Isn’t UGA better than the Capital One Bowl? Why, sure it is
For the Bulldogs, getting over the Alabama game won't be easy. (AJC photo by Brant Sanderlin)
Athens – Depending on the index, Georgia is ranked No. 5 (USA Today coaches’ poll), No. 6 (Associated Press) or No. 7 (BCS) in the land. Counting the national championship game, the BCS fits 10 teams into five postseason games. Georgia, alas, is not among them.
The Bulldogs are bound for the Capital One Bowl, which is essentially the consolation game for losers of conference championships. (Georgia’s opponent is Nebraska, which lost to Wisconsin 70-31 in the Big Ten title tilt.) With three losses, the Cornhuskers probably belong in the Capital One. Georgia does not.
At worst, Georgia is the nation’s third-best team. It went 11-1 in the regular season and won the SEC Eastern Division, which this time around was no junior circuit. (Florida is ranked No. 3 in the BCS standings, South Carolina No. 10). But the Bulldogs were penalized for falling five yards short in one of the greatest games ever played, dropping from No. 3 to No. 7 and sliding below Florida.
Lest we forget, Georgia beat Florida 17-9 on Oct. 27. But the Gators finished with one loss to the Bulldogs’ two, and by virtue of being ranked in the top four Florida was guaranteed a BCS spot. For the second year running, we see the advantage of NOT playing for the SEC championship: In 2011 Alabama played for the BCS title without risking a loss in the Georgia Dome on the first Saturday in December, and now Florida gets to play in a BCS game ahead of the SEC loser.
This isn’t to say Florida is undeserving: At worst, the Gators are the nation’s fourth-best team. This is to say that the system – stop if you’ve heard this one – stinks. Northern Illinois (No. 16 in the BCS standings) and Louisville (No. 21) will grace BCS games, but Georgia will not. The Bulldogs are the highest-ranked team to be excluded from the Big Five postseason games.
And this sits with the Bulldogs … well, about the way you’d think. “Maybe a little bit robbed,” was quarterback Aaron Murray’s assessment. “We definitely feel like we’re a BCS-caliber team. I think we proved that all season long. I think we proved that in the SEC Championship Game — that we belong with the best.”
Tight end Arthur Lynch, speaking of the epic loss to Alabama: “We’ve proved ourselves worthy to be in that situation. Some people have said it was a de facto national championship game. In my opinion, those were the two best teams in the country.”
Then this: “I’m not unhappy with the Capital One, but the national championship was the only game I wanted to go to. If we were in New Orleans (for the BCS-level Sugar Bowl), that wouldn’t be where I wanted to be.”
Wide receiver Tavarres King, measuring his words: “I don’t really think anything. The system is OK. I really can’t say much more.”
But he did. He said this: “I’d love to see an eight-game playoff. If you go head-to-head with teams in this conference, you might slip up. We certainly deserve a BCS bid.”
The argument can be made that, if you’re not playing for the BCS title, it doesn’t matter where you land. Monetarily that’s not true, and psychically it isn’t, either. The BCS system – which will yield to a four-team playoff come to 2014 – has created a three-tier system: Tier 1 is the championship game; Tier 2 consists of the other four BCS bowls; Tier 3 is everything else.
The BCS allows a conference only two spots in its Big Five. (Unless two teams from the same league are matched in the BCS title game and neither is the conference champion, which could never happen.) But when the bigger leagues grow by the minute and the Big East descends to Sun Belt level, is such a provision fair? Would the New Year be lessened if the Sugar Bowl, say, featured a rematch of Georgia-Florida?
Said Mark Richt, Georgia’s coach: “Is Florida deserving of the (BCS) opportunity? I think they are. I think we are, too.”
For the record, Richt and many Bulldogs lauded the Capital One. “Everyone is exited to go to Disney World,” Murray said. “Everyone wants to use their (bowl-provided) Best Buy gift cards.”
But danger awaits in Orlando. Georgia is clearly the superior team – Nebraska is ranked No. 23 by AP – but Georgia mightn’t have the greater motivation. Asked if he feared his team might believe it’s too good for the Capital One, Richt said: “I don’t think anybody is thinking that. The Capital One is a great bowl. Nebraska is a great program.”
Those are nice words from a famously nice man, but the reality is rather different. Thirty days after losing a national semifinal by four points and five yards, Georgia will face a much lesser opponent in a more austere setting. Spend those Best Buy gift bucks wisely, guys.
By Mark Bradley
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614 comments Add your comment
Go Tech
December 13th, 2012
10:01 pm
We should take bets on how many dogs will be arrested before the bowl game.
Brainiac(Dawg for life)(CMR fan for life)
December 13th, 2012
10:04 pm
Flat Tire is reknown for his empty dialogue which makes it VERY obvious that he not only has never coached football but he has never played football and likely has never seen a real footrball game!!!!!!!!!
Just another set of loose lips that has no clue!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
kingdaddy
December 13th, 2012
10:09 pm
Flats
I’ll take a stab in the dark and guess we ain’t good?
I loved it when you said, “I’m not belly-aching, but…”,lmaoff, you are in rare form tonight. Hey, I thought we was tight…
Robert
December 13th, 2012
10:09 pm
Go Tech, You are an idiot
kingdaddy
December 13th, 2012
10:12 pm
Brain
I think I hurt his feelings…
DawgNole
December 13th, 2012
10:14 pm
32-28
December 13th, 2012
9:14 pm
Dawgnole going back 10 years to make a point.
_____________________
I was responding to someone who went back 14 years to make his point.
Pay attention!
Brainiac(Dawg for life)(CMR fan for life)
December 13th, 2012
10:15 pm
Go Tech = Just another snotty nosed kid wanting to get on a Big Boy Blog!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Maybe you would like to to bet on your little insignificant team that will make history by getting NCAA permission to break the rules and play in a Big Boy Football game. Not likely to win any game where the NCAA made y’all give back the A Shee Shee Conference Championship trophy!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
LMAO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
How many coaches has GT had arrested in the past 12 months??????
kingdaddy
December 13th, 2012
10:16 pm
Go yech
Doggies don’t go to jail anymore, they’re all saints…
Tap Out
December 13th, 2012
10:18 pm
There’s only one bowl game which will decide the national championship….everything else is simply holiday season entertainment.
Robert
December 13th, 2012
10:21 pm
Way to go Tap..brilliants…….UGA had a great season! Go Dawgs!
Brainiac(Dawg for life)(CMR fan for life)
December 13th, 2012
10:22 pm
ALL HAIL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
My Role Model and Mentor, the one and only KINGDADDY is with us today and all you Single Digit IQs better keep your distance and watch your mouths.
How are things in Kingdaddy Land my friend??? You haven;t been on a Honeymoon have you???
Brainiac(Dawg for life)(CMR fan for life)
December 13th, 2012
10:28 pm
@ Robert:
Please apologize to IDIOTS everywhere!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
How would you like it if someone compared you tp Go Tech???
Robert = DGD!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Are you new on here??? Give’m hell anyway!!!!!!!!!!!!
Cloudodust
December 13th, 2012
10:29 pm
Capital One or Shreveport, Capital One or Shreveport. Hmm. Gimme a minute and we’ll get back to ya on that. No brainer, right? It’s called earning the privledge to play in a BCS game. Didn’t happen. Winning is risky business come bowl selection where wins take center stage. By virture of a little ol’ tie breaker, poor clock management and the final score, Florida jumps Georgia. It is what it is.
Brainiac(Dawg for life)(CMR fan for life)
December 13th, 2012
10:32 pm
@ Go Tech:
I believe we had enough out of jail for the ANNUAL BUNGLEBEE BEATDOWN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Am I right???
Robert
December 13th, 2012
10:34 pm
yep…we cant change it so let GATA…thanks Brainiac
kingdaddy
December 13th, 2012
10:39 pm
Brain
And just where have you been? Has anybody heard from Dawg48? That little papoose must be wearing him out. Hope they are doing fine. No brother, I’ve been around, just sick of all the idiot nerd frat-rats trashing all the blogs. Must be a pledge thing. I’m still yanking chains and making trolls uncomfortable…
Brainiac(Dawg for life)(CMR fan for life)
December 13th, 2012
10:41 pm
@ Cloudodust:
I saw you on TV in the UF vs We B Patsies Junior College and until the last second blocked punt you were chasing W B P JC players all day.
If you are going to schedule “Patsies” at least don’t let them beat you and embarass the rest of the SEC. Mark Richt, concerned that a UF loss would harm our Strength of Schedule asked GOD to intervene and saved your sorry a$$es or UF would be out of the TOP 25.
Write this down and try to do better in the future!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
kingdaddy
December 13th, 2012
10:43 pm
Sometimes I actually sit back and read too…
Brainiac(Dawg for life)(CMR fan for life)
December 13th, 2012
10:50 pm
@ Kingdaddy:
I’m kicked back with a chaw and watching anything that remotely resembles a football game because we will be faced with no college football after about 3 more weeks and we already being bombarded by BASKETBALL. College BB is bad enough but the NBA plays year round and I will give away my TV set
kingdaddy
December 13th, 2012
11:00 pm
No Brain
We’ve still got signing Day coming up, lol now I realize why I look forward to The Braves Spring Training…well, there’s always womens tennis, go Lady Dawgs…
John
December 14th, 2012
1:57 am
Lets not forget a few years back Tenn and UGA tied for the East but Tenn went to the SEC Championship Game and lost. UGA went to the Sugar and beat Hawaii. It’s just the way it is!!!
Techfan
December 14th, 2012
4:32 am
Only 5 out of 11 of the BCS teams UGA played had a winning record ( 2 were Vandy 8-4, and Tech 6-7) and went 3-2 against them. Strength of schedule should have disqualified them easily. With Vandy being the 3rd best BCS team you play in the regular season, you shouldn’t even be in the top10.
poise
December 14th, 2012
5:22 am
……look at the all americans football lists, see any homegrown talent…now, why georgia got access to homegrown talent every year & talk moral victories but other school’s win championships..(((-dont insult poise logic, you love to see georgia in the 2nd best city in florida every year-)))….any real fan, know the sec championship game coming in was all of nothing opportunity so here we are heading to orlando…coaches while in florida, how about going into st.pete & liberty city for recruiting instead out where kids family own strawberry company’s & make orange juice…i like those things for breadfast but i like winning championships better(((-sirloin & eggs-)))
Johnny Vaught
December 14th, 2012
6:30 am
Quit your whining, Homer. Could have, should have, would have, means nothing. Is Georgia better than some teams going to a BCS bowl, yep, Directional Illinois comes to mind. But the system is what it is. If it hadn’t been for Slime, I’m mean Slive, you wouldn’t even be in Orlando. No go check out what’s going on with the Dial suspension and quit the whining.
againstcorruption
December 14th, 2012
6:46 am
For the first time ever, I will not watch a single bowl. They are not what they use to be. No way ND is the best team in the nation and Alabama should have dropped down more than two places when they loss to Texas A and M. They should not be playing in the NC game. The Updykes don’t even know what is going on even on a daily basis in life. Its very sad.
M
December 14th, 2012
6:48 am
Georgia DID NOT lose the game on a tipped pass. It was bias officiating from the start. Even Stevie Wonder could see that. Media wanted the “historic” matchup with ND and bammer and made dang sure it would happen. If anyone cannot see that then you are BLIND!!!!!!
Buckeye
December 14th, 2012
7:20 am
Still cryin’ dogs?
GTBOB
December 14th, 2012
7:29 am
How any Dawg fan would think that the Dawgs deserve to be in the BCS picture when they played the easiest schedule in the Nation and only won one game of distinction is incredible. Considering the USC debacle, I don’t beleive they should even be in the top ten.
Flat Tire On Hwy 441 in Athens
December 14th, 2012
7:37 am
Brainiac
Empty Dialogue LOL
Im still waiting on some decent dialogue from you; instead I just get the same we are just about to knock on the door to greatness posts
Flat Tire On Hwy 441 in Athens
December 14th, 2012
7:40 am
GTBOB
Maybe so but with that kind of thinking Tech should drop to Div II with the debacle that occured in Athens this year
Mtn Dawg
December 14th, 2012
7:45 am
Anyone with 1/2 a rational mind would agree that Alabama and Oregon are the two best teams in the country and should play for the NC. If anyone has been slighted this year in rankings, it’s Oregon.
The fact is UGA could have been a top-3 team in the country this year. BUT they pissed it away in the SC game. A top-3 team does not get humiliated like that against anyone. Even as a Dawg fan I can readily admit to this.
Whiskey Breath
December 14th, 2012
7:49 am
Hey Mark, why stop there with Ga’s rating? Being a Ga homer you should have said ” We’re number 1″. The younger Bradley would have laughed at this piece of crap. Boo hoo, Ga got we it deserved and you know it. I miss the younger Bradley. He might have been the best of the staff.
Brainiac(Dawg for life)(CMR fan for life)
December 14th, 2012
8:00 am
@ Mark Bradley:
I’m sure you won’t lose any sleep over Whiskey Breath’s verbal assault on you.!!!
If you have the time go back and see how many times Whiskey visited this blog for the 3 weeks following the loss to Texas A&M!!! Zero sounds about right!
Buckeye
December 14th, 2012
8:04 am
What bowl are we in?
Whiskey Breath
December 14th, 2012
8:04 am
Funny you mutts want Dial’s butt. It wasn’t a late hit or dirty hit, just a hit.
Hey , but hold on to your wimpy tears, Because that is all you will have at the end of the day.
Slive won’t do a damn thing to Dial. The kid doesn’t deserve it and Slive knows it.
Murray knows it too.
Flat Tire On Hwy 441 in Athens
December 14th, 2012
8:06 am
Brainiac
What shirt are you wearing today
Knocking on the Door to Greatness or Cutting Edge Football
Flat Tire On Hwy 441 in Athens
December 14th, 2012
8:09 am
Whiskey Breath
We lost the game is over the hit made no difference in the game at all
but come on you know that was a dirty hit
Brian
December 14th, 2012
8:34 am
This is a stupid article to keep crying over. Georgia lost!!! I know they had high hopes but when the clock showed 0:00, they’re points were less than Alabama’s. With that said, just move on. Georgia is not the 3rd best team in the country. They belong where they belong. If moral victories counted, Georgia might be in Miami playing for the ship. You can talk about how Florida struggled against Bowling Green, Jacksonville State and etc., but at the end of the game, they had more points than their opponents. Georgia fans are the biggest cry babies: “Oh, if it wasn’t for a tipped pass and coming up five yards short, we would be in Miami.” Give it a rest! The only way that you should have been in Miami is that you should have won the game when you had the chance! But you didn’t!!! Pick up your pride and Go play Nebraska! Stop hating on Florida because they did what they had to do to get to where they are (against a tougher schedule I might add).
Whiskey Breath
December 14th, 2012
8:40 am
Hey Bradley, Any chance you would consider being a homer for Bama? We have the local fan base, you can tell that by the blogs. Who knows, it might revive your career.
Whiskey Breath
December 14th, 2012
8:48 am
Flat tire, in all honesty, I am old school, I have no tolerance for crying about hits.
Besides, did you see that hit to A J McCarron? Not much difference and you Ga people
aren’t calling for the head of the Ga kid. Honestly, I love the hitting. You guys don’t .
That is one of the reasons I don’t have much respect for Ga fans.
In other words, grow a pair.
Flat Tire On Hwy 441 in Athens
December 14th, 2012
9:30 am
Whiskey Breath
Yes I saw the McCarron hit and yes it was a bad hit not denying that but it was called
But if that same thing happened to a bama player you guys would be destroying trailors
I like hitting too but cheap shots are for whimps who pick on people they know they can beat up
If you want to talk about growing a pair tell that to your fanbase who spent an entire hour whining to Brando on the Finebaum show about the hit to Murray
kingdaddy
December 14th, 2012
9:43 am
Whiskey Breath
brush your teeth or gargle or just try not to breath on anybody.
Just to set the record straight, Murray should have been paying attention. The argument here is that it was a non-call, with a douche ref looking right at it. The ref should be penalized, not Dial. Dial got away with it, so let it go, but the ref was responsible for several noncalls, most in bamas favor. It’s over,, let’s move on…
kingdaddy
December 14th, 2012
10:36 am
Flats
I have been having cathartic moments lately. I was wrong to criticize you but responses tend to escalate to verbal immaturity on my part. Few people ever apoligize to me, so it must be my fault. That’s what my 3rd ex-wife said. Anyway, have a nice weekend…
Flat Tire On Hwy 441 in Athens
December 14th, 2012
11:03 am
kingdaddy
no problem;
All I want is to have ligitament conversation instead of the wait til next year garbage; sorry I dont see things the way you do; but unfortunately until Richt starts showing up in big games I will remain the skeptic
There is really no excuse with the talent we have and had to be continually losing big games; eventually it is going to catch up with us on the recruiting stage as it has done Frank Beamer and VT
When you start to become labled as not being able to win big ball games recruits go to other schools and players on your team eventually start believing that you cant win big
Mike Dilley
December 14th, 2012
11:22 am
I heard that Richt is Spurrier’s stepson…
Brainiac(Dawg for life)(CMR fan for life)
December 14th, 2012
11:29 am
@ Flat Tire:
Sometimes I forget that we are both UGA supporters probably because of how we view the game. It is hard to tell sometimes if a poster is a troll or an actual UGA fan but when people from all over the country involved in College Football feel that UGA has a really good team and a really good coaching staff it really goes to show that some people, including you,,can’t be reasonably content unless Dawgs win each game by 30 points or more and goes undefeated. Even if that happened some of you still badmouth the coachung staff and individual players(Kinda like egging the player’s homes)
I respect your ability to put together meaningful posts so intelligence is NOT the main issue. However, it would take MAGIC to fill ALL the voids in the desires of you and your ilk. God doesn’t allow EVERY team to win a NC even occasionally even if St. Ridht is the HC so one of us realizes that fact while the other publically does a great disservice to Dawg Nation by continuing to post negatives about a team that, as you well know, could EASILY be playing in Miami for the MNC!!!!!
Do you think that Bama fans abd coaches don’t have issues similar to some of those you continue to criticize UGA for???????? To Bama’s credit they did NOT go Batsh – - Crazy when they lost to Texas A&M. though they were pretty quiet for a couple of weeks. Had UGA won the SEC Championship I .don’t believe for a minute the Bama fans would have started slinging all kinds of negative BS because they are smart enough to know that such behavior would hurt their program, especially in the recruiting department. A very good example is the recruiting class where UGA almost lost LB Jordan Jenkins because Bama recruiters were showing him crap like yours indicating Dawg Nation wanted CMR fired. Jenkins became a starter for UGA as a TRUE FRESHMAN.
Now that I have spouted off I apologize for any grief I may have caused you just because we have different opinions but I don’t believe in MAGIC!!!!!!!!!!!
Brainiac(Dawg for life)(CMR fan for life)
December 14th, 2012
11:35 am
@ Flat Tire:
You are right. Had the hit on Murray been called there would not have been much of an uproar although the Murray hit was MUCH morevicious and dirty!!!!!!!!!!
I would like to see the official fined or suspended because he had a close up view!!!!!
Flat Tire On Hwy 441 in Athens
December 14th, 2012
11:58 am
Brainiac
Again as I have corrected many other posters on here that think I demand a national championship but do not
what I am asking for is respectable football
Respectable football is not having beaten 1 top 20 team in 4 years
Respectable fooball is not 1-11 vs the top 10
Respectable football is not 3-16 vs the top 25
Respectable football is not a 500 record against the top 25
Respectable football is not ever beating all the SEC East teams in the same year yet Spurrier has now done it at SC
Respectable football is not backing into an SEC championship game every single time having never got there outright
Respectable football is not being now known for the inability to win in big games
Respectable football is not losing 2 or more ballgames every year
Yet having done all the above while putting more players in the NFL than any other school in the SEC and having more top 10 classes than any other school in the FBS since 1999
Sorry I refuse to live in the land of delusion
dince vooley
December 14th, 2012
12:27 pm
Put the crack pipe down Mark -3rd best team / they are not even the 10th best team ! When you play a bunch of 2nd rate teams– and barely beat some of them– you cant hold yourself up as a top team -bama played at best a medicore game and Ga played the best game they could ever have dreamed of and still LOST- what they beat three four teams with a winning record? And FL self destructed and handd them the game -I’m not a Tech fan or even a SEC fan but it’s easy to see that GA is as usual vastly overrated and don’t be surprised to see Nebraska wack them
DawgNole
December 14th, 2012
1:10 pm
Flat Tire On Hwy 441 in Athens
December 14th, 2012
11:58 am
Again as I have corrected many other posters on here that think I demand a national championship but do not
what I am asking for is respectable football . . .
Respectable football is not losing 2 or more ballgames every year
Yet having done all the above while putting more players in the NFL than any other school in the SEC and having more top 10 classes than any other school in the FBS since 1999
______________________
Why do you keep telling this lie? I’ve already corrected you once on this blog. UGA has not lost “2 or more ballgames every year” under Richt. Period. You damage any shred of credibility you may have had when you post lies–and you compound that loss of credibility each time you repeat them.