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
Wait till next year!
January 2nd, 2012
5:56 pm
Georgia will never play for the MNC while Mark Richt is our coach. Clemson and South Carolina has a better chance than UGA .
coaching
January 2nd, 2012
5:56 pm
Ga had a lot more talent than msu—with even average coaching, ga wins that game by 10. Will richt get a long-term contract and huge raise????
Sparty 79
January 2nd, 2012
5:56 pm
Spartans are tough and have tons of heart…..Dogs are fast, talented, nice dreds and no heart
DD111
January 2nd, 2012
5:57 pm
Congrats to Boykin and King for a job well done. Too bad Richt and Bobo do not know how to make calls. In the OT or in the late stages of the game, how hard would it have been to call a passing play on first down since MS was expecting run on every first down? Also, does UGA have another field goal kicker other than Blair Walsh?
still a dawg fan
January 2nd, 2012
5:57 pm
Another 2nd half collapse & our Offensive Line still has not blocked anyone
Dawg 02
January 2nd, 2012
5:57 pm
BoBo has to go. I agree that Murray may be the most over-rated QB in the SEC. He continuously chokes in the big games, but performs well against the cupcake teams. Both Murray and BoBo pad their stats with the cupcake teams. I attended Georgia during the Green/Pollack days when we beat the teams we should and won some/lost some against the elite. Now we pad our resume with BS games and claim to be good. I’m sick of it.
Nostradamus
January 2nd, 2012
5:57 pm
UGA – Biggest Underachieving school in nation. Arrests still outnumber number of wins. Spurrier would have had 6 national championships now with all that talent. Media/blogs should be banned until they actually win something or beat somebody. “Elite…” Right….
big dawg
January 2nd, 2012
5:57 pm
Out with bobo, n with herbstriet please!!!!!!!!!!! Please mcgarity!!!
Chris Phillips
January 2nd, 2012
5:57 pm
Did any Georgia fan have confidence in our offense when they stepped out on the field during the second half? We were swinging for home runs, but could not put together a consistent drive like Michigan State’s offense. Poor execution and poor coaching by Mike Bobo. How many years have Georgia fans been disappointed and frustrated with Coach Bobo? How long will this persist? As long as Mark Richt is the head coach. I like Richt. Is there a better coach out there available? I don’t think so. But Bobo is a no-go. He must go-go.
DG
January 2nd, 2012
5:57 pm
I for one am glad Walsh is done. He’s as bad as the kicker for Bama! McGarity really needs to get onto Richt about Bobo. Seriously, what kind of play calling was that at the end of the 3rd & begining 4th? Same shotgun run play 4 TIMES in a row? It’s like he is purposely trying to lose the game. The offensive coaching staff need to practice what they preach when they get on the kids about finishing the drill. The reason the offense plays like crap in the second half is the play calling. It also wouldn’t kill Murray to play as big as the game either.
I wouldn’t blame Grantham if he pulled a Buddy Ryan and beat down on Bobo. He’s the biggest obstacal for the defense.
chazzo
January 2nd, 2012
5:57 pm
Whatever. It is 2012. Let’s have another spring and summer like this past one, and shut the neg heads up (including me)!
Michigan State is a good team full of seniors. UGA is a good team full of sophs and juniors. It was a great match up. GO DAWGS! Start workin’ your butts off NOW!
TampaGator
January 2nd, 2012
5:57 pm
football fan…..
I guess that is why Florida’s roster is loaded with talented Sophs and Fresh…..because Meyer could not recruit…..and Muschamp can’t either…..and why Florida is currently in the top 5 in recruiting right now….and soon to get much better. THE DREAM IS ALIVE….ALL SUMMER.
Gamecock Fan
January 2nd, 2012
5:58 pm
Gamecocks beat Nebraska.. You dawg fans remember them,right?
Please keep bobo the clown.
Pope UGA XXIII
January 2nd, 2012
5:58 pm
Several observations here:
— Michigan State is a very good football team
— Aaron Murray apparently goes color blind in the 3rd qt
and completes passes to the defense. I don’t see any
evidence yet that he can defeat a top tier team.
— We have the game won if we can just get a first down
late in the game, but for reasons unknown, Bobo calls
three running plays which really haven’t worked all day.
I’m sure he won’t do it given the 10 – 4 season, but a new
offensive coach would be very nice for 2012.
— Blair Walsh, unfortunately, has disintegrated during his
senior year.
— Another game, ala South Carolina, was given away.
— After looking thru the 2011 media guide during the 4th
quarter and three OT’s, I didn’t find too many games that
Vince Dooley should have won, but let get away.
— We lose the first two and the last two, so what should
have been an excellent year becomes merely a very good
season. There’s absolutely no question that UGA should have
recorded 12 wins and 2 loses.
— Tech still has nothing to cheer about other than an occasional
loss at UGA.
See ya next year.
Bob-Bob Baran
January 2nd, 2012
5:58 pm
UGA=SEC Pretenders…The Big EAST is looking for a couple teams…Boise State has committed to the Big EAST…Hey, now you get revenge vs. Boise State!!! If you stay, at least you avoided playing THE UNIVERSITY OF ALABAMA in 2012!! Watch us next Monday and take notes!!!
007
January 2nd, 2012
5:58 pm
Could someone please explain to me why our offensive line cannot block. PLEASE.
Texas Dawg
January 2nd, 2012
5:58 pm
We have not beat a good team other than the AU win this season in the past three years…..we just can’t beat good teams……Defense is very good but our offensive play called is weak… weak…weak…Bobo needs to go! We have way to much talent………I have said it all last season and this season….. Murry doesn’t get it done when the pressure is on! He accounted for what three…four turnovers today?
Flat Tire on I-95 in Jacksonville
January 2nd, 2012
5:58 pm
3 yrs now and UGA still hasnt beat a top 25 team
Richt hasnt had a big win since 2005
Dwag Fan
January 2nd, 2012
5:58 pm
Just wait until next year. We have a great 5-star recruiting class and with our schedule we will win the MNC! Can’t wait. Go DWAGS!
JB
January 2nd, 2012
5:58 pm
Snoop, I wouldn’t say that about the TEAM. We had some guys who played their hearts out today. Coaching is very average at best. It’ll always give a lesser team a chance. I know that MSU coach was peeing in his pants at 3:46 in regulation and we had the ball at our 35 with a first down and went in the fetal position.
icedawg
January 2nd, 2012
5:58 pm
Coaches don’t read these blogs thankfully. But the 3 runs and a punt at 3:46 in the 4th was mind-numbing. There must be a better offensive mind somewhere.
jan
January 2nd, 2012
5:58 pm
Not a UGA fan, but Mark Richt should be fired after this debacle. Way too conservative, like most people down here, especially in his play calling. He stole the game from the UGA players. All they need is a field goal to win in OT, and he plays scared, not even bothering to run a play, except a 2 yarder up the middle, then setting up a 42 yarder to win it?? Hardly a chip shot. Mark Richt took the game away from the UGA players in OT by playing scared. Was he that worried about a fumble? Then why did he throw it to the end zone on the 1st play of the 2nd OT?? Richt is an absolute joke and that was the worst play calling I’ve ever seen. I mean, not even trying to score when all they need is field goal to win? If you’re playing for the field goal, at least get it to the 10 yard line. But to kill the damn game at the 25 yard line? What a joke.
LanceWeakLlegs
January 2nd, 2012
5:58 pm
and please give Mason a fair chance to beat out Murray next year, as much as I like Aaron personally, he is jut not a winner. how many times do you have to repeat all this before you figure it out, CMR?
Wait till next year!
January 2nd, 2012
5:59 pm
South Carolina is going to make it 3 in a row over UGA next year. This will be unexcusable.
Happy New Year
January 2nd, 2012
5:59 pm
What a great year 2012 is turning out to be!!! What a choke job, hope you rednecks have trouble sleeping for a while. Man, that was fun to watch!!!
78dawg
January 2nd, 2012
5:59 pm
The reason we lost was Bobo’s ultra conservative play calling at the end of regulation. We couldn’t run the ball yet thats what he kept trying to do. Isiah Crowell is a disgrace and is a female sex organ.
Ghost
January 2nd, 2012
5:59 pm
Snoop your an idiot. Go back to being a Tech fan.
TampaGator
January 2nd, 2012
5:59 pm
P.S…….
Brian White called a solid game at the OC today…..and the Gators did not play soft. The Gator defense…..especially the secondary…..is simply terriffic….and VERY VERY YOUNG.
DG
January 2nd, 2012
5:59 pm
@Nostradamus; what arrests are you referring to? There has not been an arrest of a UGA FB player in quite some time.
killer
January 2nd, 2012
5:59 pm
Wonder how Murrays draft status was affected today.
Buzz 2011
January 2nd, 2012
5:59 pm
Crappie being served at a UGA fish fry tomorrow!! Can the Dawgs have South Carolina, Auburn, Kentucky, GT removed from the 2012 schedule? Hope so as they will lose those games for sure..One half Dawgs with high school offense and sore quarterback..
Flat Tire on I-95 in Jacksonville
January 2nd, 2012
6:00 pm
3 yrs now and UGA still hasnt beat a top 25 team
Richt hasnt had a big win since 2005!!!!
Fire Mike Bobo
January 2nd, 2012
6:00 pm
This game featured all of our weaknesses.
1) Mike Bobo’s insatiable craving to run it up the middle over and over again. 16 MSU tackles for losses??? Three consecutive runs up the middle when all we needed was a 1st down to win the game? Worse case scenario, Murray throws another pick and you go to OT if MSU scores (Which happened anyway). The INT with 3 mins to play and a TD lead would ice the game for most every other team, but when you are so afraid to lose, you aren’t going to win.
2) Crowell goes down with another injury…(punk)
3) Play conservative to put the game in Blair Walsh’s hands??? And guess what…he misses again…Is that smart leadership by Richt/Bobo.
Conclusion – Bobo has to go. I just really hope that game didn’t cost us Rambo and Charles.
GT
January 2nd, 2012
6:00 pm
The real question I have is how did Tech lose to Georgia. This Georgia team is not much better if any than the team that had the lynch mob out earlier this year looking for Richt. After watching them get skinned against LSU and lose this one, I am really worried about Tech, because these guys are not that good.
Erk Russell's Dog
January 2nd, 2012
6:00 pm
The UGA Bandwagon just blew all four tires. That trip to Colombia Missouri just got a lot tougher. Jarvis and Big John just might change their minds and split for the NFL.Jarvis may be getting tired of taking those cut blocks for free.
AugustaDawg
January 2nd, 2012
6:00 pm
@TampaGator….then you wake up after the summer and realize you just had another 6-6 season and another loss to the Dawgs!
Boggie
January 2nd, 2012
6:00 pm
Blair Walsh looks like he is on meth.
GT Man
January 2nd, 2012
6:00 pm
Are u sure Richt wasnt asking Johnson for some stupid plays to run when you have a big lead?? Wait til next year, dogs can still feast off of our Defensive Coordinator Groh and play calling Johnson. Only thing we have to look forward to is beating Duke and Kansas.
nobody
January 2nd, 2012
6:01 pm
all we need for the big games is a little more coaching, a little more blocking, a little better kicking, a little tougher running, and a little better quarterbacking….but we did finish 10-4 counting the breathers
Flat Tire on I-95 in Jacksonville
January 2nd, 2012
6:01 pm
3 yrs now and UGA still hasnt beat a top 25 team
Richt hasnt had a big win since 2005!!!!!
TampaGator
January 2nd, 2012
6:01 pm
I will now leave to let Dawg fans bitch, dream, and post that the Gators are down forever. Have fun with all that…..especially your ongoing dreams.
Snoop Dawg
January 2nd, 2012
6:01 pm
As painful as this loss is, it would be worth it if Richt and bobo go…
Utah > mich state
January 2nd, 2012
6:01 pm
Ga losing to mich state, with better talent all over the field—total embarrassment for the SEC.
Blair Miss Project
January 2nd, 2012
6:01 pm
————–> OUCH!
Flat Tire on I-95 in Jacksonville
January 2nd, 2012
6:01 pm
3 yrs now and UGA still hasnt beat a top 25 team
Richt hasnt had a big win since 2005!!!!!!!
Hoss Cartwright
January 2nd, 2012
6:01 pm
If Walsh does his job the tone of the blog is much different. Bottom line is Walsh blew it not Boo Boo, not Richt, not Murray. You may feel bad for the guy but he blew it.
AugustaDawg
January 2nd, 2012
6:01 pm
OSU has anemic offense
TN Jeff
January 2nd, 2012
6:01 pm
Buzz 2011,
Yeah all indications from recent history sure point to GA losing to the nerds in 2012. I thought you guys were supposed to be smart?
ugakev
January 2nd, 2012
6:01 pm
Lance…Mason will not beat Murray out. Lemay is our only hope and from what I hear its a good possibility.
DAWG with two bag back over head
January 2nd, 2012
6:01 pm
Hey, Blair Walsh,
Don’t let the door hit you in the butt on the way out! Good riddance.