It's about to get a lot more crowded in Athens: thousands of college football fans will be rolling into town for Saturday's season opening football game. The Georgia Bulldogs kick off the 2010 campaign just after noon tomorrow in a sold-out Sanford Stadium. The Dogs are 28-point favorites over the Ragin' Cajuns of Louisiana-Lafayette University.

It's the first time since 2001: the Georgia Bulldogs are ranked beneath the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets in the preseason AP poll: the Associated Press ranks the Alabama Crimson Tide as the top team heading into the 2010 college football season. The Bulldogs open at home against the Ragin' Cajuns of Louisiana-Lafayette, September 4 in Sanford Stadium.

Saturday is Georgia Bulldog picture day: fans can snap photos with coaches and players starting at 1 o'clock tomorrow afternoon at Sanford Stadium. The Bulldogs are gearing up for their season opener, now two weeks away: they'll play the Ragin' Cajuns of Louisiana-Lafayette, September 4 in Athens.

Three days of student football ticket sales are underway today at UGa: the University of Georgia Athletic Association says home season tickets, individual game tickets, and road game tickets are available to students through noon Friday.  The Bulldogs first game is the September 4 home opener against Louisiana Lafayette.

Even as we continue our flirtation with triple-digit temperatures, there's a sure sign that fall is not far away: the Georgia Bulldog football team begins practice today. The Dogs are gearing up for a September 4 home opener against Louisiana-Lafayette, a game that is now 33 days away.

Georgia Bulldog football coach Mark Richt says he doesn't think an ongoing NCAA in inquiry will be a distraction during preparations for the upcoming college football season: the NCAA has added Georgia to the list of schools that are the focus of probes into possible player-agent contacts. The NCAA is also looking at the Universities of Alabama, Florida, and North and South Carolina. Coach Richt met the press Thursday at the annual SEC Media Days gathering in Birmingham.

Add the University of Georgia to the list: the NCAA is looking into possible player-agent activity involving Georgia Bulldog football players. Similar inquiries are taking place at the Universities of Florida, Alabama, and North and South Carolina.

We now have the kickoff time for the Georgia Bulldogs season opener: the Dogs will face Louisiana-Lafayette on September 4 in Sanford Stadium in a game that will get underway at 12:21. It will be televised on the SEC Network.

(AP) One day after winning the longest tennis match ever, John Isner lost in about 75 minutes.

(AP) Former Georgia Bulldog John Isner has won the longest match in tennis history, taking the fifth set against Nicolas Mahut 70-68.

The first-round match at Wimbledon took 11 hours, 5 minutes over three days. Isner closed out the victory Thursday with a backhand winner, then collapsed to his back as he tossed his racket in jubilation and relief.

Isner won 6-4, 3-6, 6-7 (7), 7-6 (3), 70-68.

The match lasted so long it was suspended because of darkness -- two nights in a row. Play resumed Thursday at 59-all and continued for more than an hour before Isner won.

The American finished with 112 aces, and Mahut had 103. There were only three service breaks in the match, the last coming on the final point.

Monday was sentencing day for a former Georgia Bulldog: Arthur Marshall, a receiver on the University of Georgia football team from 1988 through 1991, was sentenced in Savannah, getting six years in prison. It's Marshall's punishment for bank fraud, mail fraud, and money laundering. He was indicted last year after taking $100,000 to build a house in Columbia County. Prosecutors say Marshall did little construction work on the home and refused to transfer the title for the property to the buyers.

The 5-year-old dog, called Russ, is a half-brother to Uga VII, who died Nov. 19. Russ strode the sidelines in Georgia's season-ending victory over Georgia Tech and again in the Bulldogs' triumph over Texas A&M in the Independence Bowl.

Frank "Sonny" Seiler, owner and breeder of Georgia's bulldog mascots since 1956, says Russ is too old to inherit the job permanently, but will stay on for a few more games.

Seiler says he has several puppies under consideration for the role, but all are too young to take over at the start of the season.

Former Georgia Bulldogs quarterback Zach Mettenberger was in court in Valdosta Monday, pleading guilty to misdemeanor sexual battery charges stemming from his March alcohol arrest: it was that arrest and those charges that got the redshirt freshman from Oconee County kicked off the Bulldog football team last month.

Mark and Mark are on the road again: Georgia Bulldog football coach Mark Richt and his Bulldog basketball counterpart Mark Fox are speaking to the Greater Augusta Bulldog Club. This evening's meeting takes place the Julian Smith Casino in Augusta.

Another Bulldog is busted: head football coach Mark Richt walk-on offensive lineman Josh Parrish gets an indefinite suspension after his arrested on under-age alcohol possession charges. The redshirt freshman from Norcross was booked into the Clarke County jail early Monday, allegedly with a fake ID.

The recent announcement from coach Mark Richt has Bulldog quarterback Logan Gray "weighing his options," options that might include a transfer: Richt says redshirt freshman Aaron Murray will go into the 2010 college football season at the top of the Bulldogs quarterback depth chart.

Another Dawg has been dismissed: back-up punter Trent Dittmer has been kicked off the team. The 21 year-old walk-on from Cartersville was arrested earlier this week on alcohol charges. His arrest came just days after coach Mark Richt gave quarterback Zach Mettenberger his walking papers: the redshirt freshman from Watkinsville was also arrested on alcohol-related charges.

The annual G-Day football game is set for Saturday in Sanford Stadium: the Georgia Bulldogs put the wraps on spring practice with a game that kicks off at 2 o'clock tomorrow afternoon. The University is asking fans to bring canned food as the price for admission: the food will be donated to the Food Bank of Northeast Georgia.

An Athens-Clarke County magistrate sets a $10,000 bond for former Georgia Bulldog football player Montez Robinson, who is behind bars on domestic violence charges: Robinson, who was kicked off the team after his latest arrest, remains in the Clarke County jail.

 Athens-Clarke County Police say the men implicated in recent allegations about threats and harassment in an Athens taxi were not Georgia Bulldog football players, as originally reported by the man and woman who say they were targeted by four men in a cab in downtown Athens. A police report says there was one Bulldog football player in the taxi, but, police say, he "acted as a peacemaker and tried to calm the situation." The men who allegedly terrorized the couple have been identified as residents of Heard County; Police say arrest warrants are pending.

(AP) Georgia Bulldogs linebacker Montez Robinson has been dismissed from the team after an arrest on misdemeanor charges of simple battery and family violence. The Clarke County Sheriff's Department says Robinson turned himself in Sunday on a warrant issued Saturday. Officials at the jail say he will likely have a bond hearing today. Bulldog coach Mark Richt released a statement Sunday saying Robinson was removed from the team because he did not meet "stipulations that were placed on him as a result of previous off-field issues." The freshman from Avon Indiana played as a backup last season.

Georgia Bulldogs football coach Mark Richt says we could learn more today about the allegations surrounding four men, said to be Bulldog football players, accused of threatening and harassing a couple in an Athens taxi, an incident that allegedly happened late last month in downtown Athens. Athens-Clarke County Police have been investigating the allegations.

Georgia Bulldog football coach Mark Richt says he is aware of a police report filed in Athens, in which four as-yet unidentified men are said to have harassed and threatened a couple in a taxi. It allegedly happened last Sunday, and the four men involved were allegedly Bulldog football players. Athens-Clarke County Police are investigating.

Georgia Bulldogs football coach Mark Richt says quarterback Zach Mettenberger will face a one-game suspension for his recent alcohol arrest. The 18 year-old red-shirt freshman from Oconee County was arrested on underage alcohol possession and consumption charge earlier this month in Valdosta.

The University of Georgia adopts new football game day tailgating policies: starting this fall, no tailgating on North Campus until 4 hours before kickoff; also no kegs, no grills, and no tents. Tons of trash were left on North Campus by football fans during last year's Bulldog season. President Michael Adams is hoping to avoid a repeat during the upcoming football season.

The Georgia Bulldog basketball team upset the Arkansas Razorbacks 77-64 in last night's opening round SEC basketball tournament game: the Dogs advance to face the Vanderbilt Commodores in a tournament quarterfinal game tonight in Nashville.

The Georgia Bulldog basketball team--under first-year head coach Mark Fox--begins play in the SEC basketball tournament. The Bulldogs play the Arkansas Razorbacks tonight in Nashville.

The Georgia Bulldog football team began its spring practice sessions today. The Bulldogs are gearing up for a 2010 season that will feature a new starting quarterback and a new defensive coordinator. The annual G-Day game is set for April 10 in Sanford Stadium.

Georgia lawmakers will honor Chance Veazey today at the state Capitol: the University of Georgia freshman from Tifton was injured in a scooter accident last October, shortly after winning a starting spot on the Bulldog baseball team.

Former Georgia Bulldogs Matt Stinchcomb and David Greene are the featured speakers at this evening's annual meeting of the Northeast Georgia Chapter of the Fellowship of Christian Athletes. Festivities are set for 6:30 at the Classic Center.

The Georgia Bulldogs received signatures on letters-of-intent from 18 high school football players on Wednesday's National Signing Day. 12 of those future Bulldogs are defensive players. ESPN rates this year's Bulldogs class as 12^th best in the nation.

We'll have a better sense of the future of the Georgia Bulldog football program after today: this is National Signing Day, the first day high school football players can sign letters-of-intent with colleges and universities in Georgia and around the country. Coach Mark Richt and the Bulldogs are looking to sign another top crop of high school prospects.

A former Georgia Bulldog football player has been arrested in Indiana: Chris Terry faces drug and weapon charges; he's also accused of driving under the influence after a traffic stop in southern Indiana. The 34 year-old Terry was an offensive tackle for the Bulldogs during the mid 1990s, at one point a team captain.

The Georgia Bulldogs new defensive coordinator can begin his new job in Athens: Todd Grantham was, until Sunday, defensive line coach for the Dallas Cowboys. The Cowboys were eliminated from the NFL playoffs Sunday afternoon, beaten in Minnesota by the Vikings. Grantham takes over for former Bulldogs defensive coordinator Willie Martinez, who was fired at the end of the 2009 season.

He'll be staying in Tuscaloosa: Kirby Smart, the former Georgia Bulldog defensive back, will remain the defensive coordinator for the football team at the University of Alabama. Smart turns down an offer to take the same position at the University of Georgia. Bulldog coach Mark Richt is looking for a replacement for former defensive coordinator Willie Martinez, who was fired at the end of the 2009 football season.

He played for the Georgia Bulldogs and then for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the NFL: now Jermaine Phillips is facing criminal charges in Hillsborough County Florida. The 30 year-old defensive back is accused of choking his wife at the couple's home in northwest Tampa. Phillips was being held without bail in the Hillsborough County jail.

Former Georgia Bulldog football coach and University of Georgia Athletic Director Vince Dooley says he is talking with officials at Kennesaw State University about their plans to start a football program. Dooley is expected to serve in a consulting capacity.  We'll learn more next when KSU launches an exploratory committee.

Sonny Seiler, whose Savannah family supplies the Uga mascots for the Georgia Bulldog football team, says it will likely be well into next year before Uga VIII is chosen. Uga VII died last month after only two seasons on the Sanford Stadium sidelines, passing away after suffering what looks to have been a heart attack. Seiler is dismissing claims from critics who say overbreeding of the White English bulldogs contributed to Uga's ailment.

That was Uga VII's half-brother Russ on the sidelines for this weekend's Georgia Bulldog victory over the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets. Russ substituted for the Bulldog mascot that died earlier this month. University officials say Russ will also be with the Bulldogs when they make their bowl appearance, likely in late December. There has been no decision on whether he will be Uga's permanent replacement.

People for Ethical Treatment of Animals has a suggestion for the University of Georgia, which is looking for a replacement for Uga VII, the Georgia Bulldog mascot who died last week in Savannah: PETA says the University should use what it calls an "animatronic dog," or use a person in a costume. PETA has sent its suggestion via e-mail to University of Georgia Athletic Director Damon Evans. The PETA e-mail follows...

Another Saturday, another night game for the Georgia Bulldogs: the Dogs, who defeated Auburn this past Saturday night in Athens and will play Kentucky this coming Saturday night in Sanford Stadium, learned Monday that the regular season finale against Georgia Tech will also be played under the lights. The November 28 game against the Yellow Jackets will kick off at 8 o'clock in Atlanta.

It was another busy weekend for Athens Police, who made a couple dozen arrests for underage drinking before, during, and after the Georgia Bulldogs win over the Auburn Tigers. And while it was probably not as bad as after the early season game against South Carolina, tailgaters trashed UGa's North Campus again, leaving tons of debris that took clean-up crews several hours to remove.

University of Georgia Police Chief Jimmy Williamson says the move to close off grass parking lots for Saturday night's Bulldog game against Auburn will mean the loss of about 3,000 parking spaces. Grass lots at the University's intramural field, the Ramsey Center, Aderhold Hall, and East Campus Road will be off-limits to tailgaters. UGa says the lots were saturated by this week's heavy rainfall. Williamson is encouraging fans to carpool to Saturday's game, which kicks off at 7 o'clock in Sanford Stadium.

The Georgia Bulldogs last two home games of the 2009 college football season will be played under the lights at Sanford Stadium. The Bulldogs play the Auburn Tigers this coming Saturday in a game that will kick off at 7 o'clock. The home finale, a week later against Kentucky, will start at 7:45.

A new era in Georgia Bulldog basketball begins this evening: new coach Mark Fox will be courtside in his first game in Athens, an exhibition game against North Georgia. The game tips at 7 in Stegeman Coliseum. Admission is free.

It's a dubious record: the Atlanta Journal Constitution quotes law enforcement authorities in Jacksonville who say they issued 252 citations for underage drinking this past weekend, arrests coinciding with the annual Georgia-Florida football game, they game they'd rather we stopped calling the World's Largest Outdoor Cocktail Party. That's the largest number of underage drinking arrests on Bulldog-Gator weekend, breaking the old mark of 213 set five years ago. The top-ranked Gators, by the way, won the game 41-17.

Athens is a good bit emptier today: it's a fall break weekend for students in the Clarke County School District, and at the University of Georgia. Many of those UGa students are en route to Jacksonville, where the Georgia Bulldogs will play the top-ranked Florida Gators in a Saturday Southeastern Conference showdown.

He'll be punished, but he won't be suspended: University of Georgia Athletic Department officials say offensive lineman Vince Vance will suit up when the Bulldogs play the Florida Gators Saturday in Jacksonville. Vance was arrested and cited for on-campus traffic violations this morning. Charges include running a red light and driving without a license. Vance is a 22 year-old senior who has started all 7 games so far this season.

After some talk about moving the Georgia-Florida football game to the respective schools, the Universities and the city of Jacksonville have reached a tentative agreement that will keep the annual showdown in Jacksonville for another 6 years. The Bulldogs and Gators renew acquaintances this coming Saturday.

Today is a t-shirt giveaway day at UGa: the University of Georgia Alumni Association is handing out Beat Florida t-shirts starting at 9 o'clock this morning outside the Tate Center. The Georgia Bulldogs play the top-ranked Florida Gators Saturday afternoon in Jacksonville.

A former Georgia Bulldog football player is arrested on a murder charge in Louisiana. Terreal Bierria was picked up by police in Slidell Louisiana, accused in the death of 29 year-old Soron Salter. Jail without bail for Bierria, also 29 years old: he was a defensive back for the Bulldogs in the 2000 and 2001 seasons.

Saturday is Legislative Day at UGa, with a pre-game reception for Georgia lawmakers and other state government leaders set for 1:30 at the Tate Center. That's just a couple hours before the Georgia Bulldogs kick off against the 4^th ranked LSU Tigers in a crucial SEC contest in Sanford Stadium.

Get your "Beat LSU" t-shirt today at the Tate Center: free t-shirts for Bulldog fans are being handed out by the University of Georgia's Student Alumni Association starting at 9 o'clock this morning. The 14^th ranked Bulldogs are hosting the 4^th ranked LSU Tigers Saturday afternoon in Sanford Stadium.

The Georgia Bulldogs have filled out the 2010 football schedule by lining up a home game against the Idaho State University Bengals, a team that competes in the NCAA's Football Championship Subdivision, formerly known as Division 1-AA. The Idaho State game will land on the schedule between contests against Florida and Auburn.

Athens Police have filed charges against a man who falsely claimed to have been a robbery victim: the man told police he had $100 stolen during a knifepoint robbery in downtown Athens, saying it happened after last Saturday night's Georgia Bulldog football game. Now he admits it didn't happen.

Georgia Bulldogs wide receiver A.J. Green is the second Bulldog in as many weeks to win SEC Offensive Player of the Week honors: Green follows quarterback Joe Cox, who won after the Bulldogs' September 19 victory at Arkansas. Green had two huge receptions in Saturday night's home win over Arizona State, and he also blocked a Sun Devil field goal. The Bulldogs' Justin Houston was named SEC Defensive Lineman of the week for his efforts in Saturday's win.

Officials at the University of Georgia say the post-game trash picture was a bit brighter after the Bulldogs Saturday night win over the Arizona State Sun Devils: not nearly as much garbage on campus as after the September 12 victory over the South Carolina Gamecocks, when 70 tons of trash was dumped by tailgaters. The Bulldogs next home game is this coming Saturday against LSU.

The Board of the University of Georgia Athletic Association met today in Athens for more talk about various proposals for the annual Georgia-Florida football game. The Board voted to follow the recommendations of University President Michael Adams and UGa Athletic Director Damon Evans, who want the game remain in Jacksonville. There had been ongoing talks about playing the game formerly known as the World's Largest Outdoor Cocktail Party on a rotating basis between Athens and Gainesville.

We now know the start time for the Bulldogs October 3 game against LSU: it'll be a 3:30 contest, nationally televised by CBS.

The Georgia Bulldogs moved up in the college football rankings as a result of Saturday night's wild win over the Arkansas Razorbacks, a 52-41 victory in Fayetteville. The Bulldogs are 21 in the new AP writers poll, and 17 in this week's USA Today-Coaches poll. The Dogs are back home for Saturday night's non-conference game against the Arizona State Sun Devils.

The Georgia Bulldog football team, on the strength of Saturday night's 41-37 home win over the South Carolina Gamecocks, climbed a notch in the USA Today coaches' poll, up from 21 to 20. But the Bulldogs fell two spots in the AP rankings, down from 21 to 23. The Dogs are on the road this coming Saturday, taking on the unranked Arkansas Razorbacks.

This day before tomorrow night's home opening football game is a busy day for the coach of the Georgia Bulldogs, and for his wife: Mark Richt speaks to this morning's Bulldog Breakfast Club, an 8 o'clock gathering at the Tate Center. Kathryn Richt and the wives of other Bulldog football coaches are hosting an Alumni Association luncheon, 11:30 this morning, also at the Tate Center.

We are today 15 days away from the first Bulldog football game of the new college football season. Tomorrow is Bulldog picture day. Activities get underway at 1 o'clock in Sanford Stadium. The Bulldogs kick off the 2009 football season September 5 at Oklahoma State.

Their names are well known by Georgia Bulldog fans, and now their voices will become familiar, as well: former Bulldog quarterback David Greene and former Bulldog kicker Kevin Butler will join the Bulldog radio broadcast crew when the new college football season begins one month from today.