held true,” Smart said. “He’s a tremendous leader, high-character kid. He immediately surges into a leadership role because he’s not a first-year player. He’s been in our league, in our conference. He has standards and expectations.”

Beck is looking forward to incorporating Etienne into the offense.

“It always helps to have a good running back,” Beck said. “You feel comfortable turning your back to the defense and handing it off.”

The Bulldogs are eager to tackle the challenge of an expanded SEC, which has added powerhouse programs Texas and Oklahoma to its already stacked lineup. Georgia faces a daunting schedule that includes road trips to Austin and Tuscaloosa.

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“I’d be lying if I said if I wasn’t looking at any of that,” senior linebacker Smael Mondon said with a grin. “It’s real exciting to see the teams we’re getting to play next season. It’s every kid’s dream schedule. You want to play in those big games.”

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Get alerts on the latest AP Top 25 poll throughout the season. Sign up here. AP college football: https://apnews.com/hub/ap-top-25-college-football-poll and https://apnews.com/hub/college-football





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No. 3 Georgia to Host Top-Ranked Auburn for Regular Season Finale – University of Georgia Athletics

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No. 3 Georgia to Host Top-Ranked Auburn for Regular Season Finale – University of Georgia Athletics


ATHENS – The third-ranked Georgia equestrian team will host No. 1 Auburn on Saturday at 12 p.m. to conclude the regular season. 
 
Georgia fell at Auburn 14-6 to wrap up the fall slate of their season. The overall record against the Tigers currently stands at 31-31, including a 13-7 record in Bishop.
 
During their National Championship run in the 2024-25 season, the Mane Dawgs faced off against Auburn on three separate occasions. Georgia was victorious at home, 11-9, before falling on the road, 11-8. In the quarterfinals of the NCEA National Championships in Ocala, the Bulldogs stunned the second-ranked Tigers, 13-4, en route to their eighth National Championship title.
 
Georgia returns to action following a trip to Blythewood, South Carolina, to take on the third-ranked Gamecocks. 
 
Top-ranked Auburn travels to Bishop after hosting No. 4 SMU at home the prior weekend. The Tigers defeated the Mustangs 13-7 and swept all four MOP honors.
 
Following the conclusion of the meet, Georgia will honor their seven seniors for their dedication and contributions to the program.

The meet will be streamed on SECN+ at https://gado.gs/e7v, and live scoring will be available at https://gado.gs/e7w.

 

HOW TO FOLLOW GEORGIA EQUESTRIAN: For complete information on Georgia equestrian, follow the team on its social media channels via @UGAEquestrian on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram. 

JOIN OUR MANE DAWGS FUND: Mane Dawgs Fund contributions make a direct impact in supporting our student-athletes and equines at the Georgia Equestrian program. A gift to the Mane Dawgs fund helps provide resources such as equipment upgrades for our student and equine athletes, travel assistance, and enhance overall team experiences. Contributions to the Mane Dawgs provide benefits such as membership gifts and information about upcoming special events. Click here for more information.

 

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Georgia OC Mike Bobo gets giant pay raise, salary matches DC Glenn Schumann

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Georgia OC Mike Bobo gets giant pay raise, salary matches DC Glenn Schumann


Georgia offensive coordinator Mike Bobo and defensive coordinator Glenn Schumann will be paid equally in 2026 after receiving raises, according to an Athens Banner-Herald report.

Coach Kirby Smart’s Bulldogs are coming off a second consecutive SEC championship season and College Football Playoff Sugar Bowl quarterfinal appearance.

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Georgia Lt. Gov. announces bill inspired by Charlie Kirk to protect student speech

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Georgia Lt. Gov. announces bill inspired by Charlie Kirk to protect student speech


Georgia Lt. Gov. Burt Jones on Monday unveiled legislation inspired by the late conservative activist Charlie Kirk that he says would expand students’ free speech rights in public schools, making Georgia the first state in the nation to pursue such a measure.

Jones announced the “True Patriotism and Universal Student Access Act,” known as the TPUSA Act, on Monday as a priority for the 2026 legislative session. The proposal, sponsored by State Sen. Ben Watson (R–Savannah), would strengthen First Amendment protections for public school students by safeguarding their right to speak, organize, and express political and religious views on campus.

The bill is explicitly shaped around the work and legacy of Charlie Kirk, the founder of the conservative advocacy group Turning Point USA and its political arm, Turning Point Action. Jones and others have framed the legislation as a way to honor Kirk’s efforts to mobilize young conservatives and defend free speech in schools and on college campuses.

“In the spirit and memory of Charlie’s work, the TPUSA Act in Georgia would ensure that students’ First Amendment rights to organize, gather and speak are protected, regardless of their religious, political, or social viewpoints,” Jones said in a press release. “Georgia is leading the way as the first state in the nation to do it.”

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Founder and President of Turning Point USA Charlie Kirk speaks during the Turning Point Believers Summit at the Palm Beach County Civic Center on July 26, 2024. (Al Diaz/Miami Herald/Tribune News Service via Getty Images)

Miami Herald


Jones, who is running for governor and is endorsed by both former President Donald Trump and Turning Point Action, also emphasized his broader commitment to free speech rights as part of his campaign rhetoric. 

“Georgia is building on the work of Charlie Kirk to ensure students can speak, organize and express their beliefs freely,” Jones posted on social media. 

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The TPUSA Act would require public schools in Georgia to permit political expression before, during and after the school day to the same extent that non-political expression is allowed. It also would let students form political clubs and groups during non-instructional time, bar discrimination against groups based on viewpoint, and guarantee that students could wear politically themed clothing and accessories under the same standards that apply to other permitted attire.

Supporters say the legislation would ensure that school administrators cannot block students from engaging in peaceful political activities and that all viewpoints, partisan and nonpartisan, would have equal access to meeting spaces and facilities.

Sen. Watson said the move reflects the belief that schools should not restrict students’ free speech or prohibit them from organizing around their beliefs. 

“School officials should not have the power to enforce their own ideologies on students,” he said.

Josh Thifault, senior director at Turning Point Action, praised Georgia’s effort, asserting that Kirk “lived and died for the First Amendment.” He added that the legislation will benefit students “for decades to come” by removing barriers to student expression.

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