Who were the top Georgia football players in each decade? Here’s what we said.

Georgia football has racked up numerous accolades over the years.

 

National championships. Heisman Trophy winners. Dozens of All-Americans. Hundreds on NFL rosters

All of that success lends itself to a great question: Who were the top 10 players of each decade? And while some selections are obvious, some choices have more debate.

 

Last summer, a panel of AJC voters selected our top 10 players per decade. The voters have many years of experience, much of it as journalists and some of it earlier as fans, observing our state and local sports teams with a close and often passionate eye — as many of you do.

 

The backgrounds of the voters lent a knowledge of UGA football that we used to assemble these lists of some of the more accomplished and recognizable players in Bulldogs history, through thick and thin times for the program.

 

Here’s who we selected as the top players of each decade:

 

1940s/1950s

Sure, you know Frank Sinkwich and Charley Trippi, but one of these selections was a rare four-sport letterman in college, earning them in football, basketball, baseball and golf.

 

Full list: The top 10 players of the 1940s/1950s

 

1960s

Many still consider Jake Scott the greatest defensive back ever to don the red and black, but Dennis Hughes might be overlooked on some all-decade lists as his statistical profile doesn’t tower over others. But if toughness is a factor — and it is here — this combination fullback/tight end/wideout must be included.

 

Full list: The top 10 players of the 1960s

 

1970s

Ray Goff, who later went on to coach the Bulldogs, was an obvious choice on offense. On the defensive side, if somebody was making a tackle for Georgia in the years from 1975-77, the odds were that it was Ben Zambiasi (pronounced Zam-BEE-zee).