South Carolina has officially apologized for tearing off pieces of UGA’s treasured hedges to celebrate Saturday’s upset over the Bulldogs.
UGA athletics director Greg McGarity told DawgNation that South Carolina athletics director Ray Tanner contacted him on Sunday afternoon.
“Ray just apologized for those actions,” McGarity told DawgNation.
What did McGarity, who has taken a strong stance against “property destruction” to the hedges in past years, think about what happened after Saturday’s game?
“I don’t like it all.
“We sure don’t do that when we win at an opponents’ venue under Kirby’s leadership.”
The hedges are the historic green bushes that surround Vince Dooley football field at Sanford Stadium which ESPN called “the most famous shrubs in sports.” It’s obviously a sensitive issue to many UGA fans and school officials when opposing teams damage the hedges after games.
On Saturday, unranked South Carolina upset then-No. 3 UGA in college football’s biggest upset of the season. To celebrate the historic win, the celebrating Gamecock players ripped off pieces of the hallowed hedges as souvenirs.
South Carolina coach Will Muschamp and several of the team’s assistants were also seen carrying souvenir pieces of the hedges (see below picture). Ironically, Muschamp was fully aware of the sacredness of the hedges, as he played football for UGA from 1991 to 1994.
In the videos below, Georgia’s stadium security (along with one police officer) tried to block the South Carolina players from the hedges but they were eventually overwhelmed
Saturday was the 90th birthday of the legendary hedges, which made their debut on Oct. 12, 1929, for UGA vs. Yale.
