Fanatics Is Sending The Young Georgia Fan Who Refused To Sing “Rocky Top” To The Sugar Bowl To Cheer On His Dawgs

Won’t have to worry about hearing that song in the Superdome.

By now you’ve probably seen the viral video of Nolan McGill, the young Georgia Bulldogs fan who refused to sing a rival’s fight song at his Chattanooga school’s Christmas program.

Long story short, this school put on a holiday performance for parents, siblings and friends to enjoy. They covered a number of classic Christmas hits, and then closed out the show with a performance of “Rocky Top,” which was originally recorded in 1967 by the Osborne Brothers.

Of course the University of Tennessee has basically claimed that track as their unofficial fight song. Knoxville has become somewhat synonymous with “Rocky Top,” and Tennessee fans sing it loud and proud (and obnoxiously) any chance that they get.

Naturally, Georgia fans would never, under any circumstance, participate in a “Rocky Top” sing-along. So as the rest of his classmates broke into the Tennessee fight song, Nolan stood still, crossed his arms and shook his head in disapproval (and definitely didn’t sing).

@kelseymcg2 When the school wants you to sing Rocky Top in the holiday performance but you’re a Dawgs fan. #georgiafootball #godawgs @UGA Football ♬ original sound – Kelsey

After the video went viral, former ESPN College GameDay analyst David Pollack tracked down the kid and had him on his See Ball Get Ball podcast.

As it turns out, Nolan has grown up in Tennessee, but was raised a Georgia fan. And the young man that clearly bleeds Bulldogs red and black explained why he chose not to participate in that particular part of Christmas program (he sang the other, non-Tennessee related tunes).

It really just came down to him not wanting to betray the Bulldogs:

“It was an after school winter program. Our music teacher had us sing a whole bunch of songs. And one of those songs was ‘Rocky Top,’ sadly, and I’m never gonna sing that trash… It’s a horrible song. Go Dawgs.”

(As someone who’s not a Vols fan but now lives in Tennessee and has to hear it more than I’d like, I can’t say I disagree with him).

Well obviously Nolan still has a lot to cheer for this college football season, with his Dawgs in the College Football Playoffs and set to take on the Ole Miss Rebels in the Sugar Bowl on January 1. So of course, it only makes sense that their biggest fan is in the stadium to cheer on his team…and thanks to Fanatics, he will be.

The sports merchandise company surprised Nolan at his home recently with the news that he would be heading to New Orleans for New Years to cheer on the Dawgs. And it seems like Nolan didn’t believe them at first:

“Wait, like, the next week Sugar Bowl?”

You love to see it.

The two SEC teams already met once earlier in the season, when Georgia defeated Ole Miss 43-35 in Athens on October 18. The Bulldogs are currently 6.5 point favorites over Ole Miss, and are hoping to avoid a repeat of last year’s quarterfinals when Notre Dame defeated Georgia en route to an appearance in the championship game.

There’s no doubt that having Nolan there cheering them on can only help the Dawgs on their quest for the national title.