Predictions: It’s time for bowls(!), contest (!) and BCS (ugh)
Welcome to the next-to-last BCS bowl season, or as we like to call it: “The mole in the middle of our forehead that the plastic surgeon said he can’t remove for another two years because the deals are in place, conference commissioners have been bagged, athletic directors already have used the free golf clubs, the booze cruise just left port, it’s too late to cancel the caterers, and, dang it, Mike Slive just took the last shrimp!” So we’re stuck.
After 15 years, it’s almost gone. After 17 years, it will be. (How did the BCS get to vote before it was 18?) We’re left with a palatable title game (Alabama-Notre Dame) but a nonsensical way of getting there and zero postseason drama.
BCS road map looks something like this.
Well, except this: (Promotion coming. I feel so dirty.) There’s still time to enter the “Sack Schultz” Bowl Special. We’re giving away $200 in gift cards to Marlow’s, which should buy a lot of wings. Don’t worry that some of the 36 bowls have been played because the contest is heavily weighted toward the BCS games. To enter, just go to ajc.com/go/SackSchultzBowl2012 and pick the winners of the remaining games.
Now, onto the games:
Georgia is in the Capital One Bowl. Not a BCS bowl. Why? Because the Bulldogs effectively were penalized for beating Florida, winning the East and playing for the SEC championship (then losing) while the Gators sat in a La-Z-Boy eating a box of Ding Dongs (not losing). This reaffirms the need for mandatory drug testing — not for players, but for everybody who came up with this system.
Picking bowl winners is tricky. Most of the best players usually have their heads in the NFL. (I think A.J. Green was hiding behind a bush in the Liberty Bowl.) But I don’t expect that to be a problem for Georgia. This is a pretty together group that seems to want to win its final game.
Nebraska? Just gave up 70 points and 539 yards rushing to Wisconsin. Were they eaten by lions or something?
Easy pick: Dogs cover 10.
20 BCS jokes (kinda, sorta)
BOWLING TIME
Nothing says bowl season more than a coach wearing wearing a dumb hat. (via @USC_athletics on Twitter)
Sun (Georgia Tech vs. USC): Monte Kiffin resigned from his son’s coaching staff at USC, yet for some reason still claims Lane in the family tree. Just as well. The Trojans have allowed 39, 62, 17, 38 and 22 points in the past five games. Lane was about to tell his dad he couldn’t drive any more. Trojans win but give me Tech and 10.
Chick-fil-A (LSU vs. Clemson): Add Tech as a round-robin, and this would be the Dan Radakovich Rolling Resume Bowl. Not to put all of this on Dabo Swinney, but the ACC went 0-4 against the SEC in the final week of the season and is 9-16 in bowls against Bigfoot in the BCS era. And here comes another pie in the face: LSU covers 4½.
Outback (South Carolina vs. Michigan): Hard-working, humble, disciplined, classy, widely respected and admired by players and coaches, never makes himself the story . . . you know, the funniest thing is Steve Spurrier probably thinks I’m describing him, not Brady Hoke. Wolverines cover 6.
Rose (Stanford vs. Wisconsin): We bow in the direction of new Wisconsin coach Gary Andersen, who made 106 phone calls to tell each of his Utah State players that he was leaving for another job. It’s sort of like what Bobby Petrino did, only without the phone calls, the human contact, the xeroxed note or the vapor trails. Stanford covers 6½.
To Chip Kelly: Before you leave, I have 3 questions
Hey, which way to the Orange Bowl?
Orange (FSU vs. Northern Illinois): Sit around children: Let me tell you about a time when dinosaurs roamed the Earth and people cared about the Orange Bowl. Seminoles cover 13.
Sugar (Florida vs. Louisville): Will Muschamp has something he didn’t have in his first bowl game: a cheering section. Gators win, but take Louisville and 14.
Fiesta (Oregon vs Kansas State): Why is Chip Kelly wearing a Philadelphia Eagles jersey? Ducks cover 9.
Cotton (Texas A&M vs. Oklahoma): I’m not sure anybody did a better coaching job this season than Kevin Sumlin, and I’m including Brian Kelly and Bill O’Brien. On a related note, Bob Stoops seldom is in these conversations any more? Aggies cover 4½.
BCS (Alabama vs. Notre Dame): Nick Saban told his Michigan State players he wasn’t going to LSU. But he did. He told Miami, “I guess I have to say it. I’m not going to be the Alabama coach.” But about seven minutes later, he was. Now he’s denying he’s going to the Cleveland Browns. Know why I believe him this time? Bama has more NFL players. Tide covers 9½.
Rare footage of Nick Saban at The Improv
•
Time to settle up
“You can eat your betting money but don’t bet your eating money.” — Proverb.
Previous chapter (forgettable): 5-5 straight up, 3-7 against the line.
Bottom dollars (better): 115-40 straight up, 88-65-2 against the line.
Lilly Pick of Week: Lilly is continuing her boycott of the BCS system and declined to pick a bowl game. However, she did chew up a Western Kentucky media guide.
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180 comments Add your comment
ijonathan
December 27th, 2012
1:43 pm
Tampa, JSS is saying what he always says. Let me translate for you:
“I am above you all. I don’t get dragged into the nonsense of college athletics. I have a higher purpose. You are all dolts.”
Yet, he continues to post on blog after blog about such sports that are beneath him.
Flat Tire and Still Refusing to Drink delusional Kool-aid
December 27th, 2012
1:43 pm
ARdawg
Yes that was me saying there is no excuse in losing to Nebraska next tuesday
Again whats with the tea leaves comment
Paul H
December 27th, 2012
1:46 pm
Florida fans are a trip. Here’s all you need to know, 17-9.
TampaGator, if you’re going to use turnovers as an excuse, you must not have watched the game or you would’ve witnessed all the turnovers UGA gave UF as well. The difference was that UGA capitalized a littler better on UF’s turnovers than the other way around. It wasn’t a pretty game from either team but no one can deny that UGA’s defense physically beat up Florida for 4 quarters.
UGA knows what it’s like to have their only loss come from UF, so take your one loss like a man and be glad you still made it to a BCS bowl.
ARdawg
December 27th, 2012
1:48 pm
Flat
I read that as if you were saying we already lost hence the “reading the tea”
ARdawg
December 27th, 2012
1:49 pm
Flat tire
I’d be very surprised if that game isn’t over in the 1st half
Bammer
December 27th, 2012
1:49 pm
Columbus Dawg –
32-28 But only because Bama held on EVERY SINGLE OFFENSIVE PLAY! Amazing you could see all that sitting on your fat ass in Columbus but the refs missed ALL OF THEM! Or were they paid off? Yeahhhhhhh…THAT’S IT!
ARdawg
December 27th, 2012
1:51 pm
This year is the worse bowl line-up I have ever seen. I’ve seen a lot of them. Bama will break it off in ND to finish it up
DELANE
December 27th, 2012
1:52 pm
Alabama 17- ND 7
UGA 40- Bo Palinis’ head explodes 38
GT in an upset…USC is an hour late.
LSU 70- Dabo says something stupid 11
SC 38- Michigan 17 Michigan OL is dominated by SC D-line and Shultz hatred of Spurrier grows.
Florida rolls.
The rest…who cares?
Beast from the East
December 27th, 2012
1:55 pm
Flo-Ri-Duh
December 27th, 2012
11:41 am
BCS is B S. Even after it goes to a 4 team playoff it will still be B S. Nothing less than an 8 team playoff will work. Still – ti’s better than the helping of B S we are getting this year. The only justice is that Florida is playing a basketball school (Louisville). Georgia beat Florida straight up on the field – and should be ranked ahead of them. How d I know UGA is better than Florida – ’cause they got the “W” – CASE CLOSED!
————–
So should Texas A&M also be ranked ahead of Bama? How about SC ahead of UGA…especially since they beat the sheet of of them.
Will be waiting for your intelligent response.
Joey
December 27th, 2012
2:09 pm
Beast, um, you did notice the “Duh” in his name, right?
Steve
December 27th, 2012
2:14 pm
Wow Jeff, did not know you were as ignorant as the typical Dawg fans. The Gators beat four teams ranked in the top twelve. UGA played three team ranked in the top 25 and lost to two of them. UGA played a weak schedule. Learn something about football and then come back here and tell us about it. This year was UGA’s best chance for winning it all under CMR. Now you will be back to your normal winning 9-10 games a year. Enjoy being the middle of the pack UGA fans. LOL!!!!!!!!
Steve
December 27th, 2012
2:17 pm
Paul H we will gladly take that trip to a BCS bowl game. We will also take the two NC’s that we won in the last six years with the countless number of SEC titles. How many SEC titles and NC’s has the Dawgs won? LOL!!!!!! Welcome back to being just a “decent” team leghumper fans. You got us while we were down but the normal FLA beatdown will be back. Get used to it. I hope Richt stays twenty more years. Nothing like seeing UGA a middle of the pack team. Add to that redneck leghumper fans who are as stupid as they are UGly and it makes my day.
Joey
December 27th, 2012
2:43 pm
Steve, ease up – there are only a couple of dumbasses talking that stuff. Sane, well-read UGA fans knew this was an usual year – lots of SEC teams in the Top Ten, and we knew 2 or 3 weeks prior to the SECCG what would happen if we didn’t beat Bama. The one guy who protested about this more than anybody else was Nick Saban, before and after the game.
Enjoy the Sugar Bowl, and we’ll see you in Jax before long – and don’t be so sure UGA will be a middle of the pack team. We lose a lot, but we have lots of talent, and 8 or so games for them to grow up before we meet the Gators in 10 months.
GTBob
December 27th, 2012
2:43 pm
Georgia is in the Capital One Bowl. Not a BCS bowl. Why?
Because they lost to Alabama and got blown out by South Carolina. Going 2-2 against teams with winning records and 1-2 against ranked teams usually isn’t going to get you a top notch bowl game. If UGA wanted to play in a BCS bowl then they should have at least competed in the game against South Carolina. The system didn’t screw UGA. The pathetic SC game did.
Joey
December 27th, 2012
2:43 pm
- unusual year -
Jim
December 27th, 2012
2:45 pm
So I guess everytime UGA wins its because the refs. Really you guys are better than that. You actually sound like Barners. I would have you go back over the game with a “real” ref and ask them. Seriously I hope you beat Nebraska senseless but to the ones whinning please grow up.
Beast from the East
December 27th, 2012
2:49 pm
Joey,
I suspect UGA will have to grow up very quickly on defense next year to be competitive against good teams. They will probably lead the league in scoring, but the defense will be a HUGE question mark. Grantham didn’t help himself by not getting more youngsters playing time this season.
Flat Tire and Still Refusing to Drink delusional Kool-aid
December 27th, 2012
2:50 pm
Joey
I pick us to lose at least 3 next year
Will Co-Champ
December 27th, 2012
2:56 pm
The argument that GA should be in a BCS bowl over UF makes no sense. GA did not win the SEC east they were co-champions with FL, but they had the tie breaker due to the head to head vicotory. The only reason they were tied for first in the east is that they played none of the good teams from the West and benefited from an easy schedule. Had they played Texas A&M and LSU they would have had 2 more losses. However by virtue of that tie breaker they had a chance to play in a play-in game for the NC and they choked (as they have always done). Only one bowl game has any meaning at this point so I don’t see what all they crying is about from GA fans.
gatorbait
December 27th, 2012
2:58 pm
enjoy the 2 in a row pups! WOW, what has it been, 10-15 years since you did that? You will NEVER see 3 in a row!!!!!!
Joey
December 27th, 2012
3:02 pm
Jim, Jim, Jim – when ONE GUY GRIPES ABOUT REFS, IT DOESN’T MEAN ALL UGA FANS THINK THAT WAY.
Dammitt . . .
StingerSplash
December 27th, 2012
3:06 pm
Jeff, you do realize Georgia’s other loss this year came by 28 points, and not one of those cosmetic 28-point blowouts, but an actual, honest-to-goodness you-were-never-in-the-game beatdowns? Think that might have something to do with the Dogs not going BCS bowling and the Gators getting that nod?
Flat Tire and Still Refusing to Drink delusional Kool-aid
December 27th, 2012
3:11 pm
One thing is for sure; its good to know my team has at least been to more than 2 BCS bowl games in the last decade and not just one in the last half century
Isnt that right Tech fans
Birdhair
December 27th, 2012
3:12 pm
Not wise to pick against the S.E.C, Schultz. Take South Carolina over Michigan. Easy
Flat Tire and Still Refusing to Drink delusional Kool-aid
December 27th, 2012
3:12 pm
Im also glad that my Athletic dept doesnt have to beg the NCAA to give us the chance to play in a bowl game
Isnt that right Tech fans
intheknow
December 27th, 2012
3:13 pm
TampaGator….your BS is getting deep….I’ve got some swamp land to sell you too…..Florida got taken to the woodshed by the Dawgs….cry me a river. As long as Muschamp is your coach it’s going happen every year….better get used to it!
Joey
December 27th, 2012
3:15 pm
Beast, don’t buy that hype. Grantham played lots of kids this year. If you recall, we played the first 4 games without 4 starters, Jarvis Jones missed 2 full games. Lots of FR and SO just took positions from older guys Jordan Jenkins, Josh Harvey Clemmons, Bowman and Swann, etc.
We won’t have a D as stout as your Gators’, but our D has gots loads of talent, so don’t be surprised if Grantham doesn’t trot out his best overall defense since he’s been in Athens. (You heard it here first).
intheknow
December 27th, 2012
3:15 pm
gator bait ..that rhymes with queer bait doesn’t it!
gatorbait
December 27th, 2012
3:18 pm
I know it rhymes with ALL these rings baby, That’s what I KNOW!
Joey
December 27th, 2012
3:20 pm
Flat Tire, I’m thinking 10-2, and, maybe if we figure out how to block Clowney, 11-1.
I think we beat Clemson and LSU, and thankfully, Richt has gotten us back to the point where we do beat the teams we should beat.
Now, if we lose to the Cornhuskers, forget all of that . . .
Flat Tire and Still Refusing to Drink delusional Kool-aid
December 27th, 2012
3:22 pm
Joey
I will have to disagree
Our defense was gone after the 3rd qtr in the bama game which tells me he doesnt have much coming back next year especially now that we will lose 9 on defense
Grantham gives up 30 points to almost every top 20 team we play
It will be par for the course next year
Paul H
December 27th, 2012
3:25 pm
Steve – we got you while you were “down?” So your 11-1 records with a Sugar Bowl trip is a “down” year. Now I’m really LOL.
Again, we know how it feels to have our one loss be to our arch rival. Just deal with it and enjoy your bowl game.
Swampy26
December 27th, 2012
3:26 pm
DP Check your stats Georgia leads overall series 48-40-2 per UF; 49-40-2 per GA. Either way UGA’s ahead in wins
Paul H
December 27th, 2012
3:28 pm
Gator fans, keep talking. Because I’m sure if you talk enough trash, the outcome of the GA-Fla game this year will somehow reverse itself. Glad it still hurts so much.
ARdawg
December 27th, 2012
3:29 pm
Flat
The Dawgs defense can go either way next year. We have a lot of guys coming back with ample experience. They just were not starters. We can be a good formidable D, just a mediocre or a really bad one. No way you can determine that now
Flat Tire and Still Refusing to Drink delusional Kool-aid
December 27th, 2012
3:29 pm
Joey
Also
LSU is bringing that team back I dont see us winning that and if Clemson brings back what they have I dont see us escaping Clemson or SC and being 2-0 I will say 1-1
Jaye Byrd
December 27th, 2012
3:31 pm
Grantham used a lack of depth last year as an excuse for the LSU loss. Can’t use that excuse this year when the whole team returned. Doesn’t compute. Find another excuse Dawg Boys. For instance, coaching?
Beast from the East
December 27th, 2012
3:31 pm
Joey, I have to agree with Flat Tire. If Grantham had any depth on the front 7 he was an idiot for not using them in the SECCG. Your guys were totally gassed and it was painfully obvious they needed a breather. Bama ran right through them the last 20 minutes of the game.
Gordon
December 27th, 2012
3:32 pm
Florida: 4-1 against good teams. BCS bound and deservedly so.
Georgia: 1-2 against good teams. Jan 1 non-BCS bound and deservedly so.
Florida beats UGA even when they don’t.
Flat Tire and Still Refusing to Drink delusional Kool-aid
December 27th, 2012
3:37 pm
ARDawg
I would have said our D had ample experience but remember Grantham wanted shut outs in the Vandy Tech and Aub game when he should have been playing back ups more
plus our D didnt play that well until Williams called them out NOT the coaching staff
this team lacks the motivation to play like champions and always has under this coaching staff
With the last 2 seasons having the easiest schedule we have had and still continue to lose 2 or more games with the talent we had
next year will just yield a 3 loss or more season due to losses on defense and the schedule; if our team was run like Sabans I would have a better outlook
Aw
December 27th, 2012
3:45 pm
Coaches do it all the time. See Tommy Tuberville at Ole Miss and Texas Tech.
And to Flo-Ri-Duh. With that Logic South Carolina is the Best team. I mean 35-0. Is a drubbing.
Oh I know I forgot about Malcome’s TD with 1:56 left to go in the 4th quarter!
Early Cuyler
December 27th, 2012
3:53 pm
It’s always the refs. How much stupider can you butt sniffers get? When you win, the refs are good, huh?
Joey
December 27th, 2012
3:55 pm
The SECCG game pitted the deepest team in the country, in terms of 4-and-5 star depth, vs the team with near-equal starters, but the least depth (players on scholarship) of nearly anybody in the SEC. What I’m saying is, don’t base your opinion on just that game – hell, Bama is deeper than anybody – by a mile.
The Gators, then #2 (and probably final poll #2) team in the country didn’t gas UGA’s defense in Jax, right, Beast?
Flat Tire, when is the last time Clemson won a game vs anybody but a ACC team – hell Tech scored 4 or 5 TDs on them?
I don’t see us losing to an ACC team, and I see our game vs LSU as more winnable than the SC game. But we should win them both in Athens.
Class of '98
December 27th, 2012
4:01 pm
Jeff, have you ever seen any other movie besides The Holy Grail? Sorry, it’s not THAT funny. Neither is Monty Python in general.
KingGator
December 27th, 2012
4:01 pm
Dawgs had their shot, and blew it. Lack of playing a big time schedule hurt them. Gators played a much tougher schedule than Dawgs. Hey, like Mushcamp told crybaby Saban, “be careful what you ask for Nick”. Same can be said of Dawg fans. Gators would have gladly traded places with the Dawgs in SEC title game. You guys had your shot, now go play in traffic. As it is, enjoy your Capital One Bowl. Murray will probably throw 3 or 4 picks, and your fans will be egging his house/dorm again
gator7
December 27th, 2012
4:02 pm
you’re right, it still hurts and will hurt until we play ga again! our team wants it to hurt everyday until then.
AWJ
December 27th, 2012
4:03 pm
As a Dawg fan, Florida deserves the Sugar. They had a great season and so did UGA. We played a great game but came up short. I wonder if the Florida fans realize that UGA has 1) won two in a row, 2) is 3-3 in the last six and 3) is 4-5 in the last nine. Florida fans must be having flashbacks from the previous decade. This series has been very competitive and tight for the last 9 years or so. When you win 9 out of 10 or something like that, you can start talking about owning UGA, but until then just put on your jean shorts and STFU….
Joey
December 27th, 2012
4:07 pm
KingGator, you are such a pus – we haven’t seen you for 2 years, and now – you’re back – loaded with insults.
The Gators deserve the Sugar Bowl, because you only lost one game. I’m big enough to admit it.
Just remember who you lost that one game to, oh, and that’s 2 in a row . . .
you can't fix stupid or Democrats or bulldogs
December 27th, 2012
4:11 pm
UGA beats Nebraska by 21 or more
ARdawg
December 27th, 2012
4:18 pm
Flat Tire
I actually agree with most of what you stated except there was ample platooning in the Vandy and Tech game. There probably wasn’t near enough in the AU game.
The easy schedule is gone true but, we’re a better team than the beginning of 2011. Hopefully the coaches will do the “calling out” from game one on. I don’t see Clempson as a threat and LSU can go either way. They are as bipolar as we are. IMHO, SC and FL are still the nemisis for 2013