ATHENS — From a distance, it’s a big, shiny, gold ring. Up close, though, Georgia’s national championship ring really is something to behold.
In all, there are more than 70 gems included in the design, which was fashioned by the Bulldogs’ seniors. All of them have some sort of significance. Such as:
- At the base of the marquise-cut stone atop the national championship trophy and below Georgia’s iconic “Power G” are three baguette-cut stones. Those represent the Bulldogs’ three consensus national championships from 1942, 1980 and 2021.
- Encircling the Georgia logo are 14 spikes replicating Uga’s collar, and those represent the Bulldogs’ 14 victories during the season.
- Between the spikes are 20 round stones. Those represent the 20 consecutive points scored in the fourth quarter for the comeback win over Alabama in the national title game.
- There are 45 stones set on the ring top, which represent the number of wins collected by the senior class.
- To the left and right of the face are the words “NATIONAL” and “CHAMPIONS,” and encircling the ring top are the words that coach Kirby Smart claims as the core concepts of the program, again in all caps: “RESILIENCY, TOUGHNESS, COMPOSURE, CONNECTION.”
- The left side of the ring features the player’s jersey number and name or, in the case of coaches or administrators, their initials.
- On the right side is a replication of Gate 10 at Sanford Stadium, but with the 33-18 final score of the game across the top and the No. 45, again, signifying the number of wins by the senior class.
- On the bottom of the band of the ring is the word “FAMILY” and an engraving inside says “National Championship, 1st in 41 years” with Smart’s signature underneath.
No, there are no LEDs around Sanford Stadium, like the Braves had with their World Series rings. But it’s all very impressive.
Credit: Chip Towers
Credit: Chip Towers
“We pride ourselves and our athletes on our pursuit of excellence,” Georgia athletic director Josh Brooks said. “This ring celebrates the dedication and perseverance our team displayed in the 2021 season, and we are excited to share this phenomenal ring.”
The work was done by Minnesota-based Jostens.
Georgia’s players received their rings Monday night at the team’s G-Day banquet. The seniors received theirs on Dooley Field between the first and second quarters of the G-Day game Saturday.
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