Bulldogs to the Liberty Bowl?
ATHENS — Georgia became bowl-eligible for the 14th consecutive season Saturday night, and in the wee hours of Sunday morning, it looked and sounded like the Bulldogs probably are headed to the Liberty Bowl.
“We’ve got a lot of folks in Memphis that would love to see the Dogs,” Steve Ehrhart, the Liberty Bowl’s executive director, said in an interview on his way out of Sanford Stadium.
Minutes earlier, Ehrhart was seen chatting with Georgia coach Mark Richt.
“We know we can’t do anything formally [because], as Mark said, we’re sort of under an embargo,” Ehrhart said. “But I think the fact that here I am talking to him at, what time is it, 12:30 in the morning [tells you] we’re pretty darn serious.”
Georgia’s 42-34 victory over Georgia Tech on Saturday night evened the Bulldogs’ record at 6-6, the threshold required for bowl eligibility.
The Liberty Bowl, which matches an SEC team vs. the Conference USA champion, will be played at 3:30 p.m. EST on Dec. 31.
The Conference USA representative in the Liberty Bowl will be the winner of next Saturday’s league championship game between Central Florida and SMU. Central Florida is coached by former Georgia Tech coach George O’Leary and SMU by former Atlanta Falcons coach June Jones.
While SEC bowl scenarios might remain somewhat in flux until after next Saturday’s SEC Championship Game — and until it is certain whether two SEC teams will reach BCS games – it seems likely that Georgia will be available for the Liberty.
Nashville’s Music City Bowl, which picks just ahead of the Liberty, is generally expected to take Tennessee. The Vols became bowl eligible with a victory over Kentucky on Saturday.
Georgia last played in the Liberty Bowl in 1987. The Bulldogs also played in the game in 1967.
“We’ve been talking about Georgia for basically all season,” Ehrhart said. “We’ve got a lot of tradition and pride with the Liberty Bowl. We’re the seventh oldest bowl game, and we haven’t had Georgia in 23 years.”
Ehrhart said he even mentioned to Richt last spring, when the Georgia coach was in Memphis to speak to a Fellowship of Christian Athletes event, that it’d be nice to have him back in town on Dec. 31.
Other postgame posts:
So was that Green and Houston’s way of saying goodbye?
Murray is closing in on Stafford’s record for TD passes in a season.
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180 comments Add your comment
BoWeevil
November 28th, 2010
8:25 am
Do you realize that Coach Richt in 10 years has yet to hire 1 assistant coach
just 1 mind you
BoWeevil
November 28th, 2010
8:26 am
don’t even get me started you little twit
independent
November 28th, 2010
8:26 am
I don’t understand why any city would want the filthy swine that is georgia to come to their city. Maybe they see it as a chance to increase revenue from all the fines that will get collected bailing the dog players out of jail. The question is, who will coach the game for ga? Richt will be leaving this week to take the job at Miami(Fl). Maybe you can elevate Bobo, that would be a scream
Andy in Blairsville
November 28th, 2010
8:28 am
Another season ends with another trip to the Tampax Bowl. How do they pay Mark Richt again?
BoWeevil
November 28th, 2010
8:29 am
“I have not heard anyone give Richt credit this season for reducing the penalty and turnover ratio…..the improvement in penalties comes from coaching and discipline…..give CMR credit”
1. who are YOU ?
2. LOST 6 games and you want me to stop and bow down to CMR
3. God Almighty
4. Same 6-LOSS season after 5-LOSS 2009 after 2008 debacle after 2006 four 4-loss season
5. Didn’t Coach Richt just win the FULMER CUP ?
6. You want to give CMR credit for this FULMER CUP NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP ?
I did not think so
BoWeevil
November 28th, 2010
8:30 am
you’ve got to be that patrick
patrick
a.h.
BoWeevil
November 28th, 2010
8:32 am
25 college football programs over these last 5 years this season now, average 10-win seasons
Andy in Blairsville
November 28th, 2010
8:34 am
The SEC has evolved and left UGA behind.
Lowcountry Bulldawg
November 28th, 2010
8:36 am
What about the possibility of CMR getting the call from the “U” to return back and coach the team? We all know the phone call is going to come. McGarity should make a quick call to Dan Mullen and gauge his interest in upgrading his Bulldog coaching gear.
Goober
November 28th, 2010
8:36 am
Hey Dawg nation. It’s that time of year to say “We gonna be number 1 next year”. Enjoy Memphis, I hear it’s beautiful in early Dec. Hee Hee
Wes Durham's Gigantic Bottom
November 28th, 2010
8:38 am
Bo Weevil….I am not the other “apologists” under a different name…..if you want another Jim Donnan here then by all means, keep calling for Richt to be fired…..all great coaches have down years…..Dooley had mediocre and losing seasons…..
Wes Durham's Gigantic Bottom
November 28th, 2010
8:43 am
Bo, the biggest complaint I have against CMR is that I think he has delegated too many recruiting decisions to RG….we have had several 4 and 5 star busts…..Charles White, Akeem Hebron, Ben Harden, to name a few……ultimately, recruiting does come down to the head coach, but RG deserves some of the blame……..just be happy that we beat the team coached by the coaching genius….the smartest coach in the game….the coach who calls plays from the sidelines….the coach who does not need a play sheet during the game…..you know, coach turkey neck….coach manboobs….coach fish fry….coach punch them in the face.
doggoneit
November 28th, 2010
8:45 am
Would someone please whisper to Todd Grantham that Peyton Manning was not the QB for Tech last night and that Tech almost always runs the football. Maybe he should put more players in the box to stop the run instead of playing the corners soft and dropping the safeties deep on every down. Please tell me that there wasn’t a superior DC available at half the cost. Perhaps Mannie Diaz, you think?
8 OUT OF 9
November 28th, 2010
8:45 am
Just enjoy the win and stop whining. liberty bowl will be fun great town.
Georgia appears headed to Liberty Bowl | ChuckOliver.Net
November 28th, 2010
8:49 am
[...] http://blogs.ajc.com/uga-sports-blog/2010/11/28/bulldogs-to-the-liberty-bowl/?cxntfid=blogs_uga_spor... [...]
Ryno
November 28th, 2010
8:56 am
Music City Bowl takes Tennessee because they’ve never been there and would sell many more tickets than Georgia would. Tennessee should be thrilled to make a bowl and Georgia should be ticked to have fallen this far this year.
Loyal to a fault
November 28th, 2010
8:58 am
I am a die hard Dawgs fan, love to make jokes about the North Avenue Trade School, etc., just like everyone else. But last night was the least satisfying win I have ever seen. We got flat outcoached. In every way. Once down 14 – 0 everything Paul Johnson did put his undermanned and less talented team in a position to win. He knew Grantham didn’t know how to defend the pitchman in a basic college offense. He knew we were weak up the middle with an undersized nose guard and undersized inside LB’s. He took advantage of our weaknesses.
When you give up 530 yards of offense to anyone, you suck.
Go Dawgs. But coach ‘em up.
USN Volunteer
November 28th, 2010
9:31 am
Liberty Bowl has been looking at Georgia all season…
Guess they thought you’d be crap this year too.
To Marcus Above
November 28th, 2010
9:39 am
Marcus marcus – lay off the wacky juice man, your views are getting hosed – Take off to the great white north it’s a beauty way to go. As for me, I’ve always wanted to see Elvis!
Mike S
November 28th, 2010
9:39 am
Bo, if I were you I would just go shoot myself. What a pitiful existence it must be to get this worked up over a sport. Good God man, get a friggin life and lay off the egg-nog this early in the morning.
Homepage | MrSEC.com
November 28th, 2010
9:40 am
[...] 11. Georgia could be headed to the Liberty Bowl. [...]
Sun Devil Dave
November 28th, 2010
9:40 am
Congrats Dawgs – but you gotta admit, fumbles and penalties have to stop! And as I’ve stated many times on this blog, if you get tired of CMR, he’s more than welcome here in Tempe.
Alpha23
November 28th, 2010
9:40 am
Schultz says a bad bowl is better than no bowl!!!! Why in the world should a 6-6 season be rewarded with a bowl game? Doesn’t make a lot of sense to me…….I guess it’s just so the players can say they went to a bowl game!!!! After a season like this, who really cares??
Dawg_Mike
November 28th, 2010
9:41 am
Poor Saint Simons is now officially on suicide watch.
Dawg_Mike
November 28th, 2010
9:42 am
That darn ball was slippery for both sides last night.
Alpha23 - Stay home
November 28th, 2010
9:44 am
If you don’t want to go, don’t go, if you don’t want to watch, don’t watch, if you don’t like the fact a 6-6 team is going bowling,shut up and go to Dairy Queen.
Atticus
November 28th, 2010
9:44 am
Coach Richt, there better be HUGE improvement next year. Your staff and players had a week off and that is all you have???? Your OC took away all the momentum with some horrible play calls and the DC still hasn’t taught a team to tackle and gave up 517 yards to a very bad team with a backup QB. I think it will delay the inevitable but you have the chance, what are you going to do with it?
Dawg_Mike
November 28th, 2010
9:46 am
Here’s something interesting for all who think UGA gets the most unsportsmanlike conduct calls.
The Ohio State University with a very clever way to lose 15 yards-
http://rivals.yahoo.com/ncaa/football/blog/dr_saturday/post/Used-as-intended-Ohio-State-s-alternate-unis-ar?urn=ncaaf-289645
Alpha23
November 28th, 2010
9:46 am
Can people not see how mediocre a 6-6 season is???!!!! Georgia is kind of behind the curve in the SEC!!!! Time for more changes……..off. cord., head coach, and whoever teaches the fumbling!!!!
Down in Albany
November 28th, 2010
9:47 am
Marcus: You are an idiot and a disgrace to the Dawg Nation for your comments about Murray. He’s something special.
TampaGator
November 28th, 2010
9:48 am
Too bad Florida and Georgia can’t play each other again in the “Overrated 5-Star Recruits” Bowl in Podunck, Alaska, where no one will see them play.
Can you imagine….Georgia gets blown out by SMU in the Liberty and Florida gets blown out by Iowa in the Gator. It is gonna be fun to watch!
Please….these two teams should decline any bowl offers.
Alpha23
November 28th, 2010
9:48 am
Atticus, how many chances does a person get around here?? It’s been a long time since the dawgs were really any good!!!
college is forever
November 28th, 2010
9:52 am
http://www.collegelunchboxes.com When the defense finally shuts down the run, this will turn out to be a pretty good team until then they are very average. Bill Parcells said “you are what your record says you are.” In spite of the very good year Murray had this is a very average team. But your still my team, I could not imagine cheering for someone else. So go to Memphis and kick some ass. 4 weeks till Christmas and the UGA Classic Tin Lunchbox would make a great gift for Dawg fans of any age. The Battle Cry lives on: Go Dawgs!!!
RealDawg
November 28th, 2010
9:54 am
Why do we get screwed in the bowl politics every year? TN didn’ t even sell out all their home games and traveled like crap this year. We sold out every home AND every away game including Colorado and annual ass kicking in Jacksonville.
If Music City is going to take KY and TN over UGA all the time, then the damn Chick-fil-A bowl should just choose UGA and keep the money at home or Jacksonville should choose UGA for all the money (much more than FL) we pour into that city.
Saint Richt
November 28th, 2010
9:56 am
Its really too bad that Tech didn’t win last night….
Katherine
November 28th, 2010
10:01 am
USN Volunteer
November 28th, 2010
9:31 am
Liberty Bowl has been looking at Georgia all season…
Guess they thought you’d be crap this year too.
LOL that is rich coming from a tennessee fan. blah blah blah yes we all know georgia had a bad season. Its just nice to end with a win. The bowl game, wherever they end up going, hopefully will just be fun for them. So many bitter, negative people on these blogs.
truedawg
November 28th, 2010
10:01 am
GO DAWGS just happy to play in any bowl game.Tech is still our doormat.Great job justin houston
FBR
November 28th, 2010
10:03 am
Enter your comments here
FBR
November 28th, 2010
10:08 am
Been watching UGA football many years. I don’t think I’ve ever seen a defense as poor as this one. They have absolutely no idea how to stop the run–either up the middle or on the edge. They are just totally pitiful.
Swampdawg
November 28th, 2010
10:10 am
This DAWG Defense doesn’t deserve a Bowl Game. They are pathetic! They CAN’T STOP ANYBODY! They look like and play like Grambling out there! We need more “Diversity” on this Defense! Need players like David Pollack, Terry Hogue, Kirby Smart and even Twardos! Sometimes you need to forfeit speed for physical and Mental Strength! Come on Richt! Can’t you see what is going on with the TEAM?
TampaGator
November 28th, 2010
10:18 am
Bobo might be your head coach for the Liberty….as Richt leaves for Miami next week.
TampaGator
November 28th, 2010
10:19 am
Can you imagine a team with Georgia’s defense and Florida’s offense!!! How bad would that team be????
Jupiter
November 28th, 2010
10:20 am
As an employee of Ben Epps Airport I must notify everyone that a U of M plane landed in Athens early this morning. Either Miami officials wanted a Chili Cheese Dog from the Varsity or there is a coach in town they are interested in.
Special! Read all about it!! Cheese for sale
November 28th, 2010
10:24 am
Come on in Dawg Fans, I have many types of cheese, swiss, cheddar (mild and sharp), American, Mexican blend, Manacatti, all for your tasting with that damn whining I’m hearing. If UGA loses, you want to fire the Coach, if UGA wins, you want to fire the coach. There’s no wonder the news media doesn’t give UGA respect, their own fans don’t!!!
RMikel58
November 28th, 2010
10:25 am
At first i thought Georgia should decline any Bowl offers. They’ve surrendered the 4th Quarter to alot of teams as if they’ve run out of gas. My thing i guess is this would be for the Seniors on that team that it would be fitting to go out that way.
I believe there one of the best 6-6 teams out there. AJ Green missing 4 games hurt us and yet we still have a shot at a bowl. I know it wasnt a glamorous season so many games that should’ve been won we lost to a penalty or a fumble. We didnt get any breaks and the other teams did.
Look around ya this year and see how many top programs in the nation have had a bad year. Itsa amazing that normally Ohio St., USC, Penn State, Texas, Florida, Oklahoma have normally 10 wins. Now teams like Stanford, Oregon , South Carolina, Auburn, are off the charts.
Hey look Georgia has its problems i know, they have got to get a New Offensive Coordinator to take it to the next level.
I f i were Mark Richt and wanted to keep my job there at Georgia, i’d be seeking an OC as soon as the season is over.
Todd Grantham that 3-4 is good and it has it bad spots too. Why do you not make adjustments before or after the half?
Tech murdered us on running yards 400 plus yds. 90 something plays would wear an NFL team out. Where was the corners on the options btw? Boykin started to play better but man were we slow to get around the corners.
Conditioning those players wouldnt be a bad thing in the off season Todd. Youre getting to be like Bobo “one dimensional” how bout shifting and/or disguising your D.
I have no answer but 3-4 gives up 3 yards a play on your bubble and they were gaining 8-10 plus yards a carry. Youre gonna have to beef up the defensive line in some way cause giving up 50 pounds on the line will wear a player out eventually.
Offensively i’d say Bobo gets a “C” on offense. You as always never established the run and AJ making spectacular catches got you out of the hole.
No screens, no mis-direction plays, reverses, or dumping the ball to the tailback. Murray needs to work on that because he overhrows/under throws screens.
Georgia needs to recruit a 5 star RB cause Washaun cant break tackles, Caleb King fumbles too much.
We got the WR and TE but we need to focus DL, LB recruiting this year.
To your Recruiters…………. not sure who recruits what but sometimes you have to fly or drive a great distance inorder to get a great player so i dont know why that isnt done. Maybe you dont wanna fly or arent motivated enough but some of the stories im hearing is that some of your recruiters arent returning calls to potential players.
Just in the evidence of Cam Newton tells me that some of you coaches cant look at potential when its there and youre only concerned about filling spots. What if Auburn put Cam Newton at DE/TE where would they be today?
ToccoaDawg
November 28th, 2010
10:27 am
We OWN this state!
Nothing to bag about Toccoa
November 28th, 2010
10:35 am
A bunch of corrupt politicians, state workers getting caught watching porno instead of earning their salaries, a current governor who’s idea of job creation is building a water park in the bonnies, tax increases in the guise of helping the public, and two medocre teams UGA and GT. Nothing to crow about, but wait South Carolina has been crowing since the second game of the season -
TheXman
November 28th, 2010
10:42 am
how can you say letting a team score is smart? why not try and cause a turnover? richt did the right thing in trying to set up for a field goal to put uga up by 4..uga couldnt run the clockout completely or richt would have done that. so he instead wanted to get 1 more first down. tech was stupid to think they would score in 1 min and 22 seconds with no timeouts, when every scoring drive they had took well over 5 min. with no passing game tech had no chance at all of scoring a td. they would have been better off trying to force an ealy fumble than use that logic. again stupid move by PJ if he really did let them score.
TheXman
November 28th, 2010
10:50 am
look at the stats…uga avg scoring drive was like 2 min or so. uga score 35 points on 48 plays and still gained almost 500 yards. where it took ga tech 92 plays to get to 512. uga and tech both avg 5.3 yards a rush but uga avg yarss per play was almost 9 where techs was almost 6 yards. uga took points off the board when the fumbled twice and the acc refs took 7 points off when they took two first downs away on ga techs 5 yard line. uga could have score 50 plus easy and its only going to get worse now that all of the div 1 a players will be gone. the last one is allen.
USN Volunteer
November 28th, 2010
10:54 am
I don’t see how it’s rich. We knew this year was going to be bad. No one in Knoxville had illusions of grandeur. Just because my team is bad doesn’t mean I don’t get to laugh to your misfortune. Wasn’t the year with Murray that you guys were gonna take dominance over the SEC East? I remember talks of an SEC Title in the beginning of the season, course with you UGA folks it’s always Title talk in the beginning of the season, despite how bad you really are. One I thing I learned from living in GA for 16 years is that you folks always are a glass half-full fanbase, it’s admirable, but then it becomes hilarious right around this time. It’s annual thing. UGA Disappointment is like the sun rising and sun setting. It’s always on time and always beautiful.