| The Georgia Bulldogs football team has been one | | | | impressive seasons with the Bulldogs, Walker |
| of the most successful in history, having won | | | | finally broke through in the Heisman voting and |
| nearly two thirds of all games they have played | | | | won the award in 1982 as a junior. |
| since 1892. Members of the Southeastern | | | | On to the pros |
| Conference (SEC), the "Dawgs" can routinely be | | | | That junior year turned out to be his last in a |
| found in the top 25 polls of the best teams in the | | | | Bulldogs uniform, as Walker made the fateful |
| nation, and are usually considered amongst college | | | | decision to attempt to circumvent the existing |
| football's elite programs - though recent years | | | | NFL rules and opt out of his senior season of |
| have seen them somewhat less successful than | | | | college football in favor of going pro. Herschel was |
| they have been in the past. Their stadium in | | | | no dummy, and he recognized that his Heisman |
| Athens, Georgia is the fifth largest of its kind to | | | | fame and stellar three seasons with the Georgia |
| exist on any American campus, and seas more | | | | team had provided him with an elevated public |
| than 90,000 fans. The Bulldogs have fielded a host | | | | profile that was unlikely to be raised any further |
| of great players in their history, but perhaps none | | | | by a fourth year of college play. He also |
| have been as well known as Heisman Trophy | | | | recognized that if he could acquire some level of |
| winner Herschel Walker, who carried the ball for | | | | control over where he played in the National |
| the Bulldogs from 1980 to 1982. | | | | Football League, that he would then receive more |
| Hershel Walker at Georgia | | | | control over the type of advertising revenue that |
| When Herschel Walker arrived on the campus of | | | | he could receive. He joined the United States |
| the University of Georgia, he made an immediate | | | | Football League, where he remained until that |
| impact. Despite being a freshman running back, | | | | League's demise in 1986. At that point, he played |
| Walker ran over, around, and through the | | | | for the Dallas Cowboys, who had presciently |
| competition that season to set freshman records | | | | drafted him in 1985. |
| for rushing and help the Bulldogs to an undefeated | | | | His legacy |
| season. His freshman performance garnered him | | | | Though often cited as one of the greatest college |
| so much attention that he managed to get | | | | football players of all time, his accomplishments |
| enough votes for the Heisman Trophy that he | | | | off the field have been just as important to the |
| came in third that year - a rare and almost | | | | game. Widely recognized as having helped to |
| unheard of feat for an underclassman at the | | | | force the NFL to change its rules regarding college |
| college level. That year's Bulldogs went on to play | | | | juniors entering the NFL draft, Herschel had an |
| Notre Dame in the 1980 Sugar Bowl, with their | | | | undeniable impact on the lives of the many college |
| victory over the Fighting Irish earning them a | | | | players who followed in his footsteps. |
| consensus national championship. After two more | | | | |
