No Rocky Top, All Dawg: How an 11-Year-Old Went Viral for Loyalty

We’re all familiar with brand loyalty. For example, there are Coca-Cola people, and there are Pepsi people. In my family, we will only make our Christmas sausage balls with Holifield Farms sausage, the best meat from a local producer. And every self-respecting Southern household knows that only Duke’s mayonnaise will do.

Then there’s college football loyalty. You’d have to search long and hard to find a college football fan whose attitude is “I don’t have a favorite team.” Fans have their teams, and they remain intensely loyal — especially in the Southeastern Conference, where, as they say, “it just means more.”

When it comes to loyalty, one of the best examples I’ve seen lately belongs to 11-year-old Nolan McGill of Chattanooga, Tenn. The fifth-grader is deep in enemy territory as a Georgia Bulldogs fan, yet he’s chosen to plant his flag. And he’s gone viral for it.

It all stemmed from his elementary school Christmas program and a song that Nolan absolutely refused to sing. The Athletic reports:

Nolan McGill is only 11 but he understands when the time is right to take a stand. So the fifth-grader at Rivermont Elementary in Chattanooga, Tenn., concocted a plan.
“Nolan had come home a few times saying, ‘I’m not singing Rocky Top,’” said his mom, Kelsey, of the famous bluegrass song that has become the University of Tennessee’s unofficial anthem. “And I was thinking, ‘Why on earth would you sing Rocky Top?’”

Nolan’s mom is right: Why would these kids sing “Rocky Top” at a school Christmas program? I mean, I wouldn’t expect to hear “Glory, Glory” or “Hail to Georgia” at an event like that, even in the heart of Bulldog country. Yet the classes sang it — with the exception of young Nolan.

“I didn’t realize (‘Rocky Top’) was actually in the lineup,” Kelsey McGill told The Athletic. “He actually was telling me that’s part of the show.”

Nolan happily joined in the first three songs the kids performed in the program. But that fourth song was the one Nolan would absolutely never sing.

And Nolan didn’t just refuse to sing. He made a big production of his refusal to join in “Rocky Top,” crossing his arms and shaking his head demonstrably. The result is a hilarious viral Christmas video that should make the rounds for years to come.

Young Georgia fan refuses to sing Rocky Top at school concert. Legend. pic.twitter.com/XULO13Vx7W
— Dan Wetzel (@DanWetzel) December 18, 2025

Kelsey’s video has clocked over 3 million views on social media platforms, and Bulldogs legend and former ESPN personality David Pollack had Nolan on his podcast. Nolan had Pollack in stitches.

"I'm never gonna sing that trash."

Nolan McGill is an instant Georgia legend. No Rocky Top. All Dawg. pic.twitter.com/E3AryiZql0
— David Pollack (@davidpollack47) December 18, 2025

Nolan has become quite a celebrity, especially at Rivermont Elementary School. His classmates call him “Mr. Famous,” and even his principal asked for a selfie with him.

“The school thinks that it’s hilarious,” Kelsey told The Athletic. “The assistant principal commented on my Facebook post and was like, ‘I saw this as it was happening and was really hoping someone was recording it.’”

“Good job in enemy territory,” she added.

Great job, Nolan. You’re a legend. And look, I don’t just say this as a University of Georgia fan and alumnus — although you’d never catch me singing “Rocky Top.” I wouldn’t expect a Florida State fan to sing a Florida Gators fight song at a concert. I wouldn’t force an Ohio State fan to take part in a University of Michigan chant, and I wouldn’t make a University of Washington fan cheer for the University of Oregon.

Fandom should be an all-in experience, and fans should draw their lines and stick to them. Nolan McGill showed us this truth in the most entertaining way possible.

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