Weighing pros and cons of Dogs opening up against Boise State
Today's Boise State isn't the same program that fell to the Dogs in 2005. (Associated Press)
So Georgia’s going to swap out a home game against Louisville in order to open up next season against Boise State in one of those Chick-fil-A Kickoff Games at the Georgia Dome in Atlanta.
I’m not sure I think this is entirely a good idea, though I can see some of the logic behind it. Georgia gets to dump a weak home-and-home series against Louisville arranged by Greg McGarity’s predecessor, will open the season in the national spotlight (keeping one of its SEC rivals from occupying that spot, though I don’t know how big a deal that really is, recruiting-wise) and will pick up a nice piece of change in the process.
But on the debit side, the Dogs give up a home game Between the Hedges (which is the biggest negative about it from my view as a season ticket holder) and will have to open up what needs to be a crucial turn-around season for Mark Richt’s program by facing one of the hottest teams in the country over the past couple of seasons. Probably without A.J. Green. True, the Broncos haven’t yet beaten an SEC team and will lose some of the talent from their current team, but this isn’t the same Boise State program that D.J. and company throttled 48-13 in Athens back in 2005.
Louisville would be an easier win. And an early season loss wouldn’t be a great way to bolster the confidence of a team coming off its worst season in many years.
It would, however, make the Georgia Bulldogs “relevant” from a national perspective as the new season kicks off. Which beats the heck out of being relegated to noontime games.
A gamble? Yeah. But if Georgia somehow wins, it will be a big boost to the team’s confidence and perhaps restore some of the swagger they’ve lost over the past couple of years.
While I was weighing all those pros and cons, I asked my brother Tim what he thought about it.
“It will be the first win in an undefeated season,” he responded. “I’ll let you know later as to which team I’m talking about.”
Indeed.
So what do you think of this move?
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239 comments Add your comment
real dawg
November 20th, 2010
9:56 am
Saw Crowell in playoff game last night…super fast..but real showboat..no blocking..walked to and from huddle..might not be the rb everyone thinks he is…
RxDawg
November 20th, 2010
10:06 am
I think Boise St is a quality team, but also highly overated. The Dawgs have a very good shot at winning a game against a perceived top ranked opponent. This is a win in my book. But I do hate losing the home and home with Louiville.
Destin Dawg
November 20th, 2010
10:11 am
Crowell is over rated… banged up in H. S. what will happen in SEC ??? with faster players plus 50 LBs heavier… Belin was recruitiing coordinator at Vandy right ????? lets all get involved and help Garner.. we need to fill this good recruitng class with a couple big RB’s.. Ealey won’t block.. will Crowell ???? get Malcome ready !!!! Go Dawgs !!!
Dawg Tell
November 20th, 2010
10:33 am
The game will be good for TV and the money.However it will show if Richt has improved as a coach and if season will be a disappointment again.
Brunswick Marsh Dawg
November 20th, 2010
10:35 am
It’s a great move and a smart decision by Greg McGarity. Bill, do you realize in your column you said if “Georgia somehow wins”……seriously?? Do you really think were going to lose to Boise in the Dome? That mentality is exactely why we need this game and will WIN this game. Dawgs will win going away, I guarantee it. GO DAWGS!!!
I-DOG
November 20th, 2010
10:41 am
I view this as a high risk low reward proposition. A UGA losss means Richt is finished. Can you imagine how the team will feel about itself starting the season with yet another loss, the heat from the fans and the media will be too much to keep the team and coaching staff from turning on each other. It will mean the end of the staff and the season after game one. That is the risk.
The reward is that we get 1 win against an opponent that is not thought of as a traditional college power. Honestly, who has Boise beaten this year? If Boise gets waxed in their bowl game and then comes into Atlanta and lays an egg… the game will be an afterthought in the college football ranks.
High risk, low reward. Makes absolutely no sense to me.
logotiger
November 20th, 2010
10:50 am
I wish my Auburn Tigers had scheduled this game. You guys are not still mad at us are you? It has been a week now. I think this is great for the SEC and great for Georgia. I will be cheering like hell for the dogs and I think they will win this game. I disagree with I-DOG. I think if you win this game on national tv, you help your program.
Uga 68
November 20th, 2010
10:55 am
Here’s the deal. McGarity wanted out of the Louisville series because it’s a weak BCS team, however the main reason was the 2012 schedule. At S. Carolina, at Louisville, and at Alabama on consecutive weeks after opening with Buffalo…brutal! Now he’ll get a non-bcs team at home between those two huge SEC road games.
Getting UGA in the dome for 2011 versus Boise St. and getting Chick-fil-a and ESPN to pay off the buyout for us is just a added bonus.
I love a shrewd move. Nice going Mike!!!!!
Smith
November 20th, 2010
11:05 am
Like the ESPN guys said this week, McGarity’s the worst AD in the SEC. Look at all the guffs so far, couldn’t get AJ’s suspension reduced or wiped out, scheduled Florida game in Florida for years to come, has Richt in his worst year in 20+ years of coaching, scheduling top 5 ranked teams for season openers, won’t come out and support Richt–huting morale with students and players—killing recuriting due to uncertainty. I agree with the ESPN guys, McGarity’s the worst AD in the SEC.
AltamahaDawg
November 20th, 2010
11:37 am
What a nice piece of work by McGarity.
AltamahaDawg
November 20th, 2010
11:38 am
I have a feeling Smith, that is the “ESPN guys” said the sky was falling, you would be running for cover.
JB
November 20th, 2010
11:54 am
I don’t take what a low life ESPN announcer say’s….they get about 75% of picks wrong. What the hell do they know. McGarity studied under Foley at UF for years…I think we’ll be fine….now dr. Adams, that’s another story.
KeepDreaming
November 20th, 2010
11:55 am
Smith = Moron. How can you judge a guy that’s been on the job for less than 4 months? McGarity has a winning tradition in his blood, just ask Florida fans. He’ll be a fine AD, and certainly wont put himself in a position of embarrassment like the last guy. Go crawl in a hole Smith.
The Big Bopper
November 20th, 2010
12:27 pm
Boise State 70, Georgia 10.
Amp Arnold
November 20th, 2010
12:36 pm
Good move, we need all the $$ we can get to pay off Richt’s contract after next season!
Delbert D.
November 20th, 2010
12:49 pm
@Boise Dawg -”Delbert D. you keep saying BSU’s back up isn’t coming back next year…. Joe Southwick is their #2 QB and he is a redshirt freshman. Also Jermey Avery is a key back up running back #26 and he is not coming back.”
Thanks for the tip. I used the Boise St. depth chart on their website dated yesterday. Coughlin is listed at #2 QB, however I see from the stats page Southwick has evidently played more (17-24 on the season passing), and Avery is the #2 rusher (36.5ypg).
Truthiness
November 20th, 2010
1:07 pm
Good move. But winning this game to restore “swagger” is about the stupidest reason imaginable. We’ve strutted swagger all over the place the last few seasons, and you can see how that worked. Let’s play the game the way UGA used to play it–hardnosed football in the SEC style.
I-DOG
November 20th, 2010
1:44 pm
To those that think this is going to be an easy win or even a probable win, I ask Who has UGA beaten this year that is as good as Boise? In my opinon NOBODY. TN, KY, and Vandy would struggle against Boise this year (in my opinion) and I would think if they were on the schedule for Boise this year, the Broncos would take at least 2 of 3.
I also think it is highly likely, Boise could have beaten Colorado and probably given MS. State a good game. Both UGA losses where UGA had vastly superior athletes. If UGA returns to playing Georgia Football in the first game next season, UGA can win, but where are the signs that this is going to happen?
I hate to see our Dawgs get beat by a bunch of 2 and 3 star athletes. If we win, it will be seen as just another SEC team with superior athletes squeaking by a bunch of overachievers.
I-DOG
November 20th, 2010
2:12 pm
Logotiger:
I hope you are right, but what if Georgia LOSES on national tv against a team with 2 and 3 star athletes? We have lost a lot of games these last 2 years and I can’t remember our beating many teams ranked in the top 10 which Boise will likely be. It will be interesting to see who is favored in this matchup.
Watch what these boards look like in September if UGA loses this game. You won’t want your kids to read the comments, that’s for sure.
You also have to figure in that 10% of our two deep will be suspended from this game with UGA brain injuries (it is the first Dawg game of the year and that is an annual tradition). Unless something changes, don’t expect Georgia to have a full compliment of players for this contest because of suspensions.
Joe
November 20th, 2010
2:13 pm
Mark my words, this will be first game in march to a NC………….
chazzo
November 20th, 2010
2:50 pm
Georgia playing in ATL against a team from the Midwest is pretty much a home game, Dude.
chazzo
November 20th, 2010
2:53 pm
The only con is that the coaches may coach like there is a possibility of losing the game. I hate that crap. You have to have no doubt that you will win, use your best players in the best possible ways, and kick butt. No conjecture. No gosh this might be tough. No uniform changes, tricky ideas, or woe is me BS. JUST WIN IT!! I watched BSU last night. They are over-ranked and will be outmanned outside of their patsy schedule.
Minnesota Dawg
November 20th, 2010
2:57 pm
You can’t base your ability to win on last year’s record. Great idea! Go dawgs and beat those horses! It will be the Dawgs rising again!
T'VILLE DAWG
November 20th, 2010
3:06 pm
Idon’t see a negative, with the big payout there is no lost revenue and it seemed like the GA A.D. said there would still be quite a few home games next year. With the economy like it is you jump to get a 1.5 mill payout and host some top prospects, it makes a lot of difference with recruits to me, Auburn and Bama are strong pulls for every recruit in this stste and any perceived advantage would help.
T'VILLE DAWG
November 20th, 2010
3:14 pm
I-DOG I don’t know what you’ve seen in other schools but this coaching staff would never turn on each other, Mark Richt wouldn’t let it happen, most of you don’t understand what a special person Mark Richt is. Winning has it’s reward but character also has a great reward and you can have them both.
PHIL
November 20th, 2010
3:27 pm
Bill, why don’t you just let Tim write the blog? He could tell is each week how many plays Bobo messed up on his way to scoring over 30 points a game, AGAIN, as well. But then I understand that he is so smart that he wouldn’t want to fool with such things that are obviously beneath someone with the football brain he has. I heard the new AD already has him on his radar to coach the offense, defense, swimming AND Equestrian teams next year. Any truth to that?
ca dawg
November 20th, 2010
3:30 pm
i like it. something of a departure from the new scheduling philosophy we’ve heard so much about, but it’s a good gamble. play a de facto home game against a team that will be ranked highly but will have lost its QB.
William C Smith
November 20th, 2010
4:38 pm
This is a good move for college football. Everyone keeps saying that if
Boise State played SEC teams they would be shown to be inferior. This game will take that from opinion, into reality. Like the saying goes I
can claim to be KING KONG, but that doesn’t make me a big gorilla.
jimmy the greek
November 20th, 2010
4:54 pm
this spuds for you – Give me a call. I’m going to make you a rich man. I know a way you can monetize all that massive intelligence. I’m here to help. Talk is cheap. I’m waiting…
saban
November 20th, 2010
5:13 pm
Dawgs pick up another loss next year.
Boise State wins by 50.
Richt gets a pay raise.
saban
November 20th, 2010
5:14 pm
Man you folks are just pitiful.
Jay
November 20th, 2010
5:40 pm
The first 7 home game schedule in my memory, down the drain just like that.
hunker down
November 20th, 2010
5:40 pm
Papa Joe never ducked anyone. It may blow up in our face but neither should the Dawgs.
Delbert D.
November 20th, 2010
5:49 pm
What is the percentage of Georgia season ticket holders that live in Metro Atlanta?
cyberdawg
November 20th, 2010
5:55 pm
Win or lose this will be good for the dawgs to play next year. This game to me is not that important since all I care about for 2011 is to contend for the SEC East.
UGAKEV
November 20th, 2010
5:58 pm
We might give up twenty somethin thousand fans but 65K fans in the dome are just as loud if not louder than 86K between the hedges . I will def be there . Go Dawgs!
Stephen Dawg
November 20th, 2010
6:37 pm
McGarity is lighting a fire under the football program’s seat. I like it. It’s time to poop or get off the pot with the current coaching staff. If they can’t have the Dawgs ready for an all-out tilt on opening day, the coaches need to hit the road.
Mudcatjoe
November 20th, 2010
6:44 pm
His brother said “undefeated” season. You know he isn’t talking about UGA!!!! Hahahahahahahaha!!!
The Exterminator
November 20th, 2010
8:15 pm
Good move for recruiting, Evans never should have scheduled Louisville for a home and home, Clemson would have been better, Chick Fil-A wanted us so bad they paid $600k to buy out Louisville, I hope we are in this game more often to kepp Bama out out of our backyard. And have hope, Kellin Moore is graduating. This game will get us ready for S. Carolina better than a cakewalk over the Louisiana-Lafayettes of the world. Well done, McGarity.
Now fire Bobo.
Tech Hater
November 20th, 2010
8:15 pm
I like it, next year is put up or shut up, step up or step aside.
CMR and Gratham ( especially the overpaid DC) have to turn it up and around or both will be out of work this time next year…GO dawgs I hope they can get it done.
Athens Illiteracy Action
November 20th, 2010
8:30 pm
Boise State 66, Georgia 10.
Book it, Danno!
powerhouse?
November 20th, 2010
8:43 pm
Mr Bill, your dog records with sus/arrest etc make this a gamble…perhaps you guys will do the suspensions the first cupcake?
also
November 20th, 2010
8:51 pm
this is the was it starts…the first circus game….can Thursday night be that far away?
The Exterminator
November 20th, 2010
9:07 pm
No, Thursday night is reserved for the Big East and the Almost Competitive Conference.
The Exterminator
November 20th, 2010
9:10 pm
Oh, forgot.
Tech sucks and fire Bobo.
Jacque
November 20th, 2010
9:19 pm
You dawgtards keep forgetting that with all your offseason arrests, Warden Richt will suspend 6-8 players for the first game.
There’s a reason why UGA is called The Cesspool of the South.
The Exterminator
November 20th, 2010
9:31 pm
Jacque-off –
Who is your team, and would you have turned down this deal, you cowardly chickens–t c–ksu–er.
The Exterminator
November 20th, 2010
9:33 pm
I thought so.
59bulldawg
November 21st, 2010
6:52 am
Well you either run with the big dawgs or you stay on the porch. All the Richt defenders say we are still big dawgs. So we’ll see! One thing for sure, CMR is staring straight down the gun barrel right out of the gate next season. Frankly I’m glad McGarity did it. Richt will either rise to the occasion or prove once and for all he is the mediocre coach I think him to be. I always pull for my Dawgs. Just wish we had better talent to coach ‘em up!
Mr. Phelps
November 21st, 2010
8:25 am
As Steve Spurrier used to say “We could swap teams and I would still win”. Richt is facing a real coach, a motivator, an innovator, just like when he faces Meyer, Spurrier, or Saban just another loss. Say goodbye Mark.