Stokan denies Georgia-USC rumor
A hot rumor spread from the West Coast on Wednesday that the USC football team would come to Atlanta to play Georgia in the 2011 Chick-fil-A Kickoff Game. (It spread the new-fashioned way, from Twitter to message boards.) But Gary Stokan, the game’s president, denied the rumor when I called to ask him about it Wednesday night.
He said there have been talks with USC about a possible appearance in the 2011 game — but not, he said, against Georgia.
“Georgia is not a possibility for 2011,” Stokan said.
He said UGA, through former athletic director Damon Evans, expressed interest in playing in the season-opening game in the Georgia Dome at some point in the future but indicated the next few years wouldn’t work schedule-wise.
Georgia is scheduled to open the 2011 season against Louisville in Athens.
As for USC, Stokan said Trojans coach Lane Kiffin sent him a text message in February to suggest a 2011 Chick-fil-A Kickoff Game matchup against his former team, Tennessee. “It’d be a great storyline,” Stokan quoted Kiffin as telling him in a subsequent phone conversation. Stokan said new Tennessee coach Derek Dooley later told him he’d be willing to play USC in Atlanta — after he has three years or so to get his program established.
The bottom line, Stokan said, is that the Chick-fil-A Kickoff Game still doesn’t have a 2011 matchup.
“We don’t have an opponent [for USC],” Stokan said. “We don’t have USC either.”
Stokan does have matchups for 2010 (LSU-North Carolina on Sept. 4) and 2012 (Tennessee-N.C. State).
++++++++++++++++
Speaking of scheduling: Georgia hasn’t finalized or announced its 2010-11 basketball schedule yet, but the Bulldogs will open the season at 7 p.m. on Nov. 12 in the new-look Stegeman Coliseum against Mississippi Valley State. That’s according to a schedule posted on the MVSU website.
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
535 comments Add your comment
Call IT
July 29th, 2010
8:52 am
Hey Gator Powder Puff Out of Conference Schedule: They play an SEC schedule which is hard enough and back it up by normally winning the conference and NC’s to boot as they do not need to prove anything so I would not be discounting a schedule that is made 7 years in advance as that has nothing to do with anything. Your lousy team has not done SQUAT since 1980!
Enough Said!
Sorry Guy!
July 29th, 2010
8:52 am
Wherr ma panties is? – Actually, OK State we played twice but nice try. Along with AZ. State twice. About to head to Colorado this year and play them for the 2nd time in the last 4 years and the next two years we have home and home with Louisville and we will be playing Oregon home and home in the near future. Wow do you look like an idiot.
Sorry Guy!
July 29th, 2010
8:54 am
Call IT – And UGA also plays an SEC schedule as well as the teams above. And I know GT isn’t a good team but we play them every year too.
ToccoaDawg
July 29th, 2010
8:55 am
I love it when people like ramble on thinks auburn playing clemson is easy
RambleOn84
July 29th, 2010
8:57 am
Auburn playing Clemson is an anomaly…look back at their schedules over the past ten years…including their undefeated season, when they played an absolute joke of a schedule.
RambleOn84
July 29th, 2010
8:59 am
Truth is, UGA and Alabama are the only teams in the SEC who play decent out of conference schedules, and even they play a lot of suspect teams.
Most SEC schools play nothing but “directionals” out of conference.
RambleOn84
July 29th, 2010
9:00 am
But then again we play in the ACC so our schedule is a joke every year!
Angie Daddy 2
July 29th, 2010
9:00 am
Gators will put in another order for a total beat down of the mutts again in Jacksonville. Book it !
Wherr ma panties is?
July 29th, 2010
9:01 am
Sorry Gay – I’m talking about the kickoff game, moron. And Colorado! You must be kidding! You are an idiot.
RambleOn84
July 29th, 2010
9:01 am
Auburn, for example, plays 8 home games against the likes of Chattanooga, Louisiana-Monroe, and Arkansas State. Clemson is the first decent team they have played out of conference in a very long time.
Blue
July 29th, 2010
9:02 am
yeah…like an SEC team is going to schedule a tough OOC game.
RambleOn84
July 29th, 2010
9:02 am
Nice impression of me there…conference schedules can’t be helped, now can they?
fildawg
July 29th, 2010
9:03 am
I’m guessing you mean Southern Cal? Those of us born and bred in the south know that USC is South Carolina.
ToccoaDawg
July 29th, 2010
9:03 am
Maybe tech can play ND
ToccoaDawg
July 29th, 2010
9:04 am
If tech played ND would that be the gold dome game?
Sorry Guy!
July 29th, 2010
9:07 am
Wherr ma panties is? – So we opened the season a few years ago with OK State also and Boise State was another team we opened the season with not very long ago. And next year we open with Louisville. “OK State last year was a once in a lifetime”. Once in a lifetime huh? Now who is the idiot again. Sorry about actually using facts instead of opinions.
Blue
July 29th, 2010
9:08 am
Besides UGA and Bama nobody else in the SEC schedules tough teams.
Chico's Bail Bonds
July 29th, 2010
9:08 am
UGA is scheduled to play Clemson in an home and home series in 2013-2014. The problem in getting a good match-up in the Chick-Fil-A game is the fact that none of the “big boys” want to add a game that will jeopardize their “BCS” vote. I believe that the Alabama/Clemson match-up ruined it for years to come. Just look at the two games that are scheduled as of right now; LSU/UNC and Tennesee/NC State. Seriously?
Call IT
July 29th, 2010
9:09 am
Playing out of conference games proves nothing except if you should screw up and lose, you are done, so why take the chance of dashing a shot to play in the big game? Until Div 1 wakes up and has a playoff system, I would not schedule tough games as it proves nothing. BTW, FL plays FL State on their last game every year. Therefore, if they should lose that game, that most likely would dash their hopes of playing for a NC. With that being said, they have nothing to prove since they already play in the hardest conference in the nation. They play TN, GA, SC, LSU, KY, Vandy, & FL State, every year and rotate with the West with Alabama, Auburn, Miss State, and Ole Miss. They do not have to prove anything as when they play their bowl game, they normally win big. Does the Sugar Bowl last year ring a bell?
Enough Said!
DAWGS
July 29th, 2010
9:10 am
Screw SC. UGA vs. Ohio State would be fun though
RambleOn84
July 29th, 2010
9:11 am
Maybe…I liked whupping them up a few years ago, and I’m still bitter about the ending to Rudy.
Hal
July 29th, 2010
9:12 am
Call It, I’ll give UF credit for their run, I wish UGA was on it. But you’re as stupid as a sack of bricks if you think A) the schedules are done 7 years in advance and B) UF plays a decent out of conference schedule. UGA has played Clemson, GT, Boise St, OK ST, Colorado, Arizona St and has Loiusville set for ‘11 while UF has played the g*%^ d&@%m College of Charleston. UF plays the same SEC teams we do generally speaking, but their OOC schedule has been made fun of for years.
Rick S
July 29th, 2010
9:12 am
I agree with some of the other comments: Keep Lane Kiffin and USC out of the Chick-fil-A Kick-off Classic and their desire to gain exposure in the South. Lane Kiffin and company have made it clear they think the South is red-neck and College Football in the South cannot hold a candle to the claiber of Football in the Pac 10. Fildawg: You are right to the Southerners USC stands for University of South Carolina!
RambleOn84
July 29th, 2010
9:14 am
Were you really touting Kentucky and Vandy as tough games?
Agreed we need a playoff, but playing tough games do matter…just ask Auburn. If they hadn’t played a bunch of patsies the year they went undefeated, they might have gotten a chance at the Big Game.
Really?
July 29th, 2010
9:14 am
Call IT – I actually agree with you! I wish UGA didn’t schedule these games. What is the point? They say they get respect. Really? Going to the NC game also gets you respect regardless of who you play during the season. I agree with how UF schedules games. It doesn’t hurt them by not playing anybody tough out of conference.
Dawgs Rule
July 29th, 2010
9:14 am
Hey panty sniffer,
Everyone in the SEC hates Kiffin. Now grow up and quit obsessing with panties, loser!!
Say what you may:
July 29th, 2010
9:16 am
Say what you may about Kiffin but, he was a hope and a prayer from beating Alabama last year, lost to the Gators by 10 points, and not only said he would beat UGA, but left on dought who was totally in control of that game by making us look like the bad news bears of college football. Look back at UT’s games last year and you’ll see only OL Miss soundly beat them. It wasn’t a tallent thing but an attitude adjustment that he gave his players. It would have been interesting to see what UT’s program would have looked like under Kiffin in his third or forth year. A case could be made that he was brought to USC to take the fall for their program or another could be made that the pressure has been taken off of him to maintain the status flo of this program due to the NCAA investigations. So what Lane Kiffin would be saying by trying for a USC/UGA game is I beat you at Tennessee with less tallent and I can beat you at USC with my hands tied by the NCAA because it’s not the players I have but the coaching that is better.
Call IT
July 29th, 2010
9:17 am
Hey Hal the moron, I never said their OOC schedule was difficult. I just said they do not have to prove anything by having a hard OOC schedule, no one does. Why is it dumb to risk the chance of missing out for playing in the NC game because you lost late when you do not have to. GA needs to focus on winning their division and the conference since they can’t do that. Therefore, who’s the dumb one?
Enough Said!
Say what you may:
July 29th, 2010
9:17 am
I am totally kidding Kiffin is an idiot and everybody knows that his Dad ran that team.
Snellville Jacket
July 29th, 2010
9:18 am
If the Dawgs won’t play Southern Cal, I’d love to see Tech play them. Let’s be honest here – I hate to see my Jackets scheduling the South Carolina State’s and Middle Tennessee’s of the world. Let’s play Southern Cal in the Chick-Fil-A game, then let’s try to add some games with our traditional southern rivals – Auburn, Alabama, and Tennessee. Those are games Tech fans can get excited about, regardless of the outcome!
UGA
July 29th, 2010
9:19 am
We would like to play Georgia State in the Chick-fil-A game. There will be no USC, Oklahoma, or any other team of that caliber. We already are suspect phonies and those games could tend to prove it.
UGA
July 29th, 2010
9:19 am
We want to follow Bama’s lead and play Georgia State
edumacated
July 29th, 2010
9:20 am
Florida losers have nothing better to do before 9:00 A.M than to come on here and talk crap to Georgia fans. What a life.
Hayseed Dixie
July 29th, 2010
9:22 am
Allow me to translate the “Lame Kiffen is classless, Clemson is a great rivalry” comments from the puppies above.
Dawgs: “We don’t want to play Lame Kiffen, he beat us!!
Let’s play Clemson, we can beat them!!”
RambleOn84
July 29th, 2010
9:22 am
Snellville Jacket – It isn’t a matter of UGA not wanting to play USC. Read the article again. UGA is not able to play them due to scheduling.
DamntheButcher
July 29th, 2010
9:22 am
Why would GA want to waste time playing Clemson when the school is an hour from Athens. If they are going to play someone out of the conference then play Miami, Play FL State, Play anybody besides a school that close in miles.
Contractor
July 29th, 2010
9:23 am
I say you keep this game a southern thing, and maintain the SEC vs ACC matchup. Don’t let some other team come in and gain recruiting satisfaction in the hotbed South, especially Lame Kitty. Chick-Fil-A was founded in the South, and the game should pit two southern conferences, with respect to Arkansas, Kentucky, Boston College, etc. I propose South Carolina vs Georgia Tech, Auburn vs Miami, LSU vs Clemson. I would like to see two good programs whom rarely play go at it to open the season. Didn’t add Georgia since there are scheduling conflicts, but would like to see Georgia vs Miami if possible.
ugag is irrelevant
July 29th, 2010
9:23 am
ignorance on fire in athens
edumacated
July 29th, 2010
9:24 am
Contractor is dead on.
Lowcountry Bulldawg
July 29th, 2010
9:25 am
Lock Kiffin and USC out of the USC.
FSU vs. ND
Ga vs. FSU
GA Tech vs. UT
Bama vs. Miami
Wherr ma panties is?
July 29th, 2010
9:27 am
Dawgs Rule – Panties are next to the best thing in the world for most of us. Obviously not you. Yo’ve got a rainbow bumper sticker for sure.
gatorbacker4ever
July 29th, 2010
9:27 am
…Why cant my Gators play someone in this game? Im so sick of seeing the Gators whip the garbage schools we play out of conference..hopefully FSU gets back to where they were..I miss those days of UF-FSU both ranked in the top 5 when they played. I would love to see a home and home with UF-Texas or UF-Southern Cal
UGA cannot play GA State...
July 29th, 2010
9:29 am
…in that game since that would be a home game for Ga State and UGA already crys (and loses) almost every year in Jacksonville…
Wherr ma panties is?
July 29th, 2010
9:29 am
Any replies yet on the want ad the mutts posted for an AD?
Dirty Dawg
July 29th, 2010
9:30 am
Realize playing a USC-West team with a year-two, Charlie Strong (that is where he went, ain’t it?) coached, Louisville team back-to-back would be a tough one…and who knows if either of our running backs won’t have turned pro…but I’d still love to see Georgia be the one that took some revenge on Lame Lane. Sure it would be far more fitting for it to be Tennessee, and frankly I think that Derek would win points with the Tennessee faithful by taking the game next year, regardless of the outcome. If his team gets whipped then he’s got a built-in excuse – too soon to have rebuilt from the mess that Kiffin left…but if he wins…if he wins…can you imagine? Hell they’d rename Rocky Top to ‘Derek D’ – after all it already rhymes with Tennessee. Plus, think about it, chances are that Papa Kiffin will have hung it up by then, or croaked or something. Shoot, Lane may have even been run off for Lame-like conduct. Either way, if I know my UT friends, some of ‘em would just like to know that Lame is in the neighborhood and where he’s stayin’. Plus, the Dome will be a sight – Rocky Top when UT scores, and the loudest chorus of BOOOOsss ever heard when, and if, USC does.
My only question is why would the NCAA allow that bunch to play in an ‘extra’ game in the first place? It’s better than a bowl game in that it gets national attention for a program that’s supposed to be paying a price for it’s ‘institutional control’ issues – plus barring ‘em could be the price that Lame should pay for his role in failing to know what everybody else did regarding that Bush guy – and even if they didn’t know they should have suspected something with a name like that….heh, heh.
Snellville Jacket
July 29th, 2010
9:32 am
RambleOn84, regardless of why UGA may not be able to play in the game, my point is that Tech should take every chance to upgrade our non-conference schedule. When I was there in the mid 80’s, we played Tennessee, Auburn, and Alabama every year. Did we lose some of those games? Yeah, but we won some, too – and they were a whole lot of fun to watch!
T3
July 29th, 2010
9:34 am
MIAMI vs FLORIDA (This would be THEEEEEEEEEEE ONE !!!!)
(Too bad the Gators aint got the balls to play this one)
Others might be:
GT vs. Notre Dame
GT vs Arkansas
GT vs Ole Miss
southern yankee
July 29th, 2010
9:35 am
Good matchup ideas?
Georgia-Nebraska or Oklahoma or Texas
Boise State-Florida
Utah-Florida
Miami-Notre Dame
Georgia-FSU
Oklahoma-Florida
FSU-Notre Dame
Nebraska-FSU
joe
July 29th, 2010
9:35 am
“Alright dawg fans……………you guys sounding like you “might” be scared of USC. Just think of all the westcoast exposure.”
Give me a break. Nobody is afraid of USC, especially a USC on probation coached by Kiffin. It’s about not giving this dumbass a chance to recruit this state, which is the only reason he’s interested.
kevin
July 29th, 2010
9:36 am
T3,
I am pretty sure the Gators have the balls seeing as how they have been 1 of the 2 best teams in the country over the last 5 years while Miami has been completely irrelevant.