Just please. Not Shreveport
UGA announced today that ticket order forms for Georgia's possible bowl destinations will be mailed Monday. They will accept orders via mail or internet. The details are on UGA's site, and more info will probably be available in the mailer. Yes the timing sucks, but there's no way around it.
The scenarios as I see them:
Beat UK and not GT -- Music City Bowl
As far as bowl cities and venues go, Nashville knows how to throw a party. In a rebuilding year, this is OK. We could also face Miami there, which would be an interesting game. Getting stuck with Wake Forest would be demoralizing, but Maryland wouldn't be so bad. Starting this year, the Music City and Liberty Bowls pick at the same time by submitting an order of preference to the SEC. If they have the same preference, the teams get to pick their bowls.
Would the Music City rather have a struggling 7-5 Bama team in disarray tettering on the brink of firing their coach in a rematch of the 1992 National Title Game? Or a struggling UGA team where Richt plays his alma mater as a possible story line? Who knows. If the Gamecocks beat Arkansas or Clemson, they would strongly be considered ahead of us.
Beat UK and GT and hope for the best -- Peach Bowl
CBS Sportsline still has us going here to play Clemson. GT is almost a lock for the ACC Title Game after their win over Miami. The Peach now gets the 2nd pick of available ACC teams. The prevailing theory being that they wouldn't want GT (local) or Boston College (small traveling fan base). If Clemson is in the Peach, that means South Carolina is out of consideration to avoid a rematch. Bama is struggling as badly as UGA is. UGA would sell its allotment of tickets if Clemson were in the game, and Clemson would generate greater excitement for the game as well. If we somehow found a way to win out including Auburn, we'd end up here.
Please. No.
Lose to UK and GT (scenario 1) -- Independence Bowl
The Independence has a strong preference for SEC West teams. Last year, they only took South Carolina because there weren't enough SEC teams bowl eligible. The only other SEC East team that they've ever taken was UGA in 1991. HOWEVER, the problem here is the bowl pecking order. The Independence now gets the 8th SEC selection. This bowl probably doesn't want us given that Athens is 666 miles from Shreveport, and there's no easy way to fly there. BUT they may have no choice. If Bama, South Carolina and UK end up in some combo of the Peach, Music City and Liberty Bowls we end up at the Weedeater Classic. Period. If we lose to UK, that not only possible. It's very likely.
Lose to UK and GT (scenario 2) -- Liberty Bowl
The SEC has a tie-in with the Liberty Bowl this year. The SEC team plays the Conference USA champ. UGA vs. Tulsa would be totally unappealing, and I'm sure the Liberty knows that. Geograpically, the Liberty would probably rather have Bama than UGA. Frankly, they could probably sell more tickets to a UK fan base that was 7-5 than UGA fans. They could certainly sell more tickets to a 6-6 or 7-5 Gamecock fan base than a 6-6 UGA fan base. We could wind up here, but it's a winding convoluted series of events.
It's never Vegas when you want it to be.
The True Nightmare -- Destination Unknown
There is one scenario worse than all the above. That's the scenario involving two SEC teams not making the BCS. In that event, everyone ahead of us is pushed down a notch. A 7-5 Georgia team would be battling South Carolina, Bama and Kentucky for slots in the Music City, Independence and Liberty Bowls. One of us would be shipped off to Detroit or some other ungodly Georgia Tech-like destination in the freezing cold to watch us bang heads with some half assed MAC or MWC team. That is the true nightmare. That's why we have to beat UK this weekend. To take a DefCon 1 disaster off the table.
PWD
23 comments:
What happens if we win out? As bad as we are, the plainsmen look beatable.
In the spirit of "Finding joy in your rival's misery" ...
I'd love to see Georgia in the Emerald Micron Silicon Nut Valley PC Bowl against UTEP from my hotel in either Jacksonville or Miami while preparing for a New Year's Day game for the Jackets.
Probably not going to happen, but the thought warms my heart.
Nathan,
It ain't going to happen. We WILL whip your sorry asses at the end of November. You WON'T win the ACC.
PISS ON YECH!!!
While we might not either beat Georgia (though we ought to, we're a much better team this year) - and we might not win the ACC ... but it will take a disaster of epic proportions to not at least go to the Chik-Fil-A Bowl or the Gator Bowl.
If the Chik-Fil-A Bowl is the best case for Georgia, it's the worst case for Tech ... been a long time since a statement like that has been true.
The pups may not go to some west coast bowl game, but they are definitely an SEC also-ran this year. And Tech is clearly a more complete, mature team. If the game was in ATL, I'd guarantee a win, but even I won't deny Athens is a hard place to come into.
I am not ready to say you guys are going to any bowl.
Actually, I almost feel better that the game is in Athens. Tech comes out so amped and the crowd is so nervous and frenzied for the games in Atlanta that we seem to actually play better in Athens.
What has Tech done to act so cocky? You still have not beaten us in 5 years and you haven't been to a major bowl since the 1966 Orange Bowl against Spurrier. Come back when you have actually done something.
What has Tech done to act so cocky?
You mean aside from having a berth in the ACC Championship Game all but locked up?
Listen, I hate Tech with the best of 'em - more than I dislike Florida, Auburn and Tennessee combined - but the Yellow Jackets are playing pretty good football this year. A viable shot at a conference championship, even if it is a down year for the ACC, is something to puff your chest out about.
"You mean aside from having a berth in the ACC Championship Game all but locked up?"
You are aware that Tech still has NC State on the horizon? NC State is having a woefully bad year but two of their three wins came against ranked ACC opponents. After that big emotional win against Miami, I'd be careful about throwing around phrases like "all but locked up" when you still have to travel to NC to play a possible spoiler like the Wolfpack has been so far.
If Tech pulls a Galey and loses to NC State this weekend do you think Chan will still get all pouty when people suggest that his teams lose games they shouldn't?
I know its bad of me, but after just recently moving to Chattanooga I'm kind of hoping UGA makes the Music City Bowl. Its a fairly short drive with inexpensive tickets.
Dante,
Even if GT loses to NC State, they still go to the ACC Title game. They hold all the tie breakers over VT, Miami and UVA.
The only way they don't go to the ACC title game is if they lose TWO games against NC State, at UNC (without a coach) and Duke.
Do you seriously think that's going to happen to a team on a roll as big as this one?
I don't. They may pull a Gailey and lose 1, but not two.
Is it wrong of me that I think it would be kinda cool to go to some really obscure bowl like one in Boise, Idaho or the Pacific Northwest? Not because I want Georgia to go 6-6 or something, but because it would add for a good comedic aspect to our tailgate.
Plus, when the Bulldogs are going 11-1 in a couple of years or so, it'll make that story seem all the more interesting.
Two reasons why Georgia is a lock to beat Tech this year
(1) Reggie
(2) Ball
He will come into Athens with his "I'm gonna win this game by myself" attitude and make an ass of himself yet again.
And who knows? Gailey may choose to use the only real duck that he has in the pond as a decoy.
I wouldn't call anything a lock unless Richt institutes a flashcard system to teach Matthew Stafford what color your jerseys are.
One thing that I have not seen Stafford do is throw the ball into the stands on 4th down.
That gives us an edge.
I stand corrected on the Tech ACC prospects. I didn't realize they had already played Virginia.
And yes having a quarterback who can count to 4 is always an advantage but I wouldn't put it past Calvin Johnson to reach out into the stands for the catch.
I wouldn't put it past Calvin Johnson to reach out into the stands for the catch.
No way that can happen. He will be a decoy on the other side of the field.
If we lose to Tech and Auburn, we need to stay home. We will be demoralized and some lower tier team will be up for us and we will lose again.
I thought you had to have 6 1-A wins to be bowl eligible. If the dogs lose to Tech and Auburn they will only have 5.
The Div I-AA clause was eliminated to make sure all the bowls could get enough eligible teams.
Everyone can count 1 Div I-AA game per year.
True but not everyone plays a Div 1-AA team.
My prediction for the Peach Bowl is UGA-24 VT-17 GO DAWGS!! SIC 'EM!!!
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