Thirty-four Georgia game weeks have come and gone since quarterback Joe Cox last entered one as a starter.

Now his second ever is coming to a close, and his Bulldogs are set to take on No. 9 Oklahoma State on Saturday.

Cox’s previous, and only, other collegiate start came Sept. 30, 2006, a 14-9 win Bulldog win over Mississippi. Georgia has gone 25-9 since then.

But for Cox, a fifth-year senior, his game week has finally arrived.

“That [Ole Miss game] seems like forever ago,” Cox said. “I have nothing that I’ll try and draw on from that game. This is a totally different year and a totally different team. It doesn’t matter what happened then. I don’t really have anything to recall.”

Cox smiled and laughed earlier this week when he was asked if he thought Oklahoma State was watching any film of him: “There’s not a lot of them. I’m sure they found them, but…”

But it might not tell them much about the player Cox is today. Yes, he parlayed his fourth-quarter, game-winning drive against Colorado in 2006 into that start against Ole Miss the next week oh so many years ago. But since then he’s only seen the field in mop up duty, all while spending three more years in the system.

“There was never any bitterness,” Cox said. “It was tough in 2006 when everything did kind of get sorted out and I realized I wasn’t going to be playing. But that’s just one of those things where you’ve got to find the best in every single situation. And I found ways to enjoy where I was and embrace my role on the team.”

His role on this team, this year is to be a leader. And that hasn’t changed this week, no matter how nervous or excited he may be on the inside.

“I think he’s realized all summer long and this whole offseason that he’s going to be the man and it’s time to lead,” said backup quarterback Logan Gray. “He’s been up tempo and carried it on this week.”

Added head coach Mark Richt: “My guess is getting on that plane will really make it hit home. Right now he’s a focused football player … Once he gets on the plane, and of course pre-game warm-up, it will be interesting to watch him during pre-game just to see how he’s doing.”

What he’ll probably be doing is what it seems he’s always done over the past three years. Putting his own situation in the back of his mind and finding a way to lead.

“Joe’s always been a very vocal leader, and he commands a lot of respect from our entire team just because of the type of person he is,” said tight end Aron White.

Cox could lead a young Bulldog offense to a D.J. Shockley-like finale and win a conference title in his only real shot, something he said he “still wants real bad.” But make no mistake – he’s harboring no dreams of the next level.

He plans to find somewhere to be a graduate assistant in the college game, and not try to train up for a combine so “everybody can knock me about my size all over again.” The 6-foot-1 North Carolina native will be seeing his final playing days, as a Bulldog and period, starting Saturday.

“I’ve enjoyed football all the way up to this point,” Cox said. “I still love football and I want to put everything I have into another year and have a fun year, enjoy it, and be able to walk out happy about what I’ve done with my chance.”