UGA’s McGarity unsure about 2012 schedule but says SEC will stick with 8 games
ATHENS – When asked about Georgia’s future schedules in the wake of SEC expansion, Georgia athletic director Greg McGarity deferred Monday to that well-known football scheduling expert of “Hogan’s Heroes” fame.
“What was it that Sgt. Schultz used to say? ‘I know nothing,” McGarity said in a fake German accent.
Lame jokes aside, McGarity was telling the truth. He said the SEC’s 12 current ADs met two weeks ago to discuss future schedules, but that all those scenarios involved a 13-team league. After Sunday’s news that Missouri has officially joined the league, the SEC will be a 14-team conference starting next season. Texas A&M agreed in September to join the SEC.
“I really don’t know anything,” McGarity said Monday. “Two weeks ago all we saw were several different variations of a 13-team schedule, but we haven’t seen anything regarding 14 teams. The only thing we know is that Missouri is in the East. I guess that means that we play Missouri next year. But who knows where and who knows who our Western opponents will be? That’s what you just don’t know, because you can’t assume anything.”
McGarity said one thing about which he is sure is they won’t be expanding from eight to nine conference games. South Carolina President Harris Pastides was quoted earlier Monday saying that would be the case.
“No, no, no, I don’t know where that came from,” McGarity said. “That was in error. That has never been discussed. The model is an eight-game conference schedule. I do know that.”
One scenario floated on Monday was that Georgia, which was slated to pick up Alabama next season in Tuscaloosa, would get the Tigers in Columbia instead.
“Not necessarily so,” McGarity said. “We’ll have to play everybody in the East, so there’s six games there, then you play two Western opponents. One of those will have to be Auburn, we hope, just like Alabama hopes theirs will be Tennessee. So who knows?
“We just haven’t had any discussion yet on what our schedule will look like next year. But we have to know by the end of the month. We have to for logistical purposes.”
McGarity said preliminary word out of Birmingham is that they will meet again in two weeks to finalize future schedules. That day won’t come soon enough for him.
“We have to get moving on 2012,” McGarity said. “We’ve got printed materials, we’ve got season-ticket orders, hotels to reserve, we’ve got to move pretty quickly here. But that’s just part of the challenges that occur when you go through expansion this quickly.”
– Chip Towers
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212 comments Add your comment
mdawg
November 8th, 2011
7:29 am
well just ask the athens chamber of commerce if they would love to have the fla game as a home and home..
how many does the city of athens lose out of hotels, rest. alone from missing out on florida ever coming here…
Prediction
November 8th, 2011
7:32 am
Auburn to Fayetteville is about equal in distance as is Athens to Columbia. Gainesville to Lexington is farther. Georgia whiners will always whine.
JaxDawg
November 8th, 2011
7:40 am
I know its non confrence, but what about us renewing our rivalry with clemson? i thought we were suppose to pick them up on a yearly basis in the near future.those games were some good battles in the 80,s. i,d like to see it come back.
Prediction
November 8th, 2011
7:40 am
You only want to move Auburn to the East because you already have to play them every year anyway. Texas A&M and Mizzou are both superior to Georgia. If you don’t like them coming to the SEC, then move to the ACC. You’re a better fit there under your ACC HC. Just think… Almost all of your games could be like last week’s magnificent victory over the mighty NMSU after you join the ACC.
ole yeller
November 8th, 2011
8:06 am
Missouri, Texas A&M playing in the east-west everyone is not going to be happy. I see the SEC going toward becoming a SUPER conference. Some other parts of the country will do the same. Create some 16 team conferences. It’s a simple matter of ecnomics that some teams will be merged in to other conferences.That solves the National Champship playoff system. Think about it, This way nobody gets hurt, everyone wins………..CAN’T WAITE UNTIL THIS HAPPENS.
Prediction
November 8th, 2011
8:12 am
What a Maroon. “Super-Conferences” are merely a rumor being spouted by losers. The best teams will still win most of the time – no matter what system you employ.
ole yeller
November 8th, 2011
8:17 am
Enter your comments here
ole yeller
November 8th, 2011
8:19 am
@Prediction
Maroon, Like calling the kettle black. Wake up and smell the coffee. It’t doesn’t matter whhat we think Money talk, and bull s— walks.
meh
November 8th, 2011
8:35 am
if you just move Bama and Auburn to the east and put Mizzou and A&M in the west you’d have an 8 team division and a 6 team division.
AltamahaDawg
November 8th, 2011
8:41 am
I get the feeling that Prediction is not a Georgia fan.
DC
November 8th, 2011
8:45 am
I’m glad someone else said it..reading through all these stupid posts is laughable…if AU and bama go to the east you might as well just crown LSU the west champs…
1eyedJack
November 8th, 2011
8:48 am
Who’s up for a scrum? Georgia’s historically bitter rival…..Missouri?
Mountain DAWG
November 8th, 2011
8:56 am
If we can have some more “conference attrition and expansion”, we may finally get a playoff system in place. Should we wind up with eight large conferences, each having a playoff game, you would have 8 playoff teams to fight it out for a TRUE national champion. The Big East could absorb the ACC to make sure they would have enough teams to play for homecoming games.
Angus
November 8th, 2011
9:04 am
Auburn 34, Georgia 24
Dawgs know the beatdown is coming, so bend over…
Dawg Man
November 8th, 2011
9:17 am
Hope we get an easy schedule like we did this season so we can be East Champs every year. Cant wait to destroy LSU, do we then get to play Boise again for the National Championship game?
do the math
November 8th, 2011
9:17 am
If we are adding A&M and Mizzou to the west we only need one team to shift east which will be auburn because they are further east.
1eyedJack
November 8th, 2011
9:25 am
Hey Anus, how long does your crack-high last?
ole yeller
November 8th, 2011
9:25 am
@Angus
Sorry to burst your bubble,,Auburn can’t play with a team with “D”. Please check their record Clemson, Ark, LSU, Now UGA, Later BAMA. Auburm will make it to the tolit bowl 7-5.
DC
November 8th, 2011
9:30 am
@ole yeller…look at AU’s stats against clemson and arky….LSU was the only team to hold them truely in check..plus they were without their #1 wide receiver…and that made a big difference…are you comparing UGA’s defense to LSU’s?
tony
November 8th, 2011
9:31 am
I got this feeling that the Missouri Tigers are going to embarrass the sec because every team in the sec east are mediocre at best. If Missouri become the best team in the east next season, I can hear it now…”the sec was never good – they can’t even beat a mediocre Big 12 team (Missouri)”
If your a gator fan…..welcome to the world of mediocrity. Your team seems like it is being coached by Mark Richt.
1eyedJack
November 8th, 2011
9:40 am
DC, let’s compare UGA’s defense to LSU’s.
G Rush Yards Pass Yards Plays Total Yards Yards/Play Yards/G
3 LSU 9 709 1597 563 2306 4.1 256.2
7 Georgia 9 821 1718 567 2539 4.5 282.1
16 yds a game difference.
1eyedJack
November 8th, 2011
9:41 am
Sorry, 26 yds. a game. Having a little trouble with my adding.
Mountain DAWG
November 8th, 2011
9:41 am
Tony- LMAO. Why does the SEC need another tigers team. Can’t you guys come u with something more creative. Granted, Bulldogs isn’t much better. I’ll bet Mizzou will be petitioning for fewer than 8 conference games so they might have a prayer at a winning season. I’d love to see Kentucky whip the crap out of UM for their “welcome to the SEC” party. I’m glad to have UM join the east. Another weaker team for Georgia to beat before getting trashed by LSU/Alabama.
DC
November 8th, 2011
9:44 am
1eyedJack..fair enough but we must also compare the level of competition..I’m sure you knew I would go there…not to mention LSU is a road warrior this year…
TampaDawg
November 8th, 2011
9:48 am
I have a prediction too. That Prediction will never admit what team heGT is a fan of and that the next time heGT comes on here, it will be under a different name because heGT just doesn’t have the guts to make lame comments that heGT can’t back up with any sort of fact.
I mean, anybody that would come on here and make such claims as T A&M and Mizzou are superior to UGA without even one shred of evidence to back up hisGT opinion is ignorant and more of a maroon than what heGT felt compelled to call someone else on here.
TampaDawg
November 8th, 2011
9:57 am
DC, outside of Michael Dyer though, Auburn can’t do anything offensively. And on defense, they couldn’t even stop Utah State. Heck, Clumpson put over 600 yards on them.
TampaDawg
November 8th, 2011
9:58 am
There wasn’t even that many yards put on Maryland.
ole yeller
November 8th, 2011
9:59 am
@DC
Not comparing LSU “D” with UGA “D” because LSU “D” is #4 nation wide where UGA is #6
nation wide But, lets face it, pretty DAMN close. Please check the records. Thats more than enough “D” to take down Auburn. Auburn still winds up in the tolit bowl in December 2011.
DC
November 8th, 2011
10:12 am
Tampa, I understand where you are coming from. But I have watched every minute of every game. AU’s issues early in the year on defense was simple..they didn’t know any of the packages and they had too many packages..coach dumbed it down for the clemson game and clemson caught on after half time…as the season has progressed the explosive plays have regressed..LSU game has made AU’s numbers look worse than they actually are…
AU does have more players on offense than Dyer. McCaleb is super fast and I dare someone to catch him after he gets by the first man. Emory Blake is a stand out receiver who has missed several games due to injury. He is back and 100%. Lutzie is a constant big time catch guy and he made a sick catch last week against Ole miss.
Not saying they are perfect but they are so much better than what people give them credit for.
ole yeller
November 8th, 2011
10:13 am
@TampaDawg
Remember Texas A&M came to Ark., had a big lead., still got there BUTT kicked. please check the record…….SEC still superior, WHO has won the last 5 NAT. CHAMP.Please dont quess let me tell you SEC, SEC, SEC SEC, SEC,…2 @ FLA 1 @LSU 1 @ AUB. 1 @ ALA. enough said.
mdawg
November 8th, 2011
10:22 am
to the person who wants us to play clemson every year….. get real. us new generation dawgs do NOT want to play clemson…. look at the head to head recored betweeen UGA and clemson and you will see that they can not compete.
we do play them in a home and home in a few years.. after that i never want to play them again… period
tradition is for old folks and we yungins want to create our own traditions
TampaDawg
November 8th, 2011
10:29 am
@ole yeller .. aren’t you proving my point? Did you not really read my post? I don’t believe A&M and Mizzou have any idea what they are about to get themselves into.
@ DC, I agree the Auburn run game is pretty awesome but this is a team the JUST gave up nearly 400 yards of offense to Ole Miss. That’s not good. Over 200 of that was on the ground. Yes, Isaiah hasn’t been a great back as of yet, but I would say I am not going out on a limb stating that he is better than anyone on the Rebels squad. Heck, so is Carlton Thomas and Brandon Harton for that matter.
DC
November 8th, 2011
10:34 am
I fear the air attack more than the run game of UGA..there was a bunch of cheap stat points in that ole miss game. but we shall see..not going to be low scoring by either side..thats one thing I do know haha..I’m curious to see how my boys play with that bye week.
TampaDawg
November 8th, 2011
10:39 am
It is a dynamic of the game that is underrated, having a bye week prior to a big game. I think UGA goes over 200 yards both on the ground and in the air. I am predicting 31-17 Dawgs with a big play from Auburn on special teams and a 150 / 1 TD game from Dyer. I have a feeling McCalebb gets about another 50 on top of that too.
ole yeller
November 8th, 2011
10:40 am
Personal I’ll take Harton over “IC” until he get his head out of his a–. Harton is little but loud. Thomas I think has let a little bit of success go to his head AND IS FALLING BEHINED. He needs to pick it up or he will be #3.
Delusional Dawg
November 8th, 2011
10:58 am
Harton is better than IC. Just look at his stats in last week’s game!
TampaDawg
November 8th, 2011
11:03 am
Well, lets not look at one game’s stats and go with Harton over IC. Let’s keep in mind who Harton was up against. I like the kid, but I think I might be able to squeeze off 5 per carry against the Aggies of NMSU
SEC Insider
November 8th, 2011
11:07 am
Georgia’s 2012 Schedule Leaked:
9-01-12 Buffalo
9-08-12 South Carolina
9-15-12 Florida Atlantic
9-22-12 Vanderbilt
9-29-12 Tennessee
10-06-12 Missouri
10-13-12 Kentucky
10-20-12 Open Date
10-27-12 Florida
11-3-12 Ole Miss
11-10-12 Auburn
11-17-12 Georgia Southern
11-24-12 Georgia Tech
12-01-12 Idle
ole yeller
November 8th, 2011
11:08 am
That is why I would like to see Harton run agains a SEC teams “D”. That would seprate the MEN from the BOYS. What he did against a cream puff was good but not great.
Delusional Dawg
November 8th, 2011
11:08 am
@TampaDawg
Why not? We’re doing that with our defensive stats.
TampaDawg
November 8th, 2011
11:16 am
So you’re saying there is no difference between even a down UF, UT (in Knoxville I might add), and Miss St offense versus NMSU’s defense? Wow, I am at a loss for words on that one.
Delusional Dawg
November 8th, 2011
11:20 am
I’m just saying that there is a much bigger difference between UGA’s D and LSU’s D than anyone in Athens wants to admit.
TampaDawg
November 8th, 2011
11:26 am
there is a difference, but I bet when it comes down to it against the better teams, you and many others will find out the gap is only as big as the rankings indicate (they aren’t far apart in the rankings). To the point, look at the teams that both UGA and LSU have played. Then look at the yards those teams have racked up on both teams. The difference isn’t that great.
Delusional Dawg
November 8th, 2011
11:28 am
Right. And Harton’s stats indicate that he should start over IC – ignore the level of competition.
TampaDawg
November 8th, 2011
11:38 am
Ummm, maybe you missed it. UGA and LSU HAVE PLAYED 4 MUTUAL TEAMS. That’s the SAME level of competition to compare the two against. Stay with me here, if they play a group of the same teams, then the level of competition is, hang in there on this one, THE SAME. And to make the point further, UF didn’t have Brantley back against LSU, but they did against UGA. Yes, you are delusional, and no, you’re no Dawg.
Delusional Dawg
November 8th, 2011
11:48 am
Yeah, Brantley’s pretty dangerous with only one leg and Georgia is just as good as LSU.
And I thought I was delusional!
TampaDawg
November 8th, 2011
11:53 am
You are .. you haven’t made a factual point yet Techie. And obviously, one leg or not, Brantley is more dangerous than Driskel and the other no name for Florida that LSU played.
Delusional Dawg
November 8th, 2011
11:55 am
You’re right TampaDawg. We should just go ahead and crown ourselves BCS Champions.
After all, it’s pretty obvious to both you and I that we’re just that good.
TampaDawg
November 8th, 2011
11:58 am
I never said that and you know that is just the weak way out when you have no point with facts to make. Nice job though.
Delusional Dawg
November 8th, 2011
12:17 pm
My only point is that Georgia should not be favored against Auburn. They’re getting lots of credit that is not really deserved for the past seven wins against cupcakes.
Auburn will not roll over. It will be a real game – something that Georgia has not been accustomed to lately.