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
Tell us what you think about the site
Customer Care »
Vacation stops, manage subscriptions and more
AJC Services
Sections
Other Editions
Visitor Agreement | Privacy Statement
© 2013 The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
614 comments Add your comment
DawgNole
December 12th, 2012
9:33 pm
BamaStan
December 12th, 2012
7:17 pm
Flo-ri-dah is an idiot. News flash brainiac, FloriDA beat LSU, South Carolina, Florida State, and Texas A&M. 5 great wins tops 1 good win any day.
_____________________
Let’s see now, BamaStan: (1) LSU, (2) South Carolina, (3) Florida State, and (4) Texas A&M. And you call that “5 great wins”? LOL. Worse yet, you have the gall to call someone ELSE an idiot?
That’s why you Bama fans earn so much respect.
intheknow
December 12th, 2012
9:34 pm
Flat tire….you have got to be the biggest prick on here….You always think you know it all don’t you…..what a conceded azz you are…I bet you don’t have many friends do you….who the hell would want to hang around someone who thinks they have all the answers….I can assure you…. you don’t sh-t!
BobDawg
December 12th, 2012
9:35 pm
I’d rather play in 10 straight SEC Championships with winner take all like this year than not…. I really don’t care where we ended up in the Bowls. Nothing else matters but the SEC and the NC.
Can we all move on, Puleeze……
Beast from the East
December 12th, 2012
9:35 pm
DawgNole
December 12th, 2012
9:28 pm
Another Steve
December 12th, 2012
6:42 pm
The SEC is going to have to address the inequality in scheduling or our conference championship will lose its value. Both bama and georgia had very soft schedules. Is it too late to go back to 12 teams. A home and home schedule requiring 12 years to complete is too long.
____________________
Good points, but no need to return to 12 teams. Just play a 9-game SEC slate–and stop scheduling OOC marshmallows.
——————–
Like the Semis?
Sorry, couldn’t help it.
pooh p
December 12th, 2012
9:36 pm
Football rules, I think you need a hug too. And a binky.
Beast from the East
December 12th, 2012
9:39 pm
Dawg Fan
December 12th, 2012
9:32 pm
Florida beat SC by virtue of the turnover also. SC got behind so fast due to fumbles that Latimore only had 3 carries. Ga is better than Fla and should be ranked as such.
———————–
So, I assume you also think A&M should be ranked ahead of Bama. And SC ranked ahead of UGA.
Correct?
Athens
December 12th, 2012
9:40 pm
@Flat
As someone who actually attended UGA, you are the type “fan only” I see in the stadium on Saturdays only wishing we could lose you as a part of our “punk a– fan” base. And, pick up your trash when you leave my campus…
Hunker T
December 12th, 2012
9:41 pm
Uf one loss. Uga 2 losses. UF played lsu and texas am in the reg season. Uf played 5 top 15 teams. Uga played 2. Seems fair to be UF goes. Actually seems like common sense. If they wanted a bcs game, they shouldn’t have lost 2 of the ONLY 3 tough games all season. I mean, buffalo. Ga Souther. kentucky 0-8. Tenn 1-7 Auburn 0-8!! And that other ooc game i can’t remember. Not gt, which is a joke too, but another cupcake. And missou was terrible. They played 8 reallly bad teams out of 12. 2 were good and 2 were average, vandy and miss. Yeah that says A LOT when the 3rd toughest team on your schedule was Vandy!!! Enough whining. They should have beaten bama or SC if they didn’t want this bowl. Add to that, the sc loss was fugly. Give the crying a rest. They deserve the bowl they are in.
DawgNole
December 12th, 2012
9:55 pm
wooooo
December 12th, 2012
3:55 pm
When you get housed by 31 against SC and don’t even score until the last minute against their backups you kinda lose the argument that UGA is a top 3 team.
____________________
From AP’s recap of the UGA-SC game: “Spurrier kept his defensive starters in, yet the Bulldogs drove 75 yards to score on Ken Malcome’s 3-yard TD run with 1:55 to go.”
So “wooooo” apparently is stooooopid. How else would he be able to make four errors in such a brief sentence:
It’s “hosed,” not “housed.” Dope.
It wasn’t 31; it was 28. Imbecile.
The SC defenders were starters, not backups. Dimwit.
UGA scored with 1:55 to go, not at “the last minute.” Mouth breather.
Go ahead and take shots at UGA if it makes you feel proud, but don’t compound the idiocy of your posts by filling them with lies.
CornHuskerDude
December 12th, 2012
10:00 pm
Nebraska is gonna make y’all quit worrying about which bowl the Dawgs got invited to…….gonna make that loss to Boise State look like one of the better days in UGA football history…
DawgNole
December 12th, 2012
10:00 pm
Beast from the East
December 12th, 2012
9:35 pm
Like the Semis?
Sorry, couldn’t help it.
______________________
Now Beast, don’t act like Tampa Gator.
But hey, you earned it this year. That one in Tallahassee will sting for a long time.
And believe me, I absolutely HATE that we’re in the ACC.
Techster
December 12th, 2012
10:06 pm
My imitation of a typical dog fan: Bwwwahh! Boo hoo! Whine! Sniffle.
Bama cheated! The refs cheated! We are really #3, but they are sending us to a rinky dinky bowl! And you know what mommy and nana? Those Tech fans and the Bama fans are not being nice!
DawgNole
December 12th, 2012
10:08 pm
CornHuskerDude
December 12th, 2012
10:00 pm
Nebraska is gonna make y’all quit worrying about which bowl the Dawgs got invited to…….gonna make that loss to Boise State look like one of the better days in UGA football history…
________________________
Whoa, a Husker’s in the house. Welcome aboard, Husker. You’re pretty brave showing up after that 5-loss Badger bunch dumped 70 on your guys.
But you’re right that the Dawgs will need to change their bowl stance of the past two years if they want to hump the Huskers. It’s the third straight year UGA will be entering the bowl as a heavy favorite. Gotta forget about that stuff and just get out there and crack heads.
Beast from the East
December 12th, 2012
10:10 pm
DawgNole
December 12th, 2012
10:00 pm
Beast from the East
December 12th, 2012
9:35 pm
Like the Semis?
Sorry, couldn’t help it.
______________________
Now Beast, don’t act like Tampa Gator.
But hey, you earned it this year. That one in Tallahassee will sting for a long time.
And believe me, I absolutely HATE that we’re in the ACC.
——————–
I truly believe that FSU is ill-prepared for big OOC games these days due to playing ACC teams all season. They better hope Maryland legally maneuvers their way out of that $50,000,000 exit fee. That’s FSU’s only way of “escaping” the ACC. They do not have the funds to pay that ransom.
Big D
December 12th, 2012
10:17 pm
Florida sucks and will continue to do so in the future….their fans are the biggest puss’es in the SEC.Ever notice that its always someone elses fault when they lose? They cry about everything.. The Dawgs whipped your ass admit it….they whipped your ass. They forced you to turn the ball over six times…six…great teams don’t turn the ball over six times….let’s face it …the Dawgs aren’t scared of the gators anymore…get used to losing to Georgia every year….just like it used to be …..an annual butt kicking by Georgia in Jacksonville every year……everything is back to normal……I think I’ll go buy myself a new pair of Gator boots for Xmas!
SPURRIER IS IN UGA'S HEAD
December 12th, 2012
10:35 pm
Looking for the answer to your question as to why you are in the bowl you’re in, and not a BCS bowl? Compare UGA’s schedule to UF’s, the top 10 teams each team played and won, and therein lies your answer. All about quality wins, and your entire body of work, not just one game. Yeah, you beat UF this season for the 2nd yr in a row. Big deal. That doesn’t automatically qualify you for the BCS national title game. This is a perfect example of why it doesn’t pay to play a bunch of patsies, and figure out a way to game the system. In the end, the system gamed the dawgies!!
Brainiac(Dawg for life)(CMR fan for life)
December 12th, 2012
10:36 pm
@ Techster:
Got your Bowl Game tickets for your 6-7 team???
First time ever to have to ask for a waiver from the NCAA to break the rules to back into a bowl game for which GT obviously DID NOT qualify!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
When was the last time your Bunglebees won a bowl game??????? or beat UGA???????
Got to give you credit though coming on here and making noise after your trainwreck of a season!!!!!.
wooooo
December 12th, 2012
10:36 pm
DogNole, I’m sorry. Georgia only got housed by 28. Sorry, I quit watching when the game was over in the 2nd quarter.
Maybe you should drink some warm milk and change your diaper.
Beast from the East
December 12th, 2012
10:40 pm
Big D,
Get back to me after UF wins walking away next year. Your defense is lousy against quality offenses right now. Imagine how bad they will be next year with all those NFL prospects gone. No depth on the front 7…at all.
Yeah, things should be back to normal with UF slapping the Dawgs around and y’all hollering for Richt’s head on a platter.
Tampa Gator
December 12th, 2012
10:41 pm
Big D…..
Obviously….you did not notice where the Florida Gators ended up ranked vs. your Dawgs….with wins over 4 top 12 BCS teams.
Obviously…..you did not notice that terrific Florida defense that will be just as terrifc next year.
Obviously….you did not notice that most of Florida’s excellent offensive line will return in 2013 and recruiting has added even more depth and power to that line.
Obviously…..you did not notice that Florida has perhaps the best young QB in the SEC.
Obviously…..you did not notice that Florida currently has either the top ranked recruiting class or near the top no matter which recruiting service you look at……including flipping Demarcus Robinson from Clemson today.
Obviously……you live in a dream world by thinking Florida in not already….and will remain….a national power under the leadership and coaching of Will Muscamp and his outstanding coaching staff….just made a lot better with the addition of WR and recruiting coordinator….Joker Phillips….whose hiring was the main reason Roberson flipped….most likely.
But…..you are right about one thing…..Georgia won the game this year fair and square….but it was hardly a butt whipping.
Tampa Gator
December 12th, 2012
10:47 pm
Dawgnole……
Still mad at me because my Gators bombarded your Noles this year. Better coaching….was obvious in that game……and playing in the SEC does prepare players for those type of games….and the Gators were a better prepared and a lot more physical team than your Noles.. Beating LSU is a little better than beating Clemson…..as Clemson will likely find out in the Chick FIl A Bowl.
But I would bet that the Noles will win their last game this year…..vs. the power program known as Northern Illinois…..I do believe that is the team they are playing…because I have never heard of them before…..but they are deserving of the ACC champ….because the Noles beat a powerhouse in that Ga. Tech team to get there. Congrats.
Brainiac(Dawg for life)(CMR fan for life)
December 12th, 2012
10:56 pm
@ Spurrier’s Head:
Speaking of PATSIES.. What was the name of the Junior College that had the Gators contemplting suicide for 99% of the game until a blocked punt saved the lives of many Gator fans???
I believe that team was Patsies R Us or We B Patsies. At least none of our Patsies scared the hell out of our entire fan base. I pulled for the Gators BECAUSE I knew it would make UGA’s win over the Gators look like the Gators were just another patsy on our Tough-a$$ schedule and now that we are pretty good friends I will share sumpin else with you! UGA deliberately LET USCe win the last couple of years because we wanted to jerk that rug from under Visor-man’s feet one more time just as he was thinking he had sewed up another SECe title!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!(thanks for a little help from the Gators)
Dawgnation
December 12th, 2012
11:03 pm
To the idiot that said Ga was lucky to be in the Bama game and only was because of a blocked punt, well hell if the ref do not cheat Stanford ND would not be unbeaten, they with the right roll of the ball woulds have and should have lost, to Mich,, Pitt and BYU. They scored 38 points on Wake forest, heck Vandy hung 55. As forthe SEC chanpionship game, Alabama had the ball for 40 minutes and Ga had it for 20, Bobo called a bad game, Ga had chances to score at least 14 more points in the first half. Ga had 5 straight 3 and outs that equals BObo bad play calling
Beast from the East
December 12th, 2012
11:06 pm
Brainiac,
That patsie went 8-4 is are bowl-bound. Other than beating UF, that would qualify as UGA’s most impressive win this season along with Vandy. Seems you also forgot UGA escaped with narrow victories over UT and UK, which sucked so bad they both fired their coaches. But hey, don’t let facts get in the way of your view from behind those red and black glasses.
Dawgnation
December 12th, 2012
11:07 pm
To all you idiots on here arguing whether Ga should be here on there, got a news flash for you go to yahoo sports under NCAAFB look at the ND stories and read how they make fun of the SEC, how weak Fl, Ga and SC is along with the rest and the teams outside the conference that SEC teams schedule, and how ND will beat bama and it will not be close, and how ND defense would stop any offense in the SEC and their offense would score 30 points on any team in the SEC, It does not matter who is going where , you take care of your business and you go where you want to, If you do not take care of your business you go where they send you
Beast from the East
December 12th, 2012
11:08 pm
“is are bowl bound”!?!?
I guess you rubbed of on me, Braniac.
daddo
December 12th, 2012
11:08 pm
Alabama should have won by 17 to 21 points. That’s a fact.
See 'Em Cheat Conference
December 12th, 2012
11:08 pm
Mark, you should really be ashamed of yourself, beating the drum for the ESSEEECEE. After all their champion “backed into” the BCS Championship game by virtue of the Ohio State University not being eligible for post season play. Otherwise it would be Lepracauns vs. Buckeyes for the Crystal Football. If you are going to criticize a local team for “backing in” to its conference’s championship game, at least be consistent. And as far as the FLEABAGS are concerned, they deserve to be where they are because they are the runners-up and besides Alabama they played no team of consequence from the Western division. The Roosters should be ahead of them in the polls.
Dawgnation
December 12th, 2012
11:09 pm
Hey Tampa gator your coach graduated from where?
Brainiac(Dawg for life)(CMR fan for life)
December 12th, 2012
11:10 pm
@ Big D:
Did I just see where Beast was saying “Just wait till next year”??? Don’t rile him too much because he is still recovering from the ULTRA CLOSE CALL where one of UFs patsies almost embarassed the Gators
had not Preacher Richt prayed for GOD to save the Gators since it was looking like the Gators were NOT going to save themselves. CMR is a great American and Christian but he also had an ulterior motive which was a Gator loss to Patsies R Us Junior College would have hurt UGAs Strength of schedule!!!!!!!!!
LMAO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Moist Dawg
December 12th, 2012
11:12 pm
Braniac, you are a disgrace. Every post of yours is dumber than the one before.
You actually rooted for Florida? You make me sick and maybe you should change your name to Benedict Arnold. Have fun shopping for matching panties with Jane Fonda this weekend.
Brainiac(Dawg for life)(CMR fan for life)
December 12th, 2012
11:15 pm
@ See M Cheat:
What difference does it make whether or not UGA played all or none of the western division of SEC? Florida beat all the SEC west folks except Bama and we beat Florida and played Bama to a standoff.
Brainiac(Dawg for life)(CMR fan for life)
December 12th, 2012
11:21 pm
@ Moit D:
I plainly stated why I pulled for Fla. It would hurt or strength of schedule if that middle school or Junior College or whatever beat the Gators. None of our patsies came within a gnat’s hair of beating us.
MEMO TO GATORS: It is okay to schedule patsies but DON’T let them beat you!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Brainiac(Dawg for life)(CMR fan for life)
December 12th, 2012
11:27 pm
@ Beast:
Don’t sweat the BS I throw out!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I’m just having a little fun yanking chains!!!
If Tampa gator says you are OK then you are okay with me!!!!!!!!!!!!
Tampa gator = Class
Brainiac(Dawg for life)(CMR fan for life)
December 12th, 2012
11:35 pm
@ Beast:
A patsy is a patsy whether they be 8-4, 12-0 or 0-12
roadrunner
December 12th, 2012
11:37 pm
John
GA beat two teams with a winning record: Vandy, and UF. And even that took six UF fumbles, including one at the goal line.
I wonder if UF would have fumbled 6 times if there was not a team playing defense on the field.
The Bear
December 12th, 2012
11:44 pm
UGA got hosed.
The Bear
December 12th, 2012
11:49 pm
@Tampa Gator between you and that moron Flo-ri-da Bama is doomed!
SEC Fan
December 12th, 2012
11:57 pm
@Gordon…Florida played one less game, and they only won many games by a slight late comeback. UGA is a better team this year and should be ahead of Florida. I respect the SEC but hope both Florida and Alabama lose.
Walk on
December 13th, 2012
12:19 am
UGA lost money going to the Outback bowl last year, their main goal now should be just to break even and get a win.
Columbus
December 13th, 2012
12:54 am
It was not UGA’s schedule that hurt them. They played SC, UF and UA. It was the 2 losses over UF’s 1 loss and nothing else. Had UGA not played in the SECCG and UF had, then it would be reversed because no way UF comes close to Bama at the end of this season.
People talking about all the turnovers in the UGA/UF game as being why UF is better are homers for UF only. UGA’s defense caused just abotu every turnover especially the LAST deciding one. That is a defense PLAYING great not the other team GIVING them the game. it was TAKEN. Case closed. UF ALSO had turnovers that caused them to WIN games this year so if you want to somehow rationalize that UF is better than UGA for the turnovers only, then you must give UF a loss or 2 for turnovers they got during the season that caused them to win games they would have LOST. BTW they got SEVERAL FROM UGA in the game and they still lost….was it 4 UGA turnovers UF got? UF fans forget that part of the game….so dont talk about turnovers in the UGA/UF game. You dont have a case because the ball was TAKEN away by the UGA D and you received a boatload yourself…..and still lost.
Georgia quarterback Aaron Murray ‘definitely going to think about’ NFL draft | UGA sports blog
December 13th, 2012
12:55 am
[...] Bradley: Georgia deserved better than Capital One Bowl [...]
Notebook: Bulldogs still hoping former starting DE Abry Jones can return | UGA sports blog
December 13th, 2012
1:01 am
[...] Bradley: Georgia deserved better than Capital One Bowl [...]
Snoop Dawg
December 13th, 2012
1:32 am
Folks,
UGA deserves exactly the bowl they will play in. The four thugs who were suspended for four games gave away the NC, along with mediocre coaching.
Which UGA team will show up on1Jan in Orlando? The one that was demolished by SC or the one that beat. UF in s,Piet of no QB in the first half?
Your guess is as good as mine.
Can they beat Nebraska? Flip a coin. If Nebraska beats Georgia, will Georgia still have been dissed by the bowl they were selected to participate in?
steve spurrier
December 13th, 2012
2:32 am
hey hey hey,welllllllll the way I see it….the bulldogs will always play a little league schedule and try and claim a big league trophy….never gonna happen
Bali
December 13th, 2012
2:44 am
Roadrunner…….very good post . If any of the posters follow UGA football, these guys are taught to strip the ball, and sometimes that results in a “non tackle”…..but it also could result in an obvious turnover or even something sweeter(pick 6).
shakazulu
December 13th, 2012
3:58 am
Deserves aint got nothing to do with it. They got what the current system says they should have gotten. It’s quite simple really.
Happy New year folks
December 13th, 2012
5:59 am
All can say is mark richt better beat Nebraska Jan 1 in orlando are its sad News for him….he should be fired then….and boo boo also.. another year of we goin win SEC sure on paper is easy play it on field still say when Mizzu n Texas A&M Join alabama n auburn should move east divison n Mizzu and Texas A&M in west instead but Oh No idiots in SEC office n Ga said No it be un-fair we have play flordia n alabama every year and get beat by alabama bad…so kept so play kentucky and Old Miss and Mizzu…next year record 11-2 in east 7-1 win lose to alabama again in atlanta…Richt claims bad breaks and baked beans for lost!
dinola
December 13th, 2012
6:32 am
georgia—easy schedule, blown out by south carolina–no bcs bowl–enough said.
Snake Plisskin
December 13th, 2012
6:37 am
Sitting at home, on your couch, eating nacho’s, swigging on an adult beverage, and watching two teams do battle on national TV, is all it takes to move up in the standings…does anyone, ANYONE believe Bama would have dropped below UF with two loses…nope wouldn’t have happened…