A Georgia football fan famous for carrying on a family tradition of painting a bulldog on top of his head died on Monday.

Trent Woods, known as ‘Big Dawg III,’ was an Athens native and easy to spot on fall Saturdays in Sanford Stadium. He was 45.

Woods had been dealing with an undisclosed health issue for weeks but his death surprised the family, according to a friend of Woods who asked not to be named.

Lonnie Woods, Trent’s grandfather known as the original ‘Big Dawg,’ started the head-painting tradition when Georgia played Notre Dame for the national championship in 1981.

Trent’s father Mike Woods, ‘Big Dawg II,’ continued the tradition until his death in 2017.

“My whole life has been nothing but Georgia football,” Trent said during an ESPN College Game Day segment in 2018. “Family and Georgia football.”

December 2017 file photo: These folks are Oklahoma fans but they all wanted photos with Trent "Big Dawg III" Woods. Photo: Jennifer Brett

Jennifer Brett

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Jennifer Brett