Even Independence Bowl can tell us something about Georgia
Mark Richt entertained the horde of media (slight exaggeration) in Shreveport this week.
Let’s start with two facts. 1) Seven SEC teams landed in better bowl games than Georgia: Alabama (BCS), Florida (Sugar), LSU (Capital One), Mississippi (Cotton), Tennessee (Chick-fil-A), Auburn (Outback), Kentucky (Music City); 2) Only 6,800 of the Bulldogs’ 12,000-ticket allotment to the Independence Bowl was sold, which of course leads to the obvious question: How did they find 6,800 people to go to Shreveport?
So it’s safe to assume that most of you are not thrilled with the fact that the final memory of the 2009 season will be the Dec. 28, 5 p.m. time slot tonight on ESPN 2. (Programming note: The Independence Bowl follows the Premier League soccer game between Wolverhampton and Manchester City.)
But I’m here to tell you that tonight’s game does mean something for Georgia’s season. Besides, it’s worth watching if for no other reason than more updates from the minds of Urban Meyer.
This is what a win over Texas A&M tonight accomplishes. It leaves Georgia at 8-5, which aesthetically is a more pleasing than 7-6. It also means the Bulldogs will have gone 4-1 in their final five games after the Florida loss, including the win over Georgia Tech. (The lone defeat came to Kentucky, a development so stunning that even Rich Brooks is going to retire.) A win keeps recruits who are on the fence about Georgia at least still on that fence, or maybe even pushes them over it. A loss possibly tips them in the wrong direction.
The biggest problem with tonight’s game is it doesn’t give Georgia fans a true preview of next season. Next season’s quarterback won’t be playing, which stems from coach Mark Richt’s decision not to take the redshirt off of freshmen Aaron Murray or Zach Mettenberger. In a sense, next season’s defense also won’t be playing because Richt hasn’t hired a defensive coordinator yet (nor at least two other assistants).
But what you can take from tonight’s game is seeing what underclassmen are making plays tonight. Who looks like they are treating the game as a bonus and not a booby prize?
We can also find out something about Richt. This will be the first game he has coached since he fired Willie Martinez. Given the pressures and time constraints stemming from the job search, as well as recruiting, I want to see where the man’s level of energy and enthusiasm is at coaching a football game.
It’s not the game you wanted. It’s not the day or time slot you wanted. But it’s not a game devoid of meaning.
Tell us what you think about the site
Customer Care »
Vacation stops, manage subscriptions and more
AJC Services
Sections
Other Editions
Visitor Agreement | Privacy Statement
© 2013 The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
395 comments Add your comment
Tron Carter
December 28th, 2009
4:20 pm
Less GT fans than UGA fans even in Atlanta = We run this State
James T. Kirk
December 28th, 2009
4:20 pm
Nice try Dog fan. My lady friends have such exotic names that I’m even unable to pronounce them correctly
Frank
December 28th, 2009
4:20 pm
acc=weakersister and to complete your analogy, Bama, Florida, LSU, Mississippi, UT, SCU and possibly UK could have all beaten gtu.
THWGT!!!!!!
Pi$$onaDAWG
December 28th, 2009
4:20 pm
I can’t believe UGA is FEELING GREAT about beating a WEAK ACC team. WOW, how the dawgs have fallen. What will they do after tonight’s loss? I still have STOCK in UGA MALE OVERCAOTS(stright jackets) to save the trashy, loose, and cheap UGA(non-grad) wives available. Buy one now Tramp Stamp Queens because it may save your life tonight. Just think you can make it to work at the QT and still feed your kids. BUY now Be safe.
GT = UGA
December 28th, 2009
4:21 pm
Tron can’t read, either. And kimble, next year’s bloodbath is as obvious as this year’s was to Tech fans before the game. And so the lesson is: don’t count on it.
dawgfan13
December 28th, 2009
4:22 pm
Georgia’s outlook will come down to how will Aaron Murray play as the starting QB! And of course the defense! I am not sure what to think about either situation especially since Richt never gave Murray a chance to play in this lost year. Does anyone know anything about these Qb’s we have on our roster?
RambleOn
December 28th, 2009
4:22 pm
Everyone down here is so polite. All the women are digging we Tech alums and the weather is perfect!!!
Ga + Top ten recruiting classes=
December 28th, 2009
4:22 pm
preseason #1 pretenders=9-3 and losing to a 4th rate high school team BETWEEN THE HEDGES=hanging on in the last minute to barely beat the same 4th rate high school team=7-5 unranked losers
The Answer
December 28th, 2009
4:23 pm
dawgfan13,
Nobody knows anything about the QB’s for next year. Sadly the only thing you can say about any of them for certain is that Logan Gray can fair catch like it’s nobody’s business.
Tech Engineer
December 28th, 2009
4:25 pm
Ga had trouble selling any seats for this worthless bowl, while TA&M sold over 15,000! Dawg fans–excited about that wonderful trip to Shreveport–great support for the team!!! Tech will probably have 30,000 fans in Miami for their BCS bowl game!!!! Gotta go—more plans to make for my Miami trip!!!
Phil
December 28th, 2009
4:26 pm
Shouldn’t Tech be the more dominate team? I mean, they brag about how brilliant their outstanding athletes are, so shouldn’t a genius athletic stud be more valuable than UGA’s “thugs?”
Frank
December 28th, 2009
4:27 pm
Tech Engineer – gtu doesn’t have 30,000 fans, don’t fool yourself. Your school is a laughing stock, how else can you explain the bowl committees not giving UGA any credit for beating a weak ACC champ?
THWGT!!!
Q
December 28th, 2009
4:27 pm
Tech fans are probably the only fan base in the nation that would feel more safe in North Miami than on their own campus. Pitiful.
hahahahaha!!!!!!
December 28th, 2009
4:28 pm
The Joke by Coke can’t even get 30,000 fans to attend their home games while giving away free cokes, hotdogs and Playboys!!! LOL!!!! Thanks for the laugh, tool!!!!
Tron Carter
December 28th, 2009
4:29 pm
Tech Engineer,
Don’t be in such a hurry. You can just pack your back door intruder and pick up the Astroglide and when you get there.
CatsFly
December 28th, 2009
4:29 pm
Is the UNC DC under consideration by UGA? Only one team managed to put 30 points on the UNC defense this year (FSU 30). Only 3 teams put up as many as 20: (GaTech 24), (Miami 24), NCState 28). VaTech, Pitt,, UConn, Duke and UVa scored one TD each. Only Bama and possibly Fl. in the SEC can say as much.
Tech Man
December 28th, 2009
4:29 pm
Come on GT=ga cut me some slack. I couldn’t even get ga fans to be fans of there own team about that game.Everybody thought TECH would win.If we played a little better and ga didn’t have a good FG kicker things would have been a lot different. Even you can admit that!The piont is, sometimes every team has to have luck to win!
acc=weakersister
December 28th, 2009
4:30 pm
Hey PHIL….UGA is playing TEXAM A & M NOT Texas TECH. You moron!
BG
December 28th, 2009
4:31 pm
Tech got their a** handed to them by UGA again!!!!
Frank
December 28th, 2009
4:31 pm
Kinda like gtu 2 or 3 times every 10 years huh Tech Man?
THWGT!!!
TechGrad
December 28th, 2009
4:31 pm
I’ve gotten so many digits from hot latina women down here!! I’ve met chicks named Cameron Diaz, Jessica Alba, Jennifer Lopez and Sophia Loren
Is it just me
December 28th, 2009
4:31 pm
or has anyone else noticed how familiar Dog fans are with products made for “backdoor use”? Are they speaking from their personal knowledge of these products? Inquiring minds want to know.
TechNation
December 28th, 2009
4:33 pm
How sad is that. UGA is stuck playing the worst team out of the Big 8
Bravissimo
December 28th, 2009
4:33 pm
Shultz…you gettin steak and lobster there in that *special* deal you said you had?
I also noticed
December 28th, 2009
4:33 pm
they are very hung up on Coach Paul’s johnson. Is there something you want to tell us dog fans?
nemo
December 28th, 2009
4:34 pm
seriously, what’s up with the trade school not having any female fans?
Delusional GT FANS
December 28th, 2009
4:34 pm
@ ASHESHE owns you!!! Your “worst ACC Team” was the runner-up for the A SHE SHE conference Championship and the “one of the best SEC teams” was actually about 10th in the conference and if you watched the game, which I doubt you did, Clemson BARELY won. We will see how dominate the A SHE SHE is when the Jackets face the Hawkeyes! GOOOOOO HAWKEYES
jw
December 28th, 2009
4:35 pm
think that Brooks guy from Kentucky would come to the Nation and be defensive coordinator? He would have to be making more money at UGA than at Kentucky – just a thought – he was a good defensive guy -
Paul "turkey neck" Johnson
December 28th, 2009
4:36 pm
Will a booster for Tech please front the money to pay for CPJ to fix that disgusting excess flab he has dangling from his chin? It’s nasty and he’s going to trip over it sooner rather than later
don't be jealous
December 28th, 2009
4:37 pm
UGA fans are drunk with envy. We are smarter, more successful, have the best looking women and the best sports programs in the state.
“nuff” said
bp
December 28th, 2009
4:38 pm
how could they put this game on at the same time as andy griffith? its the one where goober takes the car apart in the courthouse.Im not missing that!!
Tron Carter
December 28th, 2009
4:39 pm
Is the orange bowl offering free hotdogs and cokes to the GT “faithful” who make the trip?
The tech fans talking about going to the orange bowl reminds me of when Living Color did “Men on Football” with Blaine Edwards and Antoine Merriweather. They are not going for the bowl game, but the pre and post game with the Oilers and the Packers.
andrew
December 28th, 2009
4:39 pm
Does anyone know any of the names of the homosexual clubs/fraternity at Tech? I’m tired of being alone…..
Wizzer
December 28th, 2009
4:39 pm
Hey yall! Shreveport Wall Mart has all the Georgia gear you need at way low prices!! Live better indeed.
wasn't that
December 28th, 2009
4:39 pm
episode filmed in Athens?
beep
December 28th, 2009
4:40 pm
Old reruns of Friends will have better ratings than a matchup of the two most shamefully pathetic BCS conferences
I noticed, too (GA fans, "too" means also)
December 28th, 2009
4:41 pm
The obsession with backdoors and johnsons is mostly because the Dawg posters on here are either very young, very immature, or both. I can’t tell which, but I’m leaning toward 30-40 year olds that didn’t grow up.
ASK
December 28th, 2009
4:41 pm
the Ga fans, they seem to have a very high interest in such things
Must be
December 28th, 2009
4:42 pm
because deliverance is their favorite movie
....
December 28th, 2009
4:42 pm
No one from the ajc is blogging from Shreveport? Haha. I don’t blame them. Who wants to watch this crap team in that crap hole town.
Swinging Richards
December 28th, 2009
4:43 pm
I used to love going to that place back in my days at Tech. Shame they closed it
Tron Carter
December 28th, 2009
4:43 pm
We just want to talk about something you are familiar with on your message boards, since you can only talk about beating UGA once per decade.
Denver Dog
December 28th, 2009
4:44 pm
Well we have supported the team all year, sold out every game, filled the stadium and we didn’t want to travel to Shreveport. Sorry, but we will watch on TV and hopefuly see the dogs win. A&M will be hungry and fired up, and we will be whatever we are this week. I am anxious to see how this frying pan to the fire works on defense. It just might surprise everyone. GO Dogs. Greene will shine, and so will King. Wait and see.
I noticed, too (GA fans, "too" means also)
December 28th, 2009
4:44 pm
For instance, look at “andrew” ’s post above. Most everyone would figure he’s a 16 year-old. But he’s actually a 40 year-old UGA grad.
honest question
December 28th, 2009
4:44 pm
Am I the only heterosexual Tech fan that gets a little “uncomfortable” in the pants when you see CPJ screaming?
Russ, the Temporary Mascot
December 28th, 2009
4:45 pm
We’ll be blogging live in 15 more minutes. I will be using my Blackberry. The AJC threw me a bone and I took it. I don’t want anybody typing “first” on my blog. I won’t tolerate it.
Wizzer
December 28th, 2009
4:46 pm
We win this one and we’ll have the preseason #1 locked up. We are on a roll!!
Denver Dog
December 28th, 2009
4:46 pm
I am quitting, oh no just kidding. I’m too sick to coach, oh no just kidding! I want to hear the real story on this one!
Canstandsya
December 28th, 2009
4:46 pm
Lou Holtz likes TEXAS AM!!!
The chief
December 28th, 2009
4:48 pm
Uga will get whacked today.
A&M played Texas strong their last game. Their O and D lines are too big for UGA.
They will dominate.
A&M 44
Uga 21