Georgia fared pretty well in illogical world of bowl pairings
“The first man gets the oyster, the second man gets the shell.” — Andrew Carnegie
“Nobody remembers who came in second.” — Charles Schulz
The SEC no longer allows the loser of its championship game to plummet to a third-tier bowl and Mark Richt’s Dawgs weren’t exactly forgotten as the team that finished No. 2 in the conference this season.
But it’s one of those typical quirks of the crazy world of college football that the SEC runner-up Dawgs and the No. 6 team in the BCS, Arkansas, both were passed over by the Capitol One Bowl in favor of South Carolina, which finished behind Georgia in the SEC East. Of course, the Gamecocks are ranked higher in the polls than Georgia and their fans are known for buying up all the bowl tickets they can get their hands on.
Another oddity: While getting pasted in the second half of the SEC championship apparently knocked Georgia down a notch in the bowl pairings, the ACC runner-up, Virginia Tech, managed to crack the BCS (also on the basis of its well-traveling fan base) despite suffering a similar loss in its championship game.
And, of course, Alabama, which didn’t even make its conference championship game, gets to play for the BCS national title. Basically, the only way making the SEC championship game helps you is if you win it.
One other bowl note: Georgia ended up with a much more prestigious postseason game than Boise State, the team that got the Dawgs’ season off to such a poor start. The Broncos, who only had one regular season loss, will be in the pre-Christmas Las Vegas Bowl.
I actually was hoping Georgia would end up returning to Dallas, where it’s still 10 to 9, but after getting blown out in the second half Saturday Tampa seemed the inevitable destination. The Cotton always prefers an SEC West team for ticket sales and probably would have gone with Georgia only if the SEC game with LSU had been a nail-biter. Which is fine; the Cotton and Outback are on equal footing and both are traditional New Year’s Day bowls (post-New Year’s this year). Plus, with Arkansas and Kansas State, the Cotton gets to match two Top 10 teams, which makes sense.
Also, in Michigan State, Georgia gets a higher ranked opponent than South Carolina, who will play Nebraska, which ranks a couple of spots behind Georgia in the coaches’ poll. And it seems fitting to match the runners-up in the SEC and Big 10 in a bowl game.
While the Spartans are higher ranked in the human polls, Georgia finished just ahead of Michigan State in the final BCS rankings at No. 16. It’s interesting that the human polls, where emotion and perception rule, all had the Dawgs falling to No. 18 (where even their own coach ranked them in the coaches’ poll) while they finished higher in the BCS thanks to the computer rankings, whose detached crunching of the numbers placed Georgia at No. 12.
Georgia and Michigan State look to be a pretty good match, with both having highly ranked defenses and occasionally prolific offenses.
The weekend might not have ended with sugar falling out of the sky like we dreamed, but this year’s bowl picture is certainly a lot brighter for Georgia than the past couple. I’m pleased. How about you?
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740 comments Add your comment
ARdawg
December 5th, 2011
12:44 pm
Next year Tech will be eeerrrr, still Tech
DIT
December 5th, 2011
12:44 pm
@Still@theKool-aidBAR
Fair enough.
Honky Talkin
December 5th, 2011
12:45 pm
Had UGA beaten more than 2 teams with a winning record, UGA would have at least 4 or 5 losses.
Irene Crowell
December 5th, 2011
12:45 pm
Isabel sounds too masculine … Irene better suits “Glass” Crowell.
Dawgy
December 5th, 2011
12:46 pm
Honky Tonkin’
UGA is so 2nd tier that you are spending all day on this blog. Why be jealous of UGA playing in the SECCG? Your squad did NOT do enough to earn a spot in the game. Also. 2012, You think Bama will have most people back next year? Have you seen there roster? Think before you spout off. You know NOTHING. UGA will not “go back” to losing 4 games next year. Tell me how a team has had 7 years of 10 plus wins since 2001 and you claim “back to 4 loses” is the norm. Your math is fuzzy little man.
Old Dawg
December 5th, 2011
12:46 pm
Note to Boise State: when you play in a wimp conference (I really wanted to use another word), that’s what happens.
Yes, you beat an SEC team but it managed to get to the SEC Championship game, and even in a down year for the East, most football folks respect that.
Playing Ski Bum U and Mountain Climber A&M? Not so much.
I understand the location aspect of your school’s dilemma, I really do. But playing in the Big East will create huge logistical and financial problems. There are other solutions. Probably time for y’all to work on it.
DIT
December 5th, 2011
12:46 pm
“Next year Tech will be eeerrrr, still Tech”
In other words another dissapointing season with a loss to UGA! We might have been blown out by a much better, #1 team, but at least we got ourselves into position to play the #1 team.
Teek, well, it looks like you’ll just have to keep beating yourselfs…….
Nom Nom Nom Chuck's Taylor, or Norris if he is avaliable
December 5th, 2011
12:46 pm
Said it before the game….SPECIAL TEAMS. Mark Richt refuses to look up what the meaning of specail means.
I got an idea, lets kick it to a guy named Honey Badger…..FAIL
beanster
December 5th, 2011
12:49 pm
1st half sounds so much better though, AR. You’re right though. We clearly won the 1st quarter but we certainly didn’t have the momentum at half.
Still though, I am happy with the way they played. We were beaten by an obviously better team but we clearly deserved to be there. Woulda, coulda, shoulda I guess but I like the way next season looks Glad the youngsters on this team got a taste of the SECCG.
@ARdog
December 5th, 2011
12:50 pm
What? A team “figured out” the georgie “O”?
Buckeye
December 5th, 2011
12:51 pm
Dantonio will bring the wood agsint the dogs
He was D-Corrdinator at Ohio State in 2002 when we won the NC and did a pretty darm good job against the U.
The NFL drafted 13 of his players including Will Smith and Chris Gamble.
Football Fan
December 5th, 2011
12:51 pm
cassie
December 5th, 2011
11:51 am
Boise, OK State, Stanford, those are weenie teams, all of which would get crushed by LSU or Bama. SEC dominates because they are the best teams, period
————————————————————————————————
What a stupid comment. Boise State body-slammed Georgia. If you have to hide behind the conference you play in to feel good about yourself, you must be a loser. Georgia’s last score came during scrub time in that game.
Dawgy
December 5th, 2011
12:53 pm
Honky,
If “ifs and buts were candy and nuts” maybe people would listen to what you say. As it is now, go away you jealous loser.
Breaking News
December 5th, 2011
12:54 pm
This just in ………. LSU just scored again!
beanster
December 5th, 2011
12:54 pm
Not sure if some of you know this or not but UGA can only play the teams that are on its schedule each year. This year UGA went 7-1 in the SEC and were the East division Champions.
You’re not supposed to decide mid season “Hey Auburn, You aren’t having such a good season this year so we’re going to play Alabama instead.” The conference frowns on that, apparently.
Did you know that? Some here seem uninformed.
Breaking News
December 5th, 2011
12:54 pm
And again and again and again and again.
Dawgy
December 5th, 2011
12:55 pm
Buckeye,
tell Dantonio to bring it. Meanwhile get ready for probation, a cry baby for a coach, and more annual whippings by Meechigan.
AltamahaDawg
December 5th, 2011
12:56 pm
So now, we have the tech fans hanging thier hat on Arkanasas’ potential for future improvement. My goodness.
Hutson Mason
December 5th, 2011
12:56 pm
Will I get a shot in the spring?
AltamahaAlibi
December 5th, 2011
12:56 pm
We’re a fifth-tier program in the SEC.
Rick
December 5th, 2011
12:56 pm
South Carolina didn’t play LSU either and had a soft schedule as well. For the Capital One bowl, enjoy watching a team without a QB abd RB. LSu would beat SC by 50 points.
The BCS is a joke and have made college football a joke.
Honky Talkin
December 5th, 2011
12:56 pm
LSU was a 2-touchdown favorite for a reason. Who knew Georgia would lose by 32? Everyone except UGA fans.
really???
December 5th, 2011
12:57 pm
Football Fan -
I’m a Georgia fan who will readily admit Georgia got their tils whupped in the Boise State game. Apparently that game didn’t count, though, as Georgia is just a 2nd tier, completely irrelevant program. The only teams Georgia played this year were the Upper Alabama School for the Deaf and Blind, Jack Jackson’s Dog-Training Obediance College, and Georgia Tech.
ARdawg
December 5th, 2011
12:57 pm
beanster
Richt used some smoke and mirrors for the running game. LSU thought we would be a run threat and prepared for it. Hence our early success on offense (sans drops). Had we actually had a running game, the outcome would have been much different.
On defense it was a much different scenario. Our D played flawlessly in the first half. Starting with their backs to the goal line the first two series in the second half exposed our lack of depth. LSU didn’t have any lack of depth anywhere.
Overall, what appeared to be a good solid game plan to start was a house of cards and didn’t fool anyone very long. There were alternatives but out coaches didn’t explore them. The only halftime adjustment was offensively revert to the old Bobo conservatism. Might have been acceptable if we had any threat of a run game, we didn’t.
PressCoverGuy
December 5th, 2011
12:58 pm
Great, Aaaron “Mr Turonver” Murray, Aaron “Little Game” Murray, comes back to Tampa to lead the Dogs in another loss by turning the ball over 3 times. Can’t wait. Will he be more like he was against South Carolina, 4 turnovers, or LSU, 3 turnovers?
Murray didn’t play well in his last bowl game against UCF:
2 interceptions, fumble on goal line, 40% completions, 76 pass effic.
Little game Murray. What a QB. Against Coastal Carolina, he’s your man.
Dawgy
December 5th, 2011
12:58 pm
Breaking news, some clown named “breaking news” has become the most annoying blogger today. Apparently he does not know the score of the SECCG, does not know that TD’s count as 6/7 points or is too dumb for simple math. Ready for immature response in 3 , 2, 1…..
Nick Satan
December 5th, 2011
12:59 pm
You know what Crowell will get on his finals? Rib sauce…
Joey
December 5th, 2011
12:59 pm
Honky, you’ve obviously stumbled upon “realistic” posts by GT Joe, Muffin, etc.
DawginLex
December 5th, 2011
12:59 pm
buckeye
i was SOOOO hoping we would play the suckeyes in a bowl but when you suck as bad as OSU, we could never drop that far.
Did you watch UNC/UK basketball over the weekend?
That is real big boy basketball.
the Suckeyes can enjoy watching the rematch on the 1st monday in april
Raiderbeater
December 5th, 2011
12:59 pm
UGA BEAT SC like a drum all night….they lost their game though. You are a fool to not see that.
4 giveaway touchdowns….missed FG….lost by 3.
It will be ugly for SC in Columbia next year…
Breaking News
December 5th, 2011
1:00 pm
@dawgy Here it is. I’m so immature. Sorry
Honky Talkin
December 5th, 2011
1:00 pm
@beanster: 5-loss Auburn was the best SEC team you beat. You have Alabama next year, so that’s one more loss for the “can’t reach our potential with the dream team recruiting class” Bulldogs.
DawginLex
December 5th, 2011
1:01 pm
honky talkin
Get up to date
Alabama is off the schedule for 2012
Mizzou is in
Shine
December 5th, 2011
1:01 pm
Michigan State will stomp their rears.
really???
December 5th, 2011
1:01 pm
PressCoverGuy-
Please explain the rationale behind your comment that one of the statistically best QBs in the conference is “Mr Turnover” and “Little Game.” Murray threw for the most touchdowns in a single season in Georgia history, and he did so without a ’star’ wideout. Or are you getting your talking points from Honky Talkin?
RNB
December 5th, 2011
1:02 pm
That’s the problem with Georgia Football. We are pleased being mediocre. Would someone please tell me what we accomplished. We lost to the three best teams we played. Alabama and LSU have set the bar. It’s up to the others to catch them.
Bayou Bengal
December 5th, 2011
1:02 pm
Hahahahahahaha. UGA is not the second best team in the SEC. Out of the teams we played, Alabama, Miss St, and Arkansas were better. Pathetic.
Joey
December 5th, 2011
1:03 pm
“Next year Tech will be eeerrrr, still Tech”
************************************
ARdawg, you must be mistaken.
Tech fan, Muffin, says PJ’s gettin a passing QB, winning the ACC, and giving UGA a “beatdown” in ‘12.
So . . . Tech won’t be Tech next year.
Raiderbeater
December 5th, 2011
1:05 pm
If peple realy want to see if this is a fluke….watch Georgia again next year. They are mostly Fresh/Soph players!
MIKE
December 5th, 2011
1:05 pm
Bill,
Your comments are manifested “DENIAL” that Georgia is better anything after the season. AMAZING !!!
Georgia got whipped on both sideas of the ball by LSU and lost by 32 points. Boise and South Carolina also whipped them. Keep on dreaming and remember 1980 was only 31 years ago. Go dogs, wuff wuff .
ARdawg
December 5th, 2011
1:05 pm
Joey
They say that every year and every year they just keep coming back with nothing. It is always a new and improved nothing and they hang those hopes high. At the end of the year it all amounts to what it was at the start, nothing.
Honky Talkin
December 5th, 2011
1:06 pm
@DawginLex: Thanks for the update. So much for playing a tougher schedule. Missouri will be 5-7 next year…another losing team for the Dawgs to beat up on.
Still@theKool-aidBAR
December 5th, 2011
1:08 pm
really???? MURRAY has STATS against the crappy teams. HE has not WON a meaningful game against the Best teams.
WHAT Big Games has Murray Won? he collapses in the 3rd qtr most of the time.
Murray is Overrated. He is good, but not the Best QB in the SEC this Year or Next.
chilidawg
December 5th, 2011
1:08 pm
I hope the Sugar Bowl has to slash ticket prices to $5 to fill the Superdome. What a bunch of BS, er, I mean BCS.
beanster
December 5th, 2011
1:09 pm
I can’t blame Bobo for this one. I guess we could have thrown the kitchen sink at them but I am not sure that wouldn’t have led to more turnovers against a superior bunch of play makers who smelled blood in the water.
Not sure what you do when there isn’t one guy you can go to that is a threat to get even 3 yards on the ground. I hope those guys “mature” in more ways that one.
Voodoo Negro
December 5th, 2011
1:10 pm
Enter your comments here
Tom
December 5th, 2011
1:10 pm
Best team in the East?
An Eastern Division team swept the division….and it wasn’t UGA.
Dawg Food
December 5th, 2011
1:11 pm
A 10-3 record brings out the Dawg haters in droves. That speaks volumes in and of itself… Gotta luv it.
Bad Dawg
December 5th, 2011
1:11 pm
As a freshman, Crowell can’t flunk out first semester. He can make himself ineligible for sports, but he won’t flunk out. He has to get tougher, more committed, and actually figure out that football is his meal ticket. Otherwise, he might as well change his name to Al Bundy and get a job selling women’s shoes!
Honky Talkin
December 5th, 2011
1:12 pm
New Bumper Sticker: “Honk if you beat Florida and Tennessee this season”