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
Delusional
January 2nd, 2012
6:31 pm
Don’t worry, UGA fans… NEXT year is The Year. I’m sure of it!
Bobby H
January 2nd, 2012
6:31 pm
Lots of changes need to be made at UGA. But not the logo. That big G stands for Goober (aka Mark Richt).
dawgs01
January 2nd, 2012
6:32 pm
trolls of other sec teams saying uga is an embarrassment to the conference. UGA has one of the best out of conference records in the SEC. At the moment we have a horrible coaching staff. We have so much talent on this team that it could win 8 games without a coach.
Bob
January 2nd, 2012
6:32 pm
Call it devine intervention or McGarity’s scheduling, but Richt is set up to go 10-2 again next season and contend for nothing but another raise. A change in coaching culture is the only solution.
Buckeye
January 2nd, 2012
6:32 pm
Win with looks good with bangs.
Snoop Dawg
January 2nd, 2012
6:32 pm
Why does the Bulldog Nation lay the blame on the leader, Mark Richt? Why always blame an assistant or a player?
Wake, up, chump. you are getting hosed.
DawgVoiceofReason
January 2nd, 2012
6:32 pm
There is plenty of blame to go around or going around on this blog. But some of it is contradictory. If Murray is having a terrible day passing (despite some major sucess at various points), that is going to severely limit the types of passes that Bobo can call. If the running game is non-existant, then all of the pressure falls on the passing game. And the offensive line is not doing welll in pass protection either. That’s going to further complicate the passing game. Is Bobo at fault when so much of his offense is not playing well and the Michigan State defense is actually very good?
With 3 minutes left in the game, should you really try and pass when you are trying to run the clock out and you don’t have confidence in your QB? Are you sure???
At the end of regulation, would it really have made since to try and pass from your own side of the field when you need to go 50 or 60 yards and you don’t have confidence in your kicker anyway? Would you still say the same thing if it led to a pick six and we never got to overtime?
In the first OT, do you even want to try to run the ball after the first down 3 yard gain, when you have been getting stuffed in the running game all day and Carlton Thomas is now your tailback? Richt thought not, but then he relied on his kicker to make a moderate field goal when Walsh hasn’t been reliable in more than one or two games all year. Would you have run one more time? What would you have said then if our 170 lb running back had fumbled or our 220 running back had merely gotten tackled for a loss?
What a fiasco, when you think about it! I just don’t think the answers are always so obvious. After all, Richt went for it on fourth down early in the game, as so many crucified him for not going for it in last year’s bowl game. What do you people really want? Go for the win or play not to lose??? Well, you are damned if you do and damned if you don’t.
I’m not saying the whole team (coaches and players) shouldn’t have done a better job. I’m just saying it’s not as simple as most of you critics (i.e. crucifiers) make it out to be.
moonbat dawg
January 2nd, 2012
6:32 pm
Paul Johnson/Bobo 2012
alex
January 2nd, 2012
6:32 pm
@buckeye, they GO to school at mich. state…….
Harkle
January 2nd, 2012
6:32 pm
I guess BoBo used Charles as a decoy all day – way to go.
Take two pills and call me
January 2nd, 2012
6:32 pm
Like Murray said to ABC field reporter we have more talent then them and we goin win cause we Natl championship ready for 2012 ….Put sock in mouth Murray now bad passin in overtime lame calls field goal 3third down.A kicker who can’t see it and Richt n Boo Boo who lose it…..To think if Mizzu n Texas A&M play us we lose two them in 2012 season…..Oh Big 12 is 2-5 in bowl games only wins is that team in champage Ill. and Mich state….
Soooooooo....
January 2nd, 2012
6:33 pm
Why do people think A Murray is good?
Fans who have no clue
January 2nd, 2012
6:33 pm
Not a great game called by Bobo, and we gave up on the run too soon, but MSU is a very good defense….they took that part of the game away from us and we could not overcome it.
At least we are not Georgia Tech, Florida or Auburn fans who can look forward to losing seasons next year.
Just say NO to 42-yd FGs!
January 2nd, 2012
6:33 pm
Let me see if I’ve got this correct:
GT missed TWO 42 yarders, and UGA one ….. Just say NO to 42-yd FGs!
GT blows a 14 pt lead, and loses in OT …. b/c they don’t have a RELIABLE FG kicker!
GA blows a 16 pt lead, and loses in OT … b/ they don’t have a RELIABLE FG kicker!
Yeah, 75 int returns for TDs (GT) and 92yd punt ret TDs (GA) are great, but hey coach PJ & MR, how many games are won/lost b/c of FG kicking!?!????
Flat Tire on I-95 in Jacksonville
January 2nd, 2012
6:33 pm
chazzo
Make sure your on here next year
I cant wait to hear the excuses you come up with next year
Let me give you a clue, with our schedule next year, Miles, Saban, Spurrier, heck Meyer would EASILY go undefeated
Not this staff though
Oh and like I said earlier this year. With our schedule we should go 11-1 but with Bobo and Richt dont be surpised if we lose at least 4 games
BTW, how many loses did we have this year?
01HAWK
January 2nd, 2012
6:33 pm
dawgfan…………………………………01Hawk, Really? DARQUEZE? Is that even a name?
It was today…………………………He scorched the home state school today. LOL
Thanks TWIGGS COUNTY for coaching this fine young nam to burn UGA today.
Buckeye
January 2nd, 2012
6:33 pm
0 and what against top 20 programs?
stendek
January 2nd, 2012
6:34 pm
I know no one on here gives a damn but…if Saint Mark Wretch is provided a contract extension after another indefensible bowl defeat I will officially end my Dawg football fanship after well over half a century! That is how discouraging this defeat really was! My limited funding will go to Tech or maybe local high school football teams. No one should be rewarded for THIS!!!!!!!
Snoop Dawg
January 2nd, 2012
6:34 pm
Snoop Dawg will not attend another UGA game or stay in Athens over a weekend until Richt is gone.
DG
January 2nd, 2012
6:34 pm
chazzo, Murray’s stats were not that great. They actually could have (should have) been much worse. He played fine the first half, but collapsed in the 2nd half… like he normally does. It’s like two different players. He didn’t even seem like he knew the playbook in the second. Did you see all the WRs raising their hands after he threw a bad pass. The WRs didn’t have any idea what he was doing out there, and I suspect he didn’t either.
It’s laughable now that he submitted for an NFL evaluation for a draft grade.
Boom Boom
January 2nd, 2012
6:34 pm
kicking a dog wnen it is down…..whoops wide right and blocked
moonbat dawg
January 2nd, 2012
6:34 pm
Bring Maritinez back.
He was the Bomb, just like Bobo.
It’s just all those rednecks sayin’ that they ain’t no good.
FIRE BOBO
January 2nd, 2012
6:34 pm
“Mike Bobo is on line 2? Tell him I’m washing the car.” — Mid-level high school football team looking for a coach.
dawgs01
January 2nd, 2012
6:35 pm
When UGA does get a great coach we will be a top five team yr in and yr out. I dont know what Bama, AU, Tenn, SC would do then bc we would keep our Georgia boys at home that are currently helping out everyone else.
Toad Grantham
January 2nd, 2012
6:35 pm
My “vaunted” D has given up 75 points in 4 quarters—-ain’t I great!
Fans who have no clue
January 2nd, 2012
6:35 pm
well stated Voice of Reason……
Objective fan
January 2nd, 2012
6:35 pm
BOBO 4 PREZ!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Boom Boom
January 2nd, 2012
6:35 pm
when it is
DP
January 2nd, 2012
6:35 pm
To all those who want to lay the conservative play calling at the end of regulation and in the first OT at the feet of Bobo, do you really think Richt isn’t calling the shots on strategy, if not specific plays, in those situations? Seriously, it’s 3rd and 8 with a 7 point lead and 2 minutes to play and you think the head coach defers to the OC on whether to run or pass? You’ve got to be kidding. If Richt isn’t making the final decision on the play calls in those situations he’s abdicating leadership.
Hairy Dawg
January 2nd, 2012
6:36 pm
stendek,
You say the same thing about every Atlanta or Georgia sports team
Michigan State Manny
January 2nd, 2012
6:36 pm
Nowwwwwww, does anyone wonder why there are never any rumors of Coach Bobo being lured away by another school?
Fans who have no clue
January 2nd, 2012
6:36 pm
All the cliches are coming out….bad playcalling….not aggressive enough….Bobo has to go…..well stated above Voice of Reason.
And I thought
January 2nd, 2012
6:36 pm
Tech had bad kicking.
Mark Richt is DA MAN!
January 2nd, 2012
6:36 pm
Thud, the sound of the bandwagon fans jumping off the UGA train…
Nice game CHOKERS!
SAL
January 2nd, 2012
6:37 pm
#3300
WestOfAthens
January 2nd, 2012
6:37 pm
GT FAN
HaHa, 10 straight wins against “nobodies”
Hmmm, i just checked UGA’s last 10 game schedule outcome
Hairy Dawg
January 2nd, 2012
6:37 pm
Maybe we can get Penn State interested in Bobo?
Bob
January 2nd, 2012
6:37 pm
DP…if you’re right, another reason to can Richt…reason #28.
Boom Boom
January 2nd, 2012
6:37 pm
no timeouts and 80 plus yards
bitter QB
January 2nd, 2012
6:37 pm
of our 30 points———————-boykin—2 point safety
—-6 point punt return TD
—————————————————6 points for recieving TD—————-thats boykin14 points
———–field goal kicker———-3 points—1 for 4
——————————-murry accounted for 2 td”s—-im sorry—3—one was a pick six to let mich st get
back in the game———————————murry, richt, adams———-go F-@#$% yourself
—————————–ps no hate or bad comments allowed here————–hahahah
Pago Pago DAWG
January 2nd, 2012
6:37 pm
Yes, Sparty had just a few “dead locks”, looks likes Oregon and Wisc just have a few also.
JB
January 2nd, 2012
6:37 pm
I’ve seen the spring kick off with Richt in Augusta go from 700, 400, to last year less than 200.
If this ENTIRE staff comes back, count me out next spring…..And I hate that because this team will win another 10, maybe 11 games. Can’t beat any good ones though. I guess I’m getting old enough to just enjoy the game and give up my Championship team hopes.
dawginduluth
January 2nd, 2012
6:37 pm
Dicht is an ACC coach. Never made the transition to the SEC. He is out of his league!
01HAWK
January 2nd, 2012
6:37 pm
CROWELL would have already been kicked off of BAMA team if he had signed. I am so glad he did not sign. I really wanted him to sign with BAMA, but what a JOKE he is.
SABAN would not have put up with this JOKE.
bart
January 2nd, 2012
6:37 pm
Aggressive vs conservative – aggressive and we dominate the #1 team (lsu) for a half – conservative and we get blown off the field…….how can the coaching staff not see that their passive philosophy when holding a lead only means a melt-down will come at the end.
Flat Tire on I-95 in Jacksonville
January 2nd, 2012
6:37 pm
Hoss Cartwright
We were up by 7 we should have never gone to overtime had BOBO gotten us a 1st down we win
Period
Stop drinking the kool-aid and laying the blame on one player.
You do know Richt hasnt beat a top 25 team in 3 YEARS
But I guess thats Walsh’s fault too Right
Get a clue
Bobby H
January 2nd, 2012
6:38 pm
One of the worst coached games I’ve ever seen. If Richt and Bobo have any honor about them (doesn’t look like either does), they’ll resign and let UGA get on with finding a decent coaching staff.
bamaguy
January 2nd, 2012
6:38 pm
If Georgia had pulled it out by a field goal in the final overtime, would you all be talking about what a great coach RIcht is?
GTT
January 2nd, 2012
6:38 pm
Actually, UGA lost to a really good team. I wouldn’t call for any coach to be replaced. But, dang, Murray sure did give MSU the momentum. And, opening that door for them was the difference.
ga's running game:
January 2nd, 2012
6:38 pm
.