Join us this Friday at Maggiano's for Tony Barnhart's preview of the upcoming college football season. Tony just completed his 50th season of covering college football for newspapers, radio, television and the internet.

He was a college football analyst for eight years with the SEC Network. Previously he was a college football analyst for CBS Sports and a reporter for ESPN’s College Game Day. He spent 25 years at The Atlanta-Journal Constitution as a college football writer. He is currently a guest host for a weekly sports radio show out of Nashville, TN.

Tony is a 1976 graduate of Grady College, the school of Journalism at the University of Georgia.

Tony has authored six books on college football. Among the books are the autobiographies of Vince Dooley and Larry Munson. His seventh book “The 19 of Greene” was published in October 2023. Tony’s senior year of high school (1970) was the first year of full integration in the small southern town of Greensboro, GA. The book details Greene County Tigers football team’s surprisingly successful season, the enduring relationships he formed with his teammates, the challenges of school sports integration, and the positive impact this team had on the community.

Tony’s latest book is entitled: “Mr. College Football: 50 years of SEC Memories.” Published by UGA Press, the book is scheduled for summer 2027 release date. Over 5 decades, Tony witnessed and reported on historic shifts that transformed our world, modern media, and the entire landscape of college football. Along the way he covered unforgettable games and built relationships with the coaches, players, and administrators who shaped the future of the sport. This book is a collection of his memories that cover all 16 SEC campuses.Tony has received numerous awards for sports reporting and his contribution to sports journalism including:1999 Georgia Sports Writer of the Year

• 2009 Bert McGrane Award (Football Writers Association of America – Hall of Fame)
•  2016 inducted into the UGA’s Grady Fellowship, signifying career achievement and contributions to Journalism
•  2021 inducted into the Georgia Sports Hall of Fame
•  2023 Greene County Tigers Ring of Honor
•  2024 Gold Medal Winner, UGA Press, Independent Book Publishers Award for “The 19 of Greene

Tony and his wife, Maria, have been married for 49 years. They are active in their church and volunteer with a number of charitable organizations in the community.

They have one adult daughter who has undergraduate and law degrees from UGA. Their son-in-law is a proud graduate of Michigan State.

Tony and Maria are Abba and G-Dad to two grandchildren ages 5 and 13. They are delighted they live close by so they can cheer at sporting events, help with car pools and babysitting.