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
NOT
January 2nd, 2012
6:02 pm
Greatness?…LOL… Georgia beat bad teams, plain and simple, they beat bad teams.
TnDawg
January 2nd, 2012
6:02 pm
Honestly, when is the last time this staff outcoached an opposing staff? It has been years.
asheville dawg
January 2nd, 2012
6:02 pm
Has anyone noticed the simialarities between “Bobo” and “Van Gourter”. It is scary. WE will not win on either level with these predictable OC’s!!!!!
Snoop Dawg
January 2nd, 2012
6:02 pm
Crowell is nothing more than a ghetto punk. Kick him off the team; he’s an energy vampire and awimp.
Saban Never Sleeps
January 2nd, 2012
6:02 pm
Shameful!!!! What a joke of a program
only 2 titles
January 2nd, 2012
6:02 pm
richt’s only 2 SEC titles—when florida and alabama sucked. Since then–they haven’t come close. But richt will get a long term contract again because he’s a “good guy” and a “missionary!” Other SEC schools are happy!!!!!
Stacy Searles
January 2nd, 2012
6:02 pm
Who is Will Friend?
DAWG with two bag back over head
January 2nd, 2012
6:02 pm
Typical Richt Team effort, find every possible way to lose!
daddo
January 2nd, 2012
6:02 pm
FIVE MORE YEARS. FIVE MORE YEARS. FIVE MORE YEARS. HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA……….
Phil Fulmer
January 2nd, 2012
6:03 pm
Phil Fulmer says, ” Mark, I fooled TN fans for years with my great recruits. If you want you can come to my closet & see my BCS National Championship ring.”
Flat Tire on I-95 in Jacksonville
January 2nd, 2012
6:03 pm
Hoss Cartwright
If Mike Bonehead had the brains to call a play to get a first down we take a knee and win and Walsh wouldnt have been needed
Did you watch the game
Erk Russell's Dog
January 2nd, 2012
6:03 pm
Buzz 2011 they have fish fries at TECH. They have WEENIE roasts in Athens.
bitter QB
January 2nd, 2012
6:03 pm
Tree is a beast and like rambo and jenkins, they came to play—-sanders cummins and aaron murry both
——————————need to be drug tested——————but the coach did not evan give mason a shot
——————————-richt and bobo—–blind leading the blind
——————–ps—my sources tell me that jerry jones is going to hire
————————–gratham as “D” coornator for cowboys——–get used to 7 wins a season
—————————————for 7 more years—-there really given richt another 7 year deal
chazzo
January 2nd, 2012
6:03 pm
Lay off Murray. A) One INT was a blown route by King, the other was a tipped ball. Both were equalled out by MSU throwing two picks as well. B) He fumbled. Trying to do too much. Happens. Yes it sucked. C) He is a young guy in his second year. I wouldn’t rule out Lemay beating him out in the spring, but to suggest that never having played a college down (or a down of his senior year in high school), Lemay would have done any better is not logical D) All things said and done, redshirting Lemay was the straight up right thing to do.
autotrader
January 2nd, 2012
6:03 pm
I will keep this short.
1. Richard Samuel can’t run the ball, never has, never will.
2. Booboo has gotta go.
3. Gangbangers should NOT BE RECRUITED NOR PLAYED.
3. CMR needs to look for a new job.
TN Jeff
January 2nd, 2012
6:03 pm
Hoss Cartwright,
Ummmmm, Walsh has been blowing it all season SO a good coach should factor that in before taking a knee to kick a field goal on 3rd down.
ugakev
January 2nd, 2012
6:03 pm
6:01 pm
3 yrs now and UGA still hasnt beat a top 25 team
Richt hasnt had a big win since 2005!!!!!!!
As much as it sucks, you sir are right! Facts do not lie
gadawgs
January 2nd, 2012
6:04 pm
Third and 10 play action…brilliant call! Really Bobo?? You are a complete and utter moron!! What defense in their right mind that you have not run on all day is going to bite on a play action in that situation. You do not deserve another paycheck as an OC. Also, I have been saying all year to my fellow Dawg lovers that Murray is not a big game quarterback. He turns the ball over too much against good teams. Case in point today three BAD turnovers. State’s D did not even have to make a great play on any of them. Pathetic…If LeMay does not get a legitimate shot next year coach needs to go. Bobo should not even be allowed on the plane back home. Horrible!!!!
Rilo
January 2nd, 2012
6:04 pm
007
You cant block a play when the other team knows exactly what you will call. Bobo runs to the short side of the field on 1st and 2nd down then we play action on third down. He is the worst coach in the history of UGA Football.
JB
January 2nd, 2012
6:04 pm
Imagine this talent with a top notch coach and staff.. The word is out on Richt. Soft and lost in tight games. McGarity has let the horse out of the Barn. We are stuck with this coach and staff for at least 3 more years. He’ll have 5 and the school won’t fire him but say 2 years left. ho hum.
Ghost
January 2nd, 2012
6:04 pm
Good try at being a Georgia fan Asheville, Van Gorder was a DC.
TampaGator
January 2nd, 2012
6:04 pm
AugustaDawg…..
Yet….the Gators won their bowl game…..and your team didn’t. And the Gators looks good doing it. You looked bad….losing. Enjoy your summer. I certainly will. 4 points just got made up…and several more.
columella
January 2nd, 2012
6:04 pm
The problem is not Walsh, although he contributed. The problem is the poor play calling and blown defense that allowed MSU to get back in it. Bobo must go, but the problem really goes to the top. CMR needs to go. Well, 10 wins – against Coastal Carolina, too! Enough! How about winning games against ranked, high quality teams? Hasn’t happened in years; doubt it will any time soon.
Contract Extension!
January 2nd, 2012
6:04 pm
Time for mcgarity to pay up and give richt and bobo long-term contracts and huge raises for the dramatic and spectacular SEC east title!!! SEC east champions!!! YES!!!!!! The dawgs have arrived! how ’bout ‘em!!!!
J Bo
January 2nd, 2012
6:04 pm
Be interesting to see what comes down the pipe if and when contract talks resume.
Dan
January 2nd, 2012
6:04 pm
Bobo needs to go!!!!!!!!
Sopwith Camel
January 2nd, 2012
6:05 pm
Well, I guess it’s UGA and Vandy as the only SEC teams to lose their bowl games.
UGA has to get an offensive line and some running backs before they will ever win against a decent opponent. We absolutely do not have even ONE decent running back. I have watched Samuel all season and he put forth some effort to run in only one game this whole year. His trademark is to get to the line of scrimmage and no further. That’s what he did today. I would never play him in any game. And Crowell can take a hike. The others try but we need a HOSS which we don’t have. And I never thought I’d say it but we need a dependable field goal kicker, too. Those things in combination with firing some coaches and we might be able to be a decent team again.
chazzo
January 2nd, 2012
6:05 pm
Murray was 20-32 for 288 yds. Why would you give Mason a shot?
Vince Dooley
January 2nd, 2012
6:05 pm
I know a good coach in Knoxville who knows how to win.
SAL
January 2nd, 2012
6:05 pm
#3030
Pago Pago DAWG
January 2nd, 2012
6:05 pm
Wonder how many other bowl teams this season UGA could have beaten.
RedPanties
January 2nd, 2012
6:05 pm
End the year just like we started——-someone said we still can’t beat a top 25 team,
well h3ll, have we beat a team witha winning record?????????
stendek
January 2nd, 2012
6:05 pm
I know the UGA O line sucks but…Mike Dodo calls for a run into 11 players on fourth down and inches? Does not happen in NFL. Does not happen in college. That is not successful at ANY football level! Damn brainless moron!
TampaGator
January 2nd, 2012
6:06 pm
I am sure….until the AJC stops it……the Dawg fan moaning and groaning will go on for over 100 pages. Have fun!
War Eagle!
January 2nd, 2012
6:06 pm
HA,HA, HA, HA, HA, HA,HA!!!!!!!!!!!!!! You guys embarrass the SEC!!! One day the higher ups at UGA will figure out the mark richt with NEVER win a championship and georgia and your program will always be mediocre. Auburn won! Florida won! South Carolina Won!….UGA LOST!!!!!!! HA.HA, HA, HA!!!!!!!!!! Maybe some of your guys can help win the Senior Bowl since you lost your bowl….HA, HA, HA!!!!!!
War Eagle!!!
Still 2010 National Champs!!!!!!!!!
Mike Bobo
January 2nd, 2012
6:06 pm
What is it with all you haters. We won 10 games and got to the SEC Champ Game. The defense should have held better or not allowed any points. It is not my fault……
In Da Hunt
January 2nd, 2012
6:06 pm
Hope McGarity tells Richt to can Bobo.
Richt Rules
January 2nd, 2012
6:06 pm
Richt could take his’n and lose to your’n. He could take your’n and lose to his’n. He’s one of a kind!
They lost again???
January 2nd, 2012
6:06 pm
Maybe UGA should play UCF again.
Oh wait, they lost to them too.
jan
January 2nd, 2012
6:06 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 call 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 game at the 25 yard line? What a joke.
JB
January 2nd, 2012
6:06 pm
Damn, we’re Tech. Beat girls and kicked around by football teams
Doug
January 2nd, 2012
6:06 pm
UGA means University of Good to Average.
RedPanties
January 2nd, 2012
6:06 pm
Beat Florida, but shouldn’t have
sunny purdue
January 2nd, 2012
6:06 pm
Michigan State? Really????? BWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHHAAHHAAHAHAHAHAHAHAH
The Rest of the SEC
January 2nd, 2012
6:06 pm
You guys were wanting to give Richt an extension yesterday!
Georgia is the laughing stock of the nation. Can’t even beat an average Big 1G team.
Pathetic
oakisland
January 2nd, 2012
6:06 pm
I can no longer take this crap. We have the worst game managing coaches in football. I have been a a GA fan since 1965 and grad in 69 and I have thoroughly had it with Richt, Bobo and now Murray. I for one would demote Bobo to head recruiter for Alaska and Montana and get the hell out of Athens. Any coach in America would have won this game except these two clowns. I have been a Richt supporter until the last two losses and I can no longer support him and that idiot Bobo. GIVE LEMAY AND MASON a chance to play. Just really peed off at this stupid loss by inept coaches and Murray and Walsh.
Ray Goff
January 2nd, 2012
6:06 pm
You bunch of losers!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Rivals Recruit Ranking
January 2nd, 2012
6:06 pm
Wow! Ten years of top recruits… Must be ranking them wrong… Oh, wait EVERY OTHER TEAM WITH GREAT RECRUITING HAS WON A NC!!!!!!!
Jon
January 2nd, 2012
6:06 pm
It is embarrassing to have to play Michigan St. Even worse to lose to them. The TV coverage cut off quick but I thought I saw the MSU players carrying Blair Walsh off the field as their player of the game.
DAWG with two basg back over head
January 2nd, 2012
6:06 pm
Once again Murray chokes in a big game. Two bad interceptions and a fumble besides the total lack of communication with the receivers. He’s just not a big game quarterback. It’s ridiculous that every position is competitive EXCEPT quarterback. Murray must have pictures of Saint Mark.