UGA Bulldogs Excited about a Visit to the Outback

Submitted by UGA student Matthew Pearce

The are working to quickly put their loss in the SEC Championship behind them. A trip to Tampa usually helps in the healing process and so it will for the Bulldogs, who will play in the Outback Bowl on Jan. 2 in the Florida city.

“We were at the Outback Bowl once before while I’ve been at Georgia,” head coach Mark Richt said. “We had a great time -- Jim McVay and everybody do a super job of hosting so we know we’re in for a great treat.”

In Richt's opinion, as he prepares for his eleventh bowl game in his eleventh season as Georgia’s head coach, the treat goes far beyond those who are involved everyday at Butts-Mehre Heritage Hall.

“Not only your players but your coaches’ wives [and] children,” Richt said. “That’s always important to us as we put the work in and there’s a reward at the end we want everybody to really enjoy it.”

Two players who will be especially enjoying the Dogs' trip to the bowl game will be junior tight end Orson Charles and redshirt sophomore quarterback Aaron Murray. Both came to Georgia three years ago from Tampa’s Plant High School. This will represent a sort of homecoming for the two. Richt said that he hasn’t discussed it with them yet but is sure they will both be looking forward to returning home.

“Those two young men and their families will be excited not having to travel far to see their sons play,” Richt said. “We were fortunate to get both those guys out of Florida--we’re just thankful they came to Georgia.”

Charles and Murray aren’t the only ones excited about the Bulldogs’ being in Tampa for the Outback Bowl. Jim McVay -- the bowl’s President and CEO -- gushed when talking about the matchup he had put together.

“We just want to make sure everyone realizes how thrilled and excited and honored we are that the Michigan State Spartans will be playing against the Georgia Bulldogs,” McVay said. “We think we have a classic match-up--these are two exceptional teams.”

The Spartans’ head coach, Mark Dantonio, was also excited about the match-up despite his team suffering their own championship game heartache. The Spartans lost the Big 10 title game to the Wisconsin Badgers hours after the Bulldogs dropped the SEC to LSU.

“This will be our first time at the Outback Bowl so we’re looking forward to that experience,” Dantonio said. “We’re looking forward to the challenge, we have a lot of respect for Georgia and what they’ve accomplished in these past years and I have a tremendous amount of respect for Coach [Richt] as well.”

While excitement for the Bowl game has already begun with some national pundits selecting the Outback as one of the most attractive bowls, Richt is determined not to see his players distracted from the important business facing them this month.

“We got to take care of school and take final exams,” Richt said. “I want guys to enjoy their time with their families during Christmas but we also want to make sure when we get to Tampa we’re going to be ready to play because it’s going to be a hell of a ball game.”