Adam Greene
UGA Sports Communications

This weekend, under the lights of Sanford Stadium, two SEC powerhouses will square off on Dooley Field. For the first time in ten years, No. 17 Alabama heads to Athens to take on the fifth-ranked Bulldogs.

“The SEC runs through Georgia and Alabama, since I’ve grown up,” said Georgia senior tight end Oscar Delp, from Cumming, Ga. This Saturday will mark the third time Delp has taken the field against the Crimson Tide, but he’s still searching for his first victory.

“Yeah, it’s a huge one. We want to win this game,” Delp said. Thinking back to the last time the two teams met, in Tuscaloosa last season, Delp said, “we had a lot of communication issues. Not everyone was on the same page, and we hurt ourselves.”

This time, the game is in Athens, where the Bulldogs have a 33-game home win streak, the longest in the Football Bowl Subdivision and the second-longest in SEC history. The streak began in 2019, and Georgia has beaten 10 ranked teams among the 33 victories, including five in the top 10. The Bulldogs are 52-4 on Dooley Field since Kirby Smart‘s first season as head coach in 2016.

“We’re excited for it to be at home, at night. It’s going to be really fun; it’s going to be a great atmosphere,” Delp said. “Being a part of this game at home, with the home winning streak we have, I want to keep that alive and play Georgia football this weekend.”

Delp joined the program in 2022, when the Bulldogs beat Alabama in the National Championship. However, he was the fourth tight end on the roster and played in just two games, stuck behind Brock Bowers and Darnell Washington. He described how each played a significant role in teaching him the language of football, which was a considerable step up from playing in high school.

From Smart’s perspective, Delp’s most noticeable area of growth hasn’t actually been a technical football skill, but his maturity. “I wouldn’t say a knucklehead early on, but he had his moments,” Smart said of his tight end. “He had his days when he was like all freshmen, struggling to make it through practice. It was hard on him. We pushed him hard. You don’t ever notice that with him anymore, really, since last year.”

It took a while for Delp to truly get the hang of things and settle in. “Once you get here, you’re kind of just thrown into the fire. You’re just running around out there, trying to figure out what to do, line up right,” Delp said, cracking a smile. “As you get older, everything slows down for you and you’re able to play faster.”

When did he find things slowing down? “Sophomore year, that’s when it really started clicking,” Delp said.

Smart has watched Delp develop into a crucial part of his offensive unit and had high praise for the senior tight end. “He’s got unbelievable physical toughness. … His strength is probably his toughness and his point-of-attack blocking,” Smart said. “It’s hard to find guys that can block SEC-type six techniques and nine techniques, and there’s a place for that on our level and levels above.”

These skills added to Delp’s arsenal show up partially on Saturdays but primarily during the week, Delp said. “At Georgia, we win games on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday. We practice very physically here. You practice how you play. … When I was a freshman, I had to get taught that by the older guys and pass it down.”

As one of the older players now, his presence as a leader and team captain is visible to Smart and the rest of the coaching staff. He’s worked hard, stayed healthy, and has been an impact player over the last three seasons. “I appreciate the way he goes about his work,” Smart said. “He doesn’t complain. He buys into the team.” Delp has followed Bowers and Washington as a role model for all future Bulldogs.

It’s becoming increasingly apparent that all of the effort Delp and his team have poured into the program is paying off. “Everything we’ve done this offseason is really showing up now, the fundamentals of all of it,” Delp said. Along with Lawson Luckie, the tight end group is prepared to battle and win the moments.

Luckie has four receptions for 31 yards so far this season, while Delp has three for 51, but that doesn’t come close to capturing their full impact on the offense. They’re extremely important blockers, both at the line of scrimmage and further down the field.

The Bulldogs have had a week to reset after their overtime thriller against Tennessee, but they now turn their attention to yet another challenge in Alabama. For Delp and the Bulldogs, their goal is clear: defend home field.

“Everyone knows,” Delp said, “you don’t lose at home at Georgia.”