Athens came alive Thursday night, as The Red & Black hosted its much-anticipated “Countdown to Kickoff” event at Athentic Brewing Co. Legends of college football media — ESPN’s Mark Schlabach, former Georgia All-American David Pollack, veteran journalist Tony Barnhart, and DawgNation’s Brandon Adams — gathered for an electrifying conversation about what fans should expect from the 2025 season and what it means for fans everywhere.
From heartfelt nostalgia to bold predictions, here’s what these voices of Georgia football shared, with highlights from my exclusive Q&A:
A veteran’s beginning: Barnhart’s journey from aspiring coach to storied journalist
Barnhart, known as “Mr. College Football,” recalled how his career began almost by accident.
“I was going to be a high school football coach,” Barnhart said. “But then one day I had a chance to write for the student newspaper and sell my byline on it. So this is kind of cool. And that’s how it got started.”
He stressed that his time at The Red & Black shaped him as a young reporter.
“Being part of The Red & Black was a very important part of my growth as a professional,” Barnhart said. “When I got out of college and graduated, I had a good background of what I wanted to do thanks to the time I spent on The Red & Black.”
When I asked how media access has changed since his early years covering Georgia, Barnhart didn’t hesitate to reflect on the differences.
“Back when I started in 1984, I came to the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, and I was the Georgia beat writer. I covered Georgia exclusively,” he said. “Back then, they let us come to practice every day. We could stay as long as we wanted. And now, it’s not like that now. It’s really about technology.”
He added how the internet transformed the relationship between media and programs: “When I was out there covering, there was no internet. There was no cell phone. None of that. And now, if somebody gets hurt in practice, it’s out on the internet before you know it. That has changed the dynamics between the media and the programs.”
Now at the half-century mark in his career, Barnhart said his passion hasn’t faded.
“This will be my 50th year of covering college football,” he said. “I’m still as excited about this season, maybe more so than any season since I’ve been doing it.”
Barnhart also boldly predicted that Georgia will play Texas for the national championship.
I then asked who he would choose if he had to pick one sports figure to sit down with.
“It would be Roy Kramer,” Barnhart said firmly. “Since that decision was made [to create an SEC championship game] in 1992, the game has only grown and grown and grown. Roy Kramer was one of the great visionaries in the history of college football.”
Memories and momentum: Pollack on Georgia’s rise and the bond of tradition
Pollack, one of Georgia’s most iconic defensive players turned ESPN analyst, reflected on the places football had taken him.
“Man, I’ve been everywhere in the country. That’s the blessing of the job,” he said. “I got to see all the different traditions. I went to every stadium in the Power Five. I’ve seen a lot of cool traditions and fun slogans and chants and fans and dresses and attires.”
When asked about his favorite on-field memory from his playing career, Pollack didn’t hesitate.
“For me, personally, it was probably the interception against South Carolina,” he said. “That was probably the biggest play of my career. I ended up going to the ESPYs for it. Like, it was probably the play that I get talked about the most and I’m most synonymous with. Because everyone’s like, I remember where I was when you made that play.”
When talking about Georgia’s evolution under head coach Kirby Smart, Pollack pointed out how expectations have soared.
“Last year felt like a down year and you won the SEC championship,” he said. “That’s all you need to say. Just the expectations are so high because of how good they’ve been and how dominant they’ve been. And now you go, SEC? Like, that’s not good enough.”
I asked Pollack what keeps him so hooked on the game, even after his playing and broadcasting days.
“The strategy and unpredictability — it’s the ultimate team game,” he said with a smile. “You don’t know what’s going to happen. Every time I watch it, I get my notepad — third down and personnel — and you’re just like, this is freaking awesome. I love it. I’m passionate about it. That’s why I still talk about it, do my podcast and keep going. It’s just so much fun, man.”
Dual-coverage dynamism: Schlabach balancing college football and golf
Schlabach, a Georgia alum who now covers both college football and golf for ESPN, described his unusual split career.
“I cover college football and PGA Tour golf for ESPN,” he said. “I did golf during the summer and then did college football in the fall and winter. I just finished golf coverage yesterday. Took today off, and I’ll start college.”
Schlabach also commented on how NIL and realignment have shifted the sport.
“It’s impossible. There’s so many kids going to the transfer portal and NIL deals getting done,” he said. “LSU spent $18 million on the roster. From when I started covering college football back in the ‘90s, it’s so much different. It’s basically professional football now. I don’t have a problem with the kids getting paid, but some of the NIL deals out there are a little outrageous.”
When I asked him about the most memorable moment of his career, Schlabach looked back to Augusta. “The first Masters I covered was 2019 when Tiger Woods won for the last time,” he said. “Just getting to write that lead for ESPN was really cool.”
He added that covering Georgia’s national championships has also been a highlight.
“I was at both of Georgia’s national championships,” Schlabach said. “I went to school here, and my wife went to school here. At the time, both my daughters were in school here. So they got absolutely spoiled going to national championship games and seeing Georgia win.”
Looking ahead, Schlabach believes Georgia will still be in the mix, but with plenty of challengers.
“I think Texas, Georgia, Alabama and LSU are probably the top four teams,” Schlabach said. “This is probably Kirby’s youngest team. A lot of guys like Gabe Harris and Chris Cole have to step up and make plays. But even after losing all those NFL draft picks, there aren’t many teams that have stockpiled four- and five-star recruits like Kirby.”
A fan’s lens with strategic insight: DawgNation’s Adams
Adams, host of DawgNation Daily, spoke about balancing his passion as a Georgia fan with his role as a media voice.
“Georgia fans know the real deal on almost anything,” Adams said. “If anything was inauthentic or unreal, Georgia fans are going to be the first people to recognize that because they’re pretty plugged in.”
He explained how Georgia’s recent dominance has altered the fan mindset.
“In 2017, that was Kirby’s second year. Georgia wins the SEC, and everybody’s elated. It was a dream season,” Adams said. “Now in 2024, they come off an SEC championship, and all of a sudden, that doesn’t feel quite so good anymore. Georgia fans have experienced a lot of winning, and so therefore, almost any loss now becomes somewhat intolerable.”
For Adams, the back-to-back national championships remain the top memory, but the Rose Bowl in Pasadena stands out for its uniqueness. “I was lucky enough to go to Pasadena that year and go to the Rose Bowl,” he said. “The Rose Bowl is a game that I grew up watching on TV. SEC teams rarely played in that game, so it almost felt like you were watching college football on the moon.”
Looking at the 2025 season, Adams was realistic.
“I think the days of an undefeated college football national champion are over,” he said. “Georgia’s going to lose eventually. They can lose twice and still make the playoffs. That’s about what I have right now. 10-2 gets you in the playoff, and then we’ll see what happens after that.”
He also noted that Georgia’s wide receiver group could be the breakout story.
“It certainly sounds like the Georgia wide receivers have had a really good summer,” Adams said. “Seven new receivers. Two transfers — Noah Thomas, Zachariah Branch. Probably the best high school receivers they’ve ever brought in.”
Adams went old school when asked what he would choose if he could script his own play call.
“I want to see a return to the old school toss sweep running play,” he said. “That’s the Georgia football of my childhood. Kirby said this offseason they want to upgrade the rushing attack. Give me that play sheet, and let’s run it.”
Final Snap
The “Countdown to Kickoff” event wasn’t just a panel — it was a reflection of Georgia football’s journey, from nostalgic beginnings and media evolution to championship expectations that have reshaped how fans experience the game. It was a fun night that kept the crowd engaged, with fans asking questions of the panel. Georgia fans are optimistic that this season’s roster is a strong one with the potential for a memorable run.
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