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
i'm from Columbus, GA
January 2nd, 2012
1:55 pm
if you dont put the ball in IC hand we gonna lose.
Doggg from Thomson.....
January 2nd, 2012
1:55 pm
toss it to the outside and let’s fly… this in the middle crud ain’t getting it done… geez
Average Joe
January 2nd, 2012
1:55 pm
Once again, defense must bail us out. Good thing we have a great defense or we’d be getting blown out.
Dawgs Man
January 2nd, 2012
1:55 pm
Hey Bobo you idiot, running up the middle every running call is NOT working.
Somewhere over the Dwayne Bowe
January 2nd, 2012
1:55 pm
This is way too easy.
http://t.co/VwE3ndUG
sonofdawg
January 2nd, 2012
1:55 pm
@ Average Joe, right on, I don’t get the play calling myself!
Cmon man
January 2nd, 2012
1:55 pm
This oline is getting whipped you cant blame bobo and the playcalling the oline needs to man up and block!
Sid
January 2nd, 2012
1:55 pm
offensive line is pathetic.
Xfactor
January 2nd, 2012
1:55 pm
Give msu d some credit..
kerryb
January 2nd, 2012
1:55 pm
Hard for RB’s to run when the O-line is getting run over.
J.J.M.
January 2nd, 2012
1:56 pm
you been together as a group this long and cant run block that is a problem
Snoop Dawg
January 2nd, 2012
1:56 pm
Mark, I’m giving Michigan State great credit on defense against the run. Then why is Bobo trying to run our 150 pound backs right up the middle?
DIT
January 2nd, 2012
1:56 pm
What…. if anyone, do we have coming back to play on the o-line for us! We could have the best RB’s & QB in the country, but if they continue to block like that it will be a long season.
Bill Clinton
January 2nd, 2012
1:56 pm
If I see another delayed hand off up the middle I’m gonna have Monica shoot me!
bill
January 2nd, 2012
1:56 pm
We’d better pitch a shutout today…Memo to Bobo — The running game ain’t working, and neither is keeping Murray in the pocket
St. Bernard
January 2nd, 2012
1:56 pm
Didn’t I read in the AJC the other day Bean would get a shot at the NFL?! WOW!
MichDawg
January 2nd, 2012
1:56 pm
I am surprise how little many you posting here know about football.
kerryb
January 2nd, 2012
1:57 pm
Need to throw some to IC out of the backfield to slow the rush down.
Jimmy Crack
January 2nd, 2012
1:57 pm
The O line is asleep. Some of these seniors don’t realize how much draft money they are losing.
Xfactor
January 2nd, 2012
1:57 pm
game could end 2-0
Snoop Dawg
January 2nd, 2012
1:57 pm
If the O line can’t block then let’s use the space outside the hash marks…
The Grinch
January 2nd, 2012
1:57 pm
i’m from Columbus, GA
January 2nd, 2012
1:55 pm
Um…..right. Two carries, -3 yards.
KenDawg
January 2nd, 2012
1:57 pm
Crowell is strangely quiet – and the rumors are flying around Athens…
80sDawg
January 2nd, 2012
1:57 pm
Can the o-line hold hands like their playing Red Rover? Maybe that will slow down the Spartan D.
St. Bernard
January 2nd, 2012
1:57 pm
I hope Bean gets his degree.
dawg555
January 2nd, 2012
1:58 pm
D. Dooley holding a press conference tomorrow morning. Whole lot of chaos in K town
Xfactor
January 2nd, 2012
1:58 pm
looks like alot of empty seats
huffsleeper
January 2nd, 2012
1:58 pm
The offense has produced nothing, even after the defense gift wraps them field position. Bobo is already lost in the 2nd quarter. The delayed run will get stuffed all day due to penetration. I hope he doesn’t continue to try it on first down and set up 2nd and long.
Mark Bradley
January 2nd, 2012
1:58 pm
Michigan State has two first downs.
Rilo
January 2nd, 2012
1:58 pm
Good thinking Mike Bobo…..keep running that read-option from the shougun formation. Especially since we don’t have a running quarterback and they are sending the house up the middle. GOOD THINKING. Please….can we get a real OC? Please?
Hairy Dawg
January 2nd, 2012
1:58 pm
We should probably try to block Gholston.
Average Joe
January 2nd, 2012
1:58 pm
I love this man to man defense. We have the corners for it.
FGG
January 2nd, 2012
1:59 pm
That was pass interference
i'm from Columbus, GA
January 2nd, 2012
1:59 pm
yall just hatin on IC. we proud in Cbus.
Xfactor
January 2nd, 2012
2:00 pm
we got away with that one
Mark Bradley
January 2nd, 2012
2:00 pm
I’m thinking it’s time for the Appleby reverse toss to Washington.
Average Joe
January 2nd, 2012
2:00 pm
That was not pass interference. That was good tight coverage.
cousin vicker
January 2nd, 2012
2:01 pm
Coaches can never do enough to impress the fan base. Met a guy this weekend who is a big LSU fan who is unhappy with Les Miles. Says he only wins because the talent base is so strong. Seriously.
Sid
January 2nd, 2012
2:01 pm
Ken Dawg…..can you enlighten us on those rumors?
Mark Bradley
January 2nd, 2012
2:01 pm
The bloomin’ onion has arrived! (In a small portion, but still.)
Bill Clinton
January 2nd, 2012
2:01 pm
The gun is loaded….
DIT
January 2nd, 2012
2:01 pm
Run a no huddle spread offense. It will eat them up. Get 5 to 15 yards a pop and wear them out.
Columbus_dawg
January 2nd, 2012
2:02 pm
Speak for yourself. Im from C-Town. IC is soft and needs to man up and quit acting like a thug wanna be. He needs to realize he has a once in a lifetime chance. I hope he doesnt blow it like Nicky Pitts did…….
i'm from Columbus, GA
January 2nd, 2012
2:03 pm
IC in the game. give him the rock.
Average Joe
January 2nd, 2012
2:03 pm
I agree though, make Bobo QB coach, and get another OC. We’d be lethal.
kerryb
January 2nd, 2012
2:03 pm
We were doing good with the quick throws to the receivers. Now we are just running up the middle and throwing long. Dont get it.
Mark Bradley
January 2nd, 2012
2:03 pm
There’s Crowell for 6. (Yards. Not points.)
Pago Pago DAWG
January 2nd, 2012
2:03 pm
Yep, looks like another pre-season in Top Ten….
Ooltewahdawg
January 2nd, 2012
2:03 pm
Bobo, do NOT try another run up the middle until you establish the outside!
Average Joe
January 2nd, 2012
2:03 pm
Give ME the rock. I’d run harder than Crowell. I promise you.