Published November 21, 2010 - 4:42am
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Much like the 2008 Sugar Bowl when Georgia played Hawaii, this will be set up as a David vs. Goliath matchup. The talking heads will spout raves about the “little guy” Boise State taking on an SEC team in its own backyard. Both teams will probably be ranked coming into the next season and hopes will running high for both teams.
Pros for UGA:
New Bulldog AD McGarity is quickly establishing the scheduling model he learned under Florida AD Jeremy Foley, which is play at home as often as you can and don’t apologize for it. I believe the last time the Gators went out of the state of Florida for a major conference game was Syracuse in 1991. The Gators have seemingly done well since then. By eliminating the Louisville home-and-home series, McGarity opened up another home date in 2012 giving the Bulldogs another season with seven homes games. The 2011 season schedule will now have eight of twelve games within the state of Georgia.
UGA Head Coach Mark Richt hasn’t been silent when it comes to this annual game. He doesn’t want other big fish swimming in his pond. The Atlanta area is a very fertile recruiting ground and a big time match up in the Georgia Dome to open the season is something teams can point to and help recruits make up their minds. UGA has been trying to keep top Georgia High School talent in-state. Georgia is one of the top producing states at putting players at Division-1 schools and in the NFL. Having Alabama, LSU and other top teams playing in Atlanta is no good for UGA.
Having big media, prime time season opening opponents makes summer work outs that much more intense. The players are sure to remain focused on a dangerous team like Boise State in the off-season. By not opening up with a cream puff directional school, UGA coaches will have something to circle on the calendar and motivate the players during Spring ball and those August summer two-a-day work outs.
Playing Boise State early in the year minimizes the polling effect were UGA to lose the game. Even if Georgia lost, a good strong run through an SEC East schedule would probably erase any pollster bias. The mantra “if you’re going to lose, do it early” fits here for Georgia.
Cons for UGA: A loss to Boise State on what is certain to be a big stage would set back UGA recruiting big time. Just imagine Nick Saban sitting in a kids’ living room saying “Why would you play for UGA? They can’t even beat Boise State!” After the last two very disappointing seasons, I’m not sure the Bulldawg Nation could handle a loss like this. Richt coaching seat would immediately burst into flames and the howls would echo from Athens to Savannah.
This is a no-win situation for UGA. If they win, they were supposed to. If they lose, they just got beat by Boise State. Games like this are very dangerous for Automatic Qualifying BCS conference schools; they risk a lot with not a lot in return perception wise.
Well at least UGA has balls they are the only team that has opened up and said ” hey we will play you win or lose”
It takes two to tango, I don’t see Boise jumping at the opportunity to play other SEC teams (i.e. Bama, LSU, Florida, etc.)
Last yr Boise State made an offer to play ANY SEC team ANYWHERE with Boise footing the bill. Nick Saban said UA would not play them. It’s not like Boise begged UGA; Boise has been wanting a shot at the SEC for 2 yrs now.
You are completely misinformed. Boise made NO such offer…in fact, Boise is demanding return games; both Nebraska & Iowa offered Boise a 2 for 1 deal…2 home games for 1 visit to Boise…and Boise said no. The idea that Boise will play anybody, anywhere (and foot the bill, no less) is an outright lie.
No you are WRONG! Ole Miss put Boise State on the schedule for the first game of the season! Not an Ole Miss fan, but they did take the challenge!
In 2005, I think “If they win, they were supposed to” was true…but Boise has had a few big wins since then and while the Dawgs may not receive major praise for beating Boise, it’s not going to be glossed over even by the national media.
I think the dawg AD needs to worry more about pressuring mr richt to get a new OC than he needs to worry about who we are playing in real truth it doesnt matter who you play as long as you using the same 5 or 6 plays every year eventually everyone is gonna know how to beat you good example the continuing downward spiral of the program the only way we have beat teams in the past few years is on talent and blind luck and not innovative offensive play calling good example the wild dawg or what ever they call it just now started using it and everyone else has had it for years oooo they are in the wild dawg whats gonna happen i dont believe it they ran it which pretty much sums 50% of the other plays they are run plays also with the exeption that those 2 plays are up the middle love the dawgs but hate the predictablity of play calling we have the talent use it to its ability get creative or find an OC that will
Georgia’s got them a good team, but they do need to mix it up on offense. They dont have the talent like knowshon moreno at running back and Matthew Stafford at QB like they have had in the past when they were a competitive SEC team. They just arent what they used to be. I like that they scheduled Boise State so somebody plays them this season. Even though i dont think they (Boise State) will be as good as the are this season
I have read on the internet blogs, and so can’t confirm its authenticity, but supposedly Nebraska offered BSU a one-two home matchup and BSU refused.
Meaning Nebraska would have traveled to Boise twice and played them in Lincoln once. Hard to imagine Nebraska would do that but lets not fool ourselves, Boise State has a lot to protect as well scheduling wise.
If they lose two or three a year they are just a good mid-tier team again.
you have to play the best to be the best. boise has been wanting to test other big time schools for a while but like you said, it could be a loose loose situation for uga. I am personally excited, especiall if boise slips into the national championship this year or their QB wins the heisman. Even if they don’t they will be in a BCS bowl. This game should be exciting to watch, but UGA never plays well in these type of games.
I think the pressure is not only on Georgia, but the entire SEC. The SEC has a reputation across the nation as the best conference in all of college football. If Georgia loses to a non-AQ team on a national stage, it takes a little shine off of all of us. If Boise beats an SEC team, the argument about them not playing an SEC quality opponent will be out the window.
Personally, I don’t think Boise has the size, speed or talent to beat Georgia, but I’ll guarantee Georgia will get their best game, and Boise State will throw the entire playbook at the Georgia defense. This is a game where the entire SEC needs to be behind the Bulldogs!!!
Couldn’t agree more. All SEC fans better be rooting for Georgia here. QB Kellen Moore is gone after this year right? He’s a big part of Boise’s success, but Boise does have better athletes than most SEC fans realize and are VERY dangerous in a single game match up.
Even if Boise wins, I won’t buy them, because again, Boise can beat almost anyone in a single game. Running through a SEC regular season schedule is a different story.
Kellen Moore is only a Junior, but if his draft stock is high, he might leave early. It would be nice if Georgia could beat Boise State WITH Kellen Moore, though. Then we wouldn’t have to hear the “breaking in a new QB” excuse for a Georgia win.
If we can’t win out way to the GA Dome, at least we can schedule our way there.
All I can say is Boise State came into Athens in 2005 and got pummeled. Their QB Zabransky literally needed therapy after that beat down.
@Drew – BSU does not this year, nor any year deserve to be in the BCS conversation….period. The only reason anyone talks about BSU was their imrpobable win vs. Oklahoma. Let’s remember OU was not at their top shape that game. Adrian Pettersen was injured etc.
I always love to hear pundits say “Well they won this or that LAST year…..” What does that have to do wiht THIS year? Nothing….
1. Georgia Bulldogs aren’t going to be ranked
2. We play a far tougher schedule than 2010, lose 14 seniors & 4 juniors from 2010 team
3. UGA vs SEC middling 23-17 last 5 years, this game changes NOTHING
4. We have not been ranked either of the last 2 years in a row
5. UGA vs SEC East 13-12 last 5 years, this game changes NOTHING
6. SEC has all kinds of good teams to play Boise State, so why us now ?
7. If Greg McGarity wants to fix the home schedules, play Florida home and home
8. No one said 1 word about how many we will have arrested/suspended game 1
9. We are # 2 in the nation at arrests / suspensions last 5 years now
10. Georgia tek 6-5 UGA 5-6 both suck & here we are talking recruiting in Georgia
11. Let’s get our minds off 6 times Aaron Murray bettered by opposing QB 2010
12. Let’s get our minds off 2-8 vs Florida
13. Let’s get our minds off # 55 NCAA Total Offense 2010
14. Let’s get our minds off # 52 Average NCAA Total Offense all 10 years CMR Era
15. Let’s get our minds off getting rid of Mike Bobo and Rodney Garner
16. Let’s get our minds off getting rid of Tony Ball, John Lilly, Bryan McClendon
17. Let’s get our minds off getting rid of Stacy Searels
18. Let’s get our minds off getting rid of Dave Van Halanger
19. Let’s get our minds off getting rid of Joe Tereshinski
20. Let’s get our minds off getting rid of John Eason
21. Let’s get our minds off how we play Favorites here at UGA nowadays
22. Let’s get our minds off how we have Lost 20 games last 5 years
23. Let’s get our minds off Georgia tek, the game doesn’t matter
24. Let’s get our minds off how we have it going with Mark Fox men’s basketball
25. Let’s get our minds off Caleb Darnell King and how great he will be 2011
26. Let’s talk about Boise State like this is 2005
27. Let’s get our minds off how Auburn hung 49 points on our highly defense.
27. Let’s get our minds off how Nick Fairley threw Aaron Murray around like a wet rag doll.
Pros for the entire football world: we won’t have to see that horrible blue field.
I couldn’t agree with you more there, William. Trying to watch them play on that solid blue field, in matching solid blue uniforms, literally gives me headaches. I can’t watch more than a few minutes at a time when they’re on the Smurf Turf.