We spoke with Bill -- who played defensive tackle at Georgia back in the late 1980s -- fresh off UGA's wild 33-18 win over Alabama ... and yeah, the guy is over the moon about his Dawgs.

"I would say the entire Bulldog Nation is ... I don’t wanna say stunned by any stretch of the imagination," Goldberg said, "But we're pinching ourselves and finally coming to the realization that the curse is freaking broken and it feels really good."

"It’s pretty amazing how the Bulldog nation has just all come together to celebrate. I’ve heard from people I have not heard from in 30 years in the past 24 hours."

Speaking of Bulldog pride -- Bill's son, Gage Goldberg, is following in his dad's footsteps on the gridiron ... and hopes to play for Kirby Smart at Georgia one day.

"Oh, God yeah, 100 percent," Goldberg said. "To have another Goldberg at the University of Georgia -- First and foremost, hopefully, they’d take another Goldberg there."

Goldberg tells us that 15-year-old Gage has been going to Smart's football camp for years now ... and while his son is juggling multiple sports -- baseball, wrestling, and football to name a few -- he has his sights set on attending UGA.

"He’s got two more years of high school and his complete goal, his number one goal right now, is to be a Georgia Bulldog."

The ex-NFL player admits that it would, indeed, be a dream come true for his son to land in Athens ... but he tells us he'll support Gage no matter what direction he chooses to go in -- so long as that direction doesn't take him to Florida.

"Our goal as parents is to provide our son with the best opportunity to follow his dreams," Bill said. "Whether it's football, baseball, or wrestling. Whatever it may be, we’re in his corner. 100 percent."

"Unless he wants to go to Florida, then I have to put him up for adoption."