Live from the Outback: UGA should win this bloomin’ bowl
The press box food preparation table, shown after hungry scribes descended. (Photo by M. Bradley)
Tampa – The nice thing about covering the Outback Bowl is the sponsor. It’s the only bowl that serves steak and a bloomin’ onion as a pregame meal. I mention this so you’ll know not to expect much in the way of back-and-forth from this correspondent over the next half-hour.
As for the game … well, here’s what you need to know about Michigan State. The Spartans are 7-14 in bowls. They haven’t won won since Dec. 31, 2001. They’re 0-4 under Mark Dantonio. Even Nick Saban was 0-3 in bowls as MSU’s coach.
The Spartans are 0-3 in bowls against teams from Georgia. (Lost to the Bulldogs in Vince Dooley’s final game and in the Capital One in 2008, lost to Georgia Tech in the old Hall of Fame Bowl in Birmingham in 1985. Georgia fans will remember that as the game in which John Dewberry, who transferred from UGA and became Tech’s quarterback, did not partake — he’d been suspended for missing curfew in Birmingham, which isn’t easy to do.)
It’s possible Michigan State could win today, but recent history shows it’s not smart to bet against the SEC in a bowl against the Big Ten. (Example: The Spartans lost to Alabama 49-7 in the Capital One last January. Though Michigan State did beat Florida in the Citrus on the first day of this century.)
Enough. Georgia should win. I make it 27-17, but I’m often wrong. Sometimes even bloomin’ wrong, which reminds me …
Discuss among yourselves. I’ll be back in a few. And happy bloomin’ New Year.
By Mark Bradley
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3,667 comments Add your comment
Ga8tr
January 2nd, 2012
5:46 pm
Hate to see an SEC bowl loss but Richt deserves this for his ridiculous pre-game remark about a win helping slot UGA high in the preseason rankings next year. Doesn’t this clown know by now that this doesn’t matter for an SEC team? What a tool. But thanks for keeping Richt around. More mediocrity for UGA for years to come.
Sparty 79
January 2nd, 2012
5:46 pm
Jeffiepoo….quit worrying about Tech. You have your own problems. You want to be the flagship college football team in the state and constantly say Tech is irrelevant, so get over it when your team chokes and makes the headlines. You have to take the bad with the good….I guarantee that if GA would have won, the AJC would have had a bigger headline than for Tech if they had won….
SCDAWG
January 2nd, 2012
5:46 pm
I’m 55 yrs old and been a Dawg fan all my adult life. I’ve seen more Ga football than most. I’m a Huge Richt fan and understand commitments(Bobo). What I don’t understand is consistently trying the same plays over and over (up the middle running plays) with a sub par running attack when u have more proven weapons on the edge. Anyone knows u should use your strength to support any weakness you have. In my most humble opinon, I believe our Off. Coordinator was a Major reason we lost this game today
Nick Gear
January 2nd, 2012
5:46 pm
Mettenburger for Murray…rapes will for sure go up in Athens!
Willie Martinez
January 2nd, 2012
5:47 pm
I see that your prevent Defense still stinks…….
MARK RICHT&BOZO R DUMB AS HELL
January 2nd, 2012
5:47 pm
THANK YOU MUTTS
azdawg
January 2nd, 2012
5:47 pm
GA will never win a NC nor conf championship as long as Bobo and CMR are coaching, esp bozo. They decided to go to conservative w/more than 3 mins to go in 4th qtr. To run 22 up the middle 3 times w/o trying one pass to ice the game. Awful decision ,making that fits both their MO’s. CTG can share the blame as well for not putting more pressure on Cousins on MSU’s game tying score late in the game. Then w/12 tics on the clock the brain trusts CMR and Bobo take a knee w/o even trying a play to get into FG position but then Walsh finished the season a total failure missing 2 FG’s one to win and one to tie in OT but kick was too low and blocked. Cousins outplayed Murray who repeated his pic six and aanother int which ended in MSU td. You cannot count on Murray as he gets rattled often under pressure and also stares down one receiver w/o looks to other open rec’s. GA should have won this game had it not been for Bozo and CMR who agreed w/bozo not to play to win but not to lose which backfired miserably. Total failure by Bozo, CMR and CTG for playing too conservative at end of game and it OT. Should not have relied on Walsh who has had a head case season to win this game. None of these guys deserve any bonus in pay for this pitiful display of coaching when coaching and play calling were most critical. Why the dawg nation has to put up w/this crap every year when there are so much more out there in OC play callers.
Hillybilly Trailer Trash
January 2nd, 2012
5:47 pm
Michigan State whooped us.
GT Man
January 2nd, 2012
5:47 pm
When did UGA hire Paul Johnson and his staff—-at least you blew a 16 point lead to a ranked team.
Dawgs on Fire!
January 2nd, 2012
5:47 pm
dawgs beat weak florida, auburn and tech and now they are on top!!!! Richt—long term contract! Bobo–big raise!!! Grantham—$1.5 mil or he walks!!! Dawgs can’t be beat!!!!!
Flat Tire on I-95 in Jacksonville
January 2nd, 2012
5:47 pm
Under the Richt Tenure
More players in the NFL than any other SEC school
#1 in recruiting in the SEC
Results!!
3 yrs now and UGA still hasnt beat a top 25 team
!!!!!!
Tennessee Dawg
January 2nd, 2012
5:47 pm
Totally agree with wrich. Game lost in regulation when UGA ran ball between the tackles three times and punted giving ball to 5th-year senior quarterback with more than 2 minutes to play. Never even tried for first down. Richt gets us right where we deserve. Never contend for any championships due to conservative nature. Nothing ventured nothing gained…Richt’s mantra!!!
UGA R U kidding?
January 2nd, 2012
5:47 pm
Wow, 2800 comments. Didn’t know that many of you could write, much less have the internet.
Go Spartans
January 2nd, 2012
5:47 pm
All you guys lambasting Richt and Bobo and the special teams are forgetting that your highly rated defense showed AGAIN that it stinks too. Couldn’t stop Boise State, couldn’t stop LSU, couldn’t stop MSU. “Choke” Grantham is a JOKE!!!!
007
January 2nd, 2012
5:48 pm
Right on VaBeachDawg.
DP
January 2nd, 2012
5:48 pm
Post of the day by Oily Rag at 4:50, just before the Walsh field goal attempt in the first OT!
“See any Michigan State coaches throwing up a CHOKE sign to Walsh?”
Written in the spur of the moment. Very impressive Oily Rag!
Where’s Grinch?
Rico
January 2nd, 2012
5:48 pm
“on the verge of greatness”…….Um, LMAO! Same old story…..did not beat ONE quality opponent all year AND GUESS what….there is not one quality opponent on the 2012 schedule. So all you nutty mutts will getballnhotnand bothered about your record again next year until the bowl game. Have fun next year when you are 11-1 and did not play ANYBODY!
JB
January 2nd, 2012
5:48 pm
Makes for a long off season. Gotta listen to all the off season HYPE. I’m not interested if Bobo is retained as OC. If today was not proof he coaching with a weeji board, nothing will convince you.
TechRon
January 2nd, 2012
5:48 pm
A bad loss. I really thought the Dawgs were on a cakewalk after the first half. A bitter, bitter pill to swallow. We know about that here at Tech. We lost in similar fashion, because our coach is an arrogant, intransigent jerk and our players are no good, no talent, no heart. UGA has their own reasons. MR is a better coach, has a better staff and a lot better players. It would be bad manners to crow. Besides UGA is way ahead of us. Speaking as a Tech guy from way back: It is time for us to clean house.
kb
January 2nd, 2012
5:48 pm
Snoop you may be the largest idiot that post on these boards.
evil empire
January 2nd, 2012
5:48 pm
my personal favorite excuse: “if we don’t extend cmr, it will hurt recruiting”….hahahahahaha….god i hope you keep the entire staff…don’t break up the band…i can’t wait till the preseason nat champ season kicks off…32 years and counting…
BingoBanjo
January 2nd, 2012
5:48 pm
defense forced 3 turnovers
couldn’t kick a field goal to win it
NOT
January 2nd, 2012
5:48 pm
Here come the bulldog bashers…it’s called cheese!!!!!
Otto
January 2nd, 2012
5:48 pm
This just in…Ford Motors re-signs Mark Richt to an extension and gives him another F150 for doing such a good job today!
Sparty 79
January 2nd, 2012
5:48 pm
Dogs need to realize they are not on the level as Alabama or LSU…..or even Arkansas, Auburn and Florida most years. You are a middle of the pack SEC team and just get used to it.
J Bo
January 2nd, 2012
5:48 pm
Dawgs didn’t lose this game they gave it away. What was that folks said about contract extention’s? Is the ink dry yet?
Wait till next year!
January 2nd, 2012
5:48 pm
Again!
Falcaints
January 2nd, 2012
5:48 pm
Hey Ga, you missed a great performance by an SEC Qb today. Shaw threw for 2 TD’s ran for another and committed no turnovers. Murray is the most overrated Qb in the SEC.
Murray's at home!!!
January 2nd, 2012
5:49 pm
Sure, the dawgs choked away another game, but aaron got to play in front of a lot of friends and family!!!!
TampaGator
January 2nd, 2012
5:49 pm
Snoop Dawg…..
Spurrier would never coach in Athens. He would rather die.
TnDawg
January 2nd, 2012
5:49 pm
I would say unbelievable, but it isn’t anymore. I predicted each of following while watching the game with a buddy:
1) The three running plays when a first down would probably win it.
2) After the int in the 1st OT, Georgia would not go for the win, and miss a field goal. This was before the first snap by Georgia.
3) Would eventually lose after Walsh made #2 come true because the defense was gassed and Bobo was still calling the plays.
I really, really, really hate to be right.
Pat
January 2nd, 2012
5:49 pm
Dawgs can not run the ball they ran the same twp plays 9 times each and lost 40 yards Ga should have won this game going away
Orange11
January 2nd, 2012
5:49 pm
Murray single handedly wins another game, for the other team.
Jacket99
January 2nd, 2012
5:49 pm
OkieDawg
December 31st, 2011
7:04 pm
Can we change the name from Georgia Tech to Johnson Tech? I hate to see the name of Georgia associated with losing.
University of Bobo? Can’t we be proud to be Georgians and look forward to signing day and next season?
PT
January 2nd, 2012
5:49 pm
See ya next fall, maybe.
Chris Phillips
January 2nd, 2012
5:49 pm
Why run the ball up the middle when all game long your opponent has stuffed it and caused you to lose yardage? Conservative, predictable, Bobo offense. Once again the defense plays lights out in the first half and fizzles out in the second. Once again Murray has flashes of greatness, but stifles all that with three turnovers (and the opponent capitalized each time). Murray talks big with Grisham (Georgia a national contender??) but he can’t prove it out on the field with a big game in his hands. Kick a field goal in OT on third down? Are you kidding me!!?? Two years running with bowl losses. This Georgia team has proven all the critics right – we can’t win the big games against ranked opponents. We have the players, but the problem lies elsewhere. Bad play calling by the coaching staff. Give credit where credit is due – Michigan State out coached Georgia. Bill King said Georgia could have something to prove in this game – we did, we are still far away from being national contenders. Florida took care of business. South Carolina took care of business. Auburn took care of business. Georgia lost. Mark Richt could be right. Georgia might be close. But in my opinion, if we are going to take that next step in getting to the big dance, we need a new offensive coordinator and a special teams coach. If Georgia players want respect from the media, they have to shut up and prove themselves out on the field. They had their chance this season. Now we wait for next year. Will Georgia play for the national championship? I have major doubts.
BingoBanjo
January 2nd, 2012
5:50 pm
malcome averaged 4.3 yards a carry today.
looked strong in 4th quarter
should have run the ball
bad game plan
ICrow Mad
January 2nd, 2012
5:50 pm
Next year, ICro want more touches or he may walk! He wants to be the focus of the offense! He entitled!!!
Please fire Bobo
January 2nd, 2012
5:50 pm
Bobo needs to go.
Erk Russell's Dog
January 2nd, 2012
5:50 pm
FlatTire in Jax
How many 5Star O-line players has CMR recruited . Maybe Sturdivant and he could not stay healthy. Todays O-line play was pitiful.Combined with IC’s glass ankle the Dawgs could not get a first down on the second drive when they had 4th and 1 on the 3 yard line.O-line still way too soft for the SEC.
stendek
January 2nd, 2012
5:50 pm
Whoever is being held on bench so Aaron Murray can play is being jobbed! This loser is a giveaway machine! Elite? In his own mind plus that of Saintly Mark Wretch! Bah. Look for another disaster in Athens later this year! Crap.
theavgjoe
January 2nd, 2012
5:50 pm
This game is the beginning of the end for UGA football under MR. He may survive another two or three years but the Georgia Football Program will continue to go down hill. Arron Murray is not even an average QB. He is a bad QB. Just as Quincy Carter took Donan under, Arron and Bobo are taking MR under. Arron single handily threw this game away.
Bobo is horrible and MR should fire Bobo before the day is over. The offense was not prepared. This is one of the darkest days in UGA football history. There is no way Georgia should have lost this game.
GhostOfDodd
January 2nd, 2012
5:50 pm
Lose it for Larry and Uga.
TampaGator
January 2nd, 2012
5:50 pm
Rico…..
That “verge” just took a left turn off the bandwagon bridge to summer dreams.
UGA PROGRAM IS 4 SISSIES LIKE MARK RICHT
January 2nd, 2012
5:50 pm
MARK RICHT IS A COWARD
george p. burdell
January 2nd, 2012
5:51 pm
ha ha…my favorite…ET “a win is a win”
only when it isn’t!
Dixie
January 2nd, 2012
5:51 pm
Dogs lose…..HaHaHaHa
Ole Ball Coach
January 2nd, 2012
5:51 pm
Hmm, UCF last year and now MSU this year??? Send some of those dream team recruits up my way.
Tennessee Dawg
January 2nd, 2012
5:51 pm
If McGarity extends Richt’s contract he should get the axe!
Snoop Dawg
January 2nd, 2012
5:51 pm
Question to the Bulldog Nation: Who thinks that 2011 was a successful season for UGA?