Five Burning Bowl questions (non-New Year’s Day edition)
This time around, we really have six bowl courses on our post-season menu:
**–Pre-Christmas: Very light appetizers (Beef O’Brady’s, Poinsettia, Hawaii, etc.)
**–Post-Christmas: A decent house salad but the crutons are a little soggy (Little Caesars Pizza, Texas, Armed Forces).
**–Pre-New Year’s Day: Now we’re getting to the good stuff. Lobster bisque with just a touch of sherry. (Chick-fil-A, Liberty, Sun, Music City).
**–New Year’s Day: Still the main course for me. A fine filet from Ben Benson’s in New York. (Capital One, Outback, Gator, Rose, Fiesta).
**–Post New Year’s Day: An unexpected course of sherbet to clear the palate and extend the bowl season: Jan. 3 (Orange), Jan. 4 (Sugar), Jan. 6 (GoDaddy.com…I did not make that up), Jan. 7 (Cotton), Jan. 8 (BBVA Compass), Jan. 9 (Fight Hunger). We’ll have a taste but not consume it all because we’re really waiting for…….
**–BCS Championship (No. 1 Auburn vs. No. 2 Oregon): The perfect dessert. A Bannanas Foster from Commander’s Palace in New Orleans.
In that spirit here are my five burning questions for the non-New Year’s Day bowls. Feel free to pose your own:
1. Does A.J. Green go out with a bang? I’m never comfortable with absolutes but I do feel confident in saying that A.J. Green is the best wide receiver to ever play at Georgia. It’s hard not to wonder how Georgia’s season would have gone had Green been there from the beginning. Central Florida (coached by George O’Leary) is a good team but there is nobody like Green in Conference USA. Send him long early and often and he’ll make a bunch of big plays in his final college game.
2. Does Florida State have an answer for South Carolina’s Marcus Lattimore? Florida State was third in the ACC in rushing defense (127.3 ypg) and eighth in passing defense (221.2 ypg). But the key to Friday night’s Chick-fil-A Bowl is going to be Florida State’s ability to contain freshman running back Marcus Lattimore (99.8 ypg), the SEC’s No. 2 rusher behind Auburn’s Cameron Newton. If the Seminoles can hold Lattimore to under 90 yards they can win the game. But if Lattimore goes over 90 the Gamecocks will get a couple of big plays off the passing game and they will win.
3. What will be the total yards passing in the Music City Bowl? North Carolina’s T.J. Yates (from Marietta’s Pope High School) closes out a good career on Thursday when the Tar Heels play Tennessee in the Music City Bowl in Nashville. Yates, who started hot as a freshman and then struggled a couple of years (injuries were a factor), began the 2010 season by throwing for over 400 yards against LSU. He finished the season with 3,184 yards and 18 touchdowns. Tennessee freshman Tyler Bray became the man down the stretch of this season as Tennessee won its last four games to become bowl eligible. I say the total passing yards will be over 700.
4. Will Ralph Friedgen go out a winner? Friedgen, the former Georgia Tech offensive coordinator and now the head coach at Maryland, his alma mater, is being forced out after a season in which he was named the ACC Coach of the Year. He is one of he most brilliant offensive minds of this generation. He also has a lot of pride. The Terps play East Carolina today in the Military Bowl in Washington, D.C. Look for redshirt freshman quarterback Danny O’Brien to have a huge day and for Friedgen to walk off that field a winner. Don’t be surprised if the big guy gets a little emotional in the post game. Under that rough exterior he’s a softie when it comes to his players.
5. Can something, ANYTHING, good happen for Clemson? No matter how you slice it this has been a disappointing season at Clemson (6-6). Clemson was really good on defense as the Tigers led the ACC and were ninth in the country in scoring defense (17.8 ppg). Led by an extraordinary player in DE Da’Quan Bowers, Clemson has allowed only eight touchdowns by opposing offenses in the past seven games. Yeah, Clemson did miss C.J. Spiller and Jacoby Ford (now in the NFL) but the Tigers should have been better. Clemson plays South Florida in the Meineke Car Care Bowl in Charlotte, just a short hop up I-85 from campus. The Tigers and coach Dabo Swinney need to win this one to make the quality of life in the offseason just a little better.
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151 comments Add your comment
BJohnDawg
December 29th, 2010
10:27 am
AJ is a great player…but he will move on and the Dawgs will be better for it.
AKA when Dominque Wilkins moved on , the Basketball team the follow year did not stand around waiting for Wilkins to make a dunk because he was in the NBA. They had to man up and play as a team. And the year after Wilkins left they reached the final four.
I see similiar results for 2011 for this football team. Will depend on the defense.
The Man Upstairs
December 29th, 2010
10:29 am
“Christian” my ass. Laro. If all that hate welling up inside you is Christian, I’m Vince Dooley.
DC
December 29th, 2010
10:31 am
FYI, Lowder is not Auburn…Auburn is not Lowder…please wait till april to start with the conspiracy theories…oh and Lowder is not Cam Newton…Cam Newton is not Lowder…stop acting like they are the same…I’m sure another site will come out saying the sky is falling and post it on this blog..
1 for the thumb!!!!
December 29th, 2010
10:33 am
All I know is Yech football (athletics in general) is beyond hilarious at this point. They are so bad that they manage to embarrass the entire state and the game of football itself. CPJ is the best thing that could have ever have happened to UGA and Richt. Watching this clown lose to Air Force is like watching a freshman squad slap around the varsity team.
6 in a row and counting!!!
Paul in RDU
December 29th, 2010
10:37 am
Since AJ is going to be the first WR taken in the NFL draft in 2011 it’s pretty easy to say that there aren’t any receivers in Conference USA as good as him.
I’d guess Tony didn’t see a single Conference USA regular season game. Stone Mountain’s Dwayne Harris (ECU) is an excellent receiver who will play on Sundays – if AJ has a similar game as Harris against UCF (9 catches for 146 yards and 1 TD) UGA will win going away.
The Fridge will go out a winner in a high scoring game. ECU has one of the worst defenses I have ever seen. They make GT look like the 1985 Chicago Bears.
huh?
December 29th, 2010
10:39 am
Lowder is most certainly Auburn. Tell me another booster that has enough clout at any other school to where they can go behind the back of their sitting successful coach and fly to visit another coach in the wee hours of the night with the consent of the AD? Give me a break.
Stan
December 29th, 2010
10:42 am
If only the scumbag-Big-10-biased NCAA had given Green the same laughable punishment as they levied against the Suckeye players, meaning he could play this season but be forced to sit out next year, I think UGA would be playing on New Year’s Day or even later.
Reservoir Dawg
December 29th, 2010
10:43 am
As much as I would like to see AJ return, he doesn’t “owe the Dawgs” anything. He’s a first round draft choice and who could blame him for going pro after being grilled & humiliated for selling a jersey? Good luck AJ in whatever you decide.
nugert
December 29th, 2010
10:46 am
stan,
Never been a Mark May fan, but I’ve been loving him for the past several days for speaking the truth. The double-standards of the NCAA regarding Big 10 and Pac 10 programs is so painfully obvious that it’s laughable. Green had to sit out IMMEDIATELY for selling one single item. These Buckeye players sold a lot more things than Green and even traded crap with a shady tattoo pallor 2 years ago, but yet they get to play in their REWARD game anyway???? Where in the world is the sense in this?
Paul in RDU
December 29th, 2010
10:47 am
Lowder is on the Board of Trustees at Auburn.
DC
December 29th, 2010
10:48 am
ok so where is the relationship between lowder and cam/cecil newton? How will that implicate the 2010/2011 season?..
rex
December 29th, 2010
10:49 am
Wish Green could go to the Falcons, but no way that will happen. Ryan needs some more weapons. Jenks is a good possession guy, but Douglas is just not producing anymore since his surgery. We need more than White and TG.
huh?
December 29th, 2010
10:50 am
Cam is gone after the Fiesta Bowl. Even though if he came back next year and would be the first QB selected in the next future draft, you know Cam is bolting for the pros before all the sh*t hits the fan about his dad’s criminal dealings with Auburn.
Mike
December 29th, 2010
10:52 am
clemson came the closest to beating auburn and went 6-6. that’s funny.
um aj green played against colorado and ga lost. not sure he changes much.
producewiz
December 29th, 2010
10:58 am
Ole George couldn’t beat the Dawgs while at G.T. Not going to start now.F.S.U. knocks off ole ball coach, rather easy,Florida pulls old quit again (same lousy coaching) Bamy schools M.State.Ralph loses big game, that’s why he was fired.Urban going to ESPN.Looks like volleyball not as impt. as we thought.Richt counting on great recruiting to turn program around.Thought he did that every year then coached them down.
DC
December 29th, 2010
11:00 am
all of his dad’s criminal dealings has already been aired..there is nothing new…NCAA said they can’t do anything…FBI is not investigating Cam/cecil.
Larry
December 29th, 2010
11:01 am
Cam Newton went “Pro” last year…
Mike isn't very bright
December 29th, 2010
11:02 am
Yeah, and Cal “came the closest” to beating Oregon and they aren’t even bowling. Now THAT’S funny.
Umm…that was Green’s first game. I’m sure had he had 4 games under his belt (more importantly for Murray’s benefit) it would have been a different outcome.
Cute spin attempt though
haha
December 29th, 2010
11:02 am
@ Larry,
Right on!!!
Larry
December 29th, 2010
11:02 am
Mike…did you see the TD catch AJ made against CO? That game might have been a blowout without him.
kakle
December 29th, 2010
11:04 am
So if you have a stud athlete as a child you are allowed to shop them around until your heart’s content and all your kid has to do is say “awe shucks, I don’t know what you are talking about” if the parent is caught???
Nice precedence you are setting there NCAA hypocrites….
june
December 29th, 2010
11:06 am
UGA lost to Colorado, as they did most of their losses this year, thanks to a fumble while about to enter the opponent’s endzone. Nice try.
june
December 29th, 2010
11:08 am
Actually check that, UGA lost thanks to TWO King fumbles inside the redzone of the Buffaloes. You Yech fans are funny. Sad, but funny.
Larry
December 29th, 2010
11:10 am
kakle…you can also set slot machines at a casino to pay out all the time for football players and claim “They didn’t receive improper benefits–the whole football team just got lucky those nights.”
GTBob
December 29th, 2010
11:13 am
UGA will destroy UCF. UCF hasn’t played a decent team all season and neither team is going to have any real motivation in the game. UGA probably wins by 21 or more. I actually think Florida St beats SC. SC has a tendency to lose games like this.
Coach O
December 29th, 2010
11:34 am
@GTBob
South Carolina has the better team on paper, but you’re right — SC has already over-achieved this year just by making it to the Dome. They won’t put much effort into this game. They’re already fat and happy. I don’t see SOS staying much longer.
3rdN8
December 29th, 2010
11:38 am
Let’s see if I have this correct……
AJ Greene sells a jersey, and is forced to miss 1/3 of the 2010 season.
Bama players exploit the text book benefit….get a four game suspension, and vacate games played.
OSU players commit acts that are every bit as egregious, and will serve suspensions next season when some of them won’t even be playing college football.
Guess the NCAA is now dealing in futures.
GTBob
December 29th, 2010
12:00 pm
3rdN8, I agree. The Ohio State situation is showing how college football is really run. This is from an article on Fox Sports today:
“Sugar Bowl CEO Paul Hoolahan lobbied Ohio State University to make sure five of its football players — including star quarterback Terrelle Pryor — would not be suspended for the game against Arkansas, the Columbus Dispatch reported Wednesday.”
Between this rich guy, all of the Ohio State rich guys, and the BCS rich guys, the money flowed through the proper channels and things happened how they wanted. Afterall, if Pryor, Herron, and Posey were suspended then the game would basically be over before it even started. They aren’t going to let that happen regardless of what rules are broken.
Driving Ms Dooley
December 29th, 2010
12:05 pm
I agree with you GT Bob. This kinda reminds me of the Bret Farve deal in the NFL. They are waiting till the end of the season to rule on his behavior. He will be well into his 3rd retirement when they suspend him for next years games. At least that will keep him away this time
DC
December 29th, 2010
12:06 pm
ncaa is changing their vague bylaws in january..so it wont happen again…so stop acting like this is going to happen from now on…
GTrek Season in Review
December 29th, 2010
12:07 pm
1. 9 of 10 – FAIL
2. 42-34- FAIL
3. But we’re a basketball school (73-72)- FAIL (also see Kennesaw State)
4. The triple joke (excuse me) option is unstoppable- FAIL
5. CPJ is smart by giving up an extra 7- FAIL
6. Nesbitt for Heisman- FAIL
7. We’ll sell out at least one game this year – FAIL
8. Free hot dogs are worth watching a 1940 offensive scheme – FAIL
9. Sure recruits will come to play for an offense shunned by the NFL and a defensive coordinator who’s coaching record is first mentioned in the Dead Sea Scrolls- FAIL
10. At least we’re not in Shreveport – FAIL
Bama dude is a tranny
December 29th, 2010
12:10 pm
Auburn is not going on probation, retards.
Dawgs suck and so does Bama.
War Eagle
December 29th, 2010
12:18 pm
We do whatever it takes to win a NC!
Langley
December 29th, 2010
12:18 pm
Somebody got to come out of their room and play on the computer.
Coach O
December 29th, 2010
12:22 pm
@3rdN8
“Guess the NCAA is now dealing in futures.”
I would only recommend that the NCAA not invest in their own future. They will never regain credibility after this year’s antics, nor should they.
It is past time to separate professional sports from collegiate athletics. Requirements to attend college prior to being drafted into the NFL or NBA were sold to the public as a means of protecting the status of the student/athlete. Nothing could be further from the truth. Such requirements only serve to establish collegiate athletics as the de facto farm system for these professional leagues. If you disagree, then please explain how the current “one and done” standard for the NBA enhances the academic careers of these young athletes?
If hood thugs represent the best candidates for the professional athletic leagues, then the leagues should be responsible for recruiting the hoods themselves. Let the kids drop out of high school to join the team if they are talented enough to play. An education means nothing to these kids anyway. As for actual student/athletes, they will be eternally grateful for an opportunity to obtain a quality education at no cost to them or their families simply for playing a game that they love. These scholarships should be awarded for the entire four year stint, and should only be revocable for academic failure. Would this reduce the talent level in collegiate sports? You bet your sweet ass it would, but there would be parity and the quality of the competition would not suffer noticeably. We could also, in the process, eliminate the need to maintain corrupt, under the table pay for play schemes and bogus academic standards for so-called “student/athletes”.
If folks like Cecil Newton then want to shop their kids around for the best deal, they can hire themselves an agent and do it legally. Kids who truly appreciate the opportunity to acquire a free college education due to their athletic talent will still have the chance to make it to the professional level after they graduate, knowing that they can fall back on their academic prowess should they be seriously injured in their first professional game or simply fail to earn a position to play at the professional level.
The NCAA, as it now exists, is nothing more than a smokescreen designed to obscure the death-grip that the NFL and the NBA hold over our collegiate athletics. It’s time to face the truth and return college sports to the true student/athletes.
That’s my $0.02 worth.
The Ole Ball Coach
December 29th, 2010
12:25 pm
6th Question will the NCAA become Corrupt.
A. Yes has been for years $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$ is all they are concerned with.
Coach O
December 29th, 2010
12:30 pm
BTW Tony Barnhart:
You would actually deserve your “Mr. CFB” title if you showed the intestinal fortitude to occasionally write something along the lines of what I just posted rather than the trite nonsense that you’ve had to offer so far this year.
Take that as a challenge…
War Eagle
December 29th, 2010
12:35 pm
Coach O:
If you don’t like Tony’s articles take your condescending, whining, big-mouth elsewhere.
Take that as a challenge…
Coach O
December 29th, 2010
12:45 pm
When I want comeback from an Auburn fan, I’ll scrape it off his chin.
ratherBgambling
December 29th, 2010
12:52 pm
UCF “upsets” the mutts.
The crimiNOLES won’t stop Lattimore. Where are the OBC’s zingers at Free Shoes University?
Who Cares?
Yes
Clemson loses to SoFl because they have no offense and like to turn the ball over.
A.J. who ?
December 29th, 2010
12:52 pm
Say what ?
The best wide reciever to ever play at Georgia
who never had a 1,000 yard season.
A.J. your daddy
December 29th, 2010
12:55 pm
but yet he spanked your sorry team now, didn’t he?
Tony & his man love
December 29th, 2010
12:55 pm
The question for next year is this who will Barnhart have man love for ? Last year it was ST.Tebow ,this year it was SCAM Newton.
what SEC biased?
December 29th, 2010
12:57 pm
If Arkansas, Auburn, Bama, UF, LSU, etc., had 6 players that did exactly what the Suckeye players have, they would not be playing in their bowl game. Book it.
Dixie Crystals
December 29th, 2010
12:57 pm
The Sugar Bowl martini crowd talked the NCAA into letting the suspended Ohio State players participate.
Innocent Bystander
December 29th, 2010
12:58 pm
Tony’s man-love will always be directed toward the player who contributes the most to his meal ticket at Ben Benson’s.
ratherBgambling
December 29th, 2010
12:58 pm
Thats right ‘biased’,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,BOOK IT!
mexdawg
December 29th, 2010
12:59 pm
I think The Fall of Bobby Lowder,and the Fallout at Auburn article pretty much sums up the whole f@@ked up situation at AU.As an SEC fan I want Auburn to win the national championship however I am sure they will end up having to give it back.Once the information the FBI obtained from the wire taps is released the NCAA will have no choice.Enjoy your moment in the sun war eagles because there is a very dark cloud headed your way.
Saint Simon
December 29th, 2010
1:02 pm
Fire Paul Johnson!
A.J. finished the drill by running out of bounds
December 29th, 2010
1:02 pm
Georgia was a poweful 5-3 with A.J. in the lineup this season.