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Georgia Parade 2022: Twitter Reaction, Photos, Videos and More
January 15, 2022
The University of Georgia celebrated its first national championship in college football since 1980 on Saturday with a parade through the streets of Athens, Georgia.
Saturday's parade came just five days after the Bulldogs got revenge for an SEC Championship Game loss by beating the Alabama Crimson Tide 33-18 in the College Football Playoff National Championship Game.
The celebration began on the streets, which were lined with thousands of Bulldogs fans cheering the players and coaches who made the return to the top of college football possible:
Jim Zorn @PhotoZorn_FOX5Georgia fans are excited and ready for the parade! <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/GoDawgs?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#GoDawgs</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/fox5atl?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#fox5atl</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/2021nationalchampions?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#2021nationalchampions</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/video?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#video</a> <a href="https://t.co/a5C5xzyWBX">pic.twitter.com/a5C5xzyWBX</a>
Billy Heath III @BillyHeathFOX5LET'S GO: It's parade time in Athens, Georgia! ๐ <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/GoDawgs?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#GoDawgs</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/UGA?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#UGA</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/FOX5Atlanta?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@FOX5Atlanta</a> <a href="https://t.co/uKVSi96rT6">pic.twitter.com/uKVSi96rT6</a>
Rather than traditional floats, the team made its way down the parade route in trucks, as well as on bales of hay on a flatbed attached to a semitruck:
Georgia Football @GeorgiaFootball<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/NationalChampionship?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#NationalChampionship</a> parade begins soon โผ๏ธ<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/GoDawgs?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#GoDawgs</a> <a href="https://t.co/nk04IavGaQ">pic.twitter.com/nk04IavGaQ</a>
During the early portion of the parade, fans were whipped into a frenzy by head coach Kirby Smart, who led the way as the cavalcade progressed toward Sanford Stadium for the championship trophy ceremony:
Georgia Football @GeorgiaFootballHype โem up <a href="https://twitter.com/KirbySmartUGA?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@KirbySmartUGA</a> โผ๏ธ <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/NationalChampionship?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#NationalChampionship</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/GoDawgs?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#GoDawgs</a> <a href="https://t.co/pvpDokYRs5">pic.twitter.com/pvpDokYRs5</a>
While Smart received a great reaction, the most beloved figure of the day may have been quarterback Stetson Bennett, who interacted with adoring fans throughout the parade route:
Bennett is an Atlanta native and a longtime fan of the Bulldogs who took a long and winding road to the role as Georgia's starting quarterback.
After transferring from Georgia to Jones County Junior College in 2018 and then returning, Bennett became the starter last season and firmly established himself in that position this season.
The senior signal-caller came through on the big stage Monday, outdueling Alabama's Heisman Trophy-winning quarterback in Bryce Young and throwing for 224 yards and two touchdowns, including the go-ahead score to Adonai Mitchell with 8:09 remaining in the game and another to tight end Brock Bowers with 3:33 left.
Bennett went down in Georgia football lore forever with that performance, and fans showed their gratitude Saturday.
As Bennett and the rest of the Bulldogs made their way toward Sanford Stadium, the venue filled up with a raucous crowd ready to erupt for the new national champs:
Georgia Football @GeorgiaFootball<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/DawgNation?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#DawgNation</a> showing out โผ๏ธ<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/NationalChampionship?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#NationalChampionship</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/GoDawgs?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#GoDawgs</a> <a href="https://t.co/9boU7nNrn5">pic.twitter.com/9boU7nNrn5</a>
The Atlanta Voice @theatlantavoiceCalling the โDawgs!!<br>Sanford Stadium fills up before todayโs championship celebration!<br><br>Video: Sarah-Elizabeth Langford <br>โค๏ธ๐ค๐พ๐ถ<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/GoDawgs?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#GoDawgs</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/TheAtlantaVoice?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#TheAtlantaVoice</a> <a href="https://t.co/RDVn51vZq7">pic.twitter.com/RDVn51vZq7</a>
Once the Bulldogs made it into Sanford Stadium in front of a nearly capacity crowd of 92,000, Smart took to the podium and put an exclamation point on Georgia's championship-winning season.
For one, Smart held up the CFP Championship trophy, much to the delight of the Bulldogs faithful:
Smart also gave a passionate speech, which he concluded by insisting that Georgia will be in full pursuit of a repeat next season:
One of the most memorable moments of the day came courtesy of defensive lineman Jordan Davis after he addressed the crowd.
Davis revealed that he was wearing an Atlanta Braves jersey under his gear, which led to the Sanford Stadium fans doing the tomahawk chop in celebration of both the Braves and Bulldogs:
Gabe Burns @GabeBurnsAJCโGo Braves and go Dawgs.โ Jordan Davis reveals heโs wearing <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Braves?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Braves</a> jersey at end of his speech. Sanford Stadium started doing the chop. <a href="https://t.co/Y2SUqwiA3x">pic.twitter.com/Y2SUqwiA3x</a>
The Braves started the recent championship run for the state of Georgia during the fall when they beat the Houston Astros in the World Series, clinching the franchise's first title since 1995.
After going decades without a major sports title in the state of Georgia, the Braves and Bulldogs have put the Peach State back at the forefront of the sports world.
Given the amount of talent Smart continues to bring in, it is possible this season's national championship could be the first of many in the years to come, meaning there may be several more parades in the offing as well.