The Red and Black

Issue date: 4/10/09 Section: First & Goal

Media Credit: BLAKE LIPTHRATT ESPN analyst Kirk Herbstreit holds Georgia mascot UGA VII while colleague Lee Corso sports the head of Alabama's mascot on the set of ESPN's College GameDay in Athens last fall. Herbstreit and ESPN will return to Athens Saturday to broadcast Georgia's annual spring scrimmage. [Click to enlarge]

The last time Kirk Herbstreit came to Athens, it was, well, an embarrassment.

Herbstreit and the ESPN Gameday crew were here to witness Georgia's matchup with Alabama, and saw the Tide roll up a 31-0 halftime lead en route to its 41-30 romp over the Bulldogs.

But ESPN will be back Saturday, as it airs the Bulldogs' annual G-Day game, which starts at 1 p.m.

"It's going to be like a game day, just like a regular game day when we step out there on the field," said linebacker Rennie Curran. "We're going to be playing for our pride, to represent our school, to represent each other."

The format will be the traditional Red vs. Black scrimmage, with the No. 1 offense pairing up with the No. 2 defense, and vice versa.

But this time around Brad Nessler and Kirk Herbstreit will be calling the game for audiences nationwide, and at least one other change has been made for ESPN - attendance is free for everybody this year, as head coach Mark Richt looks to fill up Sanford Stadium.

"I think it will certainly be a nice family event. I think if anybody's got Boy Scouts or Girl Scouts or a church group, little league baseball, little league football teams," Richt said, "I think it will be a nice opportunity for [them] to grab a bunch of them and have a nice day."

ESPN broadcast Florida's spring game last year, and a few Bulldogs said they watched carefully, including Curran. They expect their opponents for the upcoming season to do the same.

"It really just makes it a little bit more important," said fullback Fred Munzenmaier, who will look to get some carries at tailback for the black team Saturday. "Not only are the people who tune in and watch every Saturday going to be watching, but our opponents next year are going to be watching. It's spring and it's early, but with our body language and the way we play, it's important to set a little bit of a tone."

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