July 18, 2011 · 7:31 AM

Class assignment

So in the vast scheme of things, is it more important for Boise State to win the Chick-fil-A College Kickoff, or for Georgia not to lose it?

Discuss.

32 Comments

Filed under Georgia Football

32 responses to “Class assignment”

  1. JaxDawg
    July 18, 2011 at 7:47 AM

    A member of the SEC big-6 should never lose to Boise State. Never. The talent, resources, facilities, support, etc. are heavily in favor of the southern guys. The only variable I left off is coaching which is arguably the only reason Boise is relevant.

    Georgia cannot lose this game.

    Like

  2. Ludakit
    July 18, 2011 at 7:51 AM

    If I had to choose between this game and USC, though, I’d rather beat USC. It’s just a bigger game for UGA. That’s not a personal wish, it’s just that’s the road that gets us farther.

    Personally, I’d much rather beat Boise. If you don’t, you’ve let down the SEC and you’ve proved Boise’s worth. Neither of those are good things. I don’t want to live in a world where Craig James is right.

    Like

    • pantslesspatdye
      July 18, 2011 at 8:37 AM

      I would rather defeat Florida, GT, Auburn, USC & TN in that order. Obviously, it is important that a relevant SEC team trounce a third world upstart. However, we have bigger fish to fry and wrongs to right. Whether any of the above happens or not is up in the air.

      Boise State’s aspirations will be wrecked if they lose this game. What’s more, losing this game decisively may keep them out of title games for a few years going forward

      Like

    • Keese
      July 18, 2011 at 2:34 PM

      Pure and simple..this is going to be the most important game this year. Georgia always needs a confidence kick start game and thank god we’re starting big out of the gates instead of a cupcake. Our teams success had always been all about momentum and motivation

      Like

  3. Biggus Rickus
    July 18, 2011 at 8:08 AM

    In the vast scheme of things it is obviously more important for Boise. Georgia fans have fairly modest expectations this season, managing a title game appearance from a watered-down East. Boise has little to do with that. At best, a win over Boise would be a confidence boost that returns some of Georgia’s national respect, provided they back it up in SEC play.

    Like

    • Biggus Dickus
      July 18, 2011 at 4:40 PM

      On the other hand the game is more important to Georgia because a loss to Boise State (a inor conference team after all) would cause a loss of confidence to the players that could lead to a loss to South Carolina. Two losses to begin the season would reignite the calls for Richt to be fired which could lead to a further loss of confidence and possibly further losses. A downward spiral. Losses to UT and Mississippi State (both unexpected) and a loss to Florida (expected) and you are at 5 losses. Lose the bowl game, that’s 6 losses. Get upset by Kentucky or Vanderbilt and well, you get the picture. Bye, bye Richt. Rebuilding for the next 2-3 years to get back to respectability if the Dawgs get a coach who’s worth a damn. Get another Goff and UGA is back to middle of the pack in the SEC fighting with Kentucky to get into the Weedeater Bowl for the next ten years like it was in the ’90s. So, yes the Boise State game is kind of important for Georgia to win.

      Like

      • Biggus Rickus
        July 18, 2011 at 7:11 PM

        Eh. They lost to a worse team in OK State a couple years ago and still managed to beat South Carolina. I just don’t think it’s as key to Georgia’s season as it is Boise’s If they lose, especially if it’s badly, they have no shot at anything, including a BCS bowl in all likelihood.

        Like

  4. Steve
    July 18, 2011 at 8:12 AM

    In the grand football scheme, it’s more important that Boise State wins this game, because it’s still about whether Boise can play with the big boys, not whether Georgia is one of the big boys. For the Bulldogs, the season is about whether Richt still has “it” and this game won’t really decide that. It might be used as negative proof in the context of the rest of the season, but win the East and this game won’t matter. But for the Broncos, lose this game and no one will care if they win the MWC.

    Like

    • heyberto
      July 18, 2011 at 9:19 AM

      I agree. For me, South Carolina is a much bigger game in terms of the success or failure of our season.

      Like

      • Macallanlover
        July 18, 2011 at 9:38 AM

        Agree, and don’t see how it could be debated otherwise. Like all fans, I don’t like any loss but conference games are always the most important. I could agree with pantlesspatdye if he would drop GT from his list.

        I realize there is emotion attached with GT to some but they are not relevant to our primary goal, I would rather beat Vandy than GT. The discussion should be if Boise is more significant that GT, not a conference opponent. Probably a minority vote, but Boise is a more important game this year than GT to me, and they are a much better football team. I hope those who underestimate Boise’s talent are limited to our fans, not our coach’s and/or players.

        Like

        • heyberto
          July 18, 2011 at 9:46 AM

          As others have said, the psyche of the team after a possible Boise State loss would be the prime concern, but that could be a benefit as much as it could be a detriment. Win against Boise, and we could be facing an overconfidence problem, so the reverse can be a problem as well. We’ll see.

          Like

  5. Skeptic Dawg
    July 18, 2011 at 8:55 AM

    I believe that beating SC is the most important game as well. However, I also believe an L to the Broncos would crush this team. The Dawgs are coming off of a sub-par year, confidence is fragile, and an opening loss would crush all of the pre-season work put in by everyone connected with this team. I can not see the Dawgs beating SC (who I believe will win the East again) if they get beat by Boise. Dropping the opening game COULD, I repeat COULD, snowball into a season filled with bad things.

    Like

    • Matt
      July 18, 2011 at 11:16 AM

      If beating SC is the most important game, and If you can’t see UGA beating SC after a Boise loss … then by definition beating Boise MUST be accomplished in order to win “the most important game”.

      Like

      • Skeptic Dawg
        July 18, 2011 at 11:54 AM

        I battled with that thought also. However, I decided that SC is the more important due to the fact that it is a conference game. After reading the posts below, I wonder if as fans we are making too much of the Boise team. Yes, the game is big for the Dawgs and CMR. I guess a better question would be: how good will the Dawgs be?

        Like

  6. jferg
    July 18, 2011 at 9:43 AM

    Sports is almost always about momentum. Georgia losing this game continues the BAD momentum of the past year(s). Georgia winning this game provides POSITIVE momentum upon which they can build a season. Boise can lose this game and win their division and possibly even be back in the nat’l title picture after going undefeated for the entirity of the season (because of the nat’l media’s love affair, not because they deserve it).

    UGA win/lose dramitically changes their season. So, it’s more important that Georgia NOT lose this game.

    Like

    • OKDawg
      July 18, 2011 at 12:25 PM

      Agreed. BSU can overcome a loss much easier than we can. (Just compare the schedules.) I’m all about Uncle Mo on this one. If we win this game, beating USC just got a whole lot easier. If we lose, then the pressure to “not lose” to USC will be an avalanche on these young men and the coaching staff. Just imagine the media storylines – “Is the USC game a must win to save Richt’s job and win the SEC East? Because, I think we all would agree, that starting 0-2 might be the end for Richt (barring a miraculous turn around). With this many young players and so much negativity to end last year, I’m not sure they can recover mentally/emotionally from an 0-2 start…and a loss to BSU starts Uncle Mo in that direction.

      Like

  7. Joe Moore
    July 18, 2011 at 10:02 AM

    5 plays to forget from last year…Ealey’s fumble on the goal line against USC. Blown coverage under 40 seconds against Ark. Ealey’s fumble against MSU on the goal line. Caleb Kings fumble late against Colorado, and finally Murray’s int against UF in OT. I know its football and these things happen. 5 plays that really define how unlucky CMR was last year. Thinking back I can only come up with one big break the Dagws got. Tech miss pat? Thoughts?

    Like

    • Mayor of Dawgtown
      July 18, 2011 at 11:08 PM

      You left off the missed block by Ealey against the Arkansas DE that got Murray sacked on 3rd and 5 in the last minute of the game that lead to the punt to Arkansas and the blown coverage TD. If Ealey blocks the guy, Murray completes and it is first down UGA, which runs clock, kicks a field goal and wins the game. BTW none of this you mentioned is luck. The foregoing Ealey missed block was a bad play call (a slow developing pass play when all they needed was a quick slant). The blown coverage was bad coaching. The fumble at the end of the Colorado game was caused by Bobo calling a draw when everybody in the stadium knew UGA was going to run–the Colorado D-linemen said after the game that they completely ignored the fake pass action and went straight for the runner. Games are won and lost at the end for a reason and it ain’t luck. I could go on and on but……..

      Like

  8. Nate Dawg
    July 18, 2011 at 10:03 AM

    Grand scheme – it’s much more important to beat usc than Boise. But I wonder can this team beat sakerlina IF it loses to Boise, from a confidence pt of view. Like beat Boise, you CAN beat usc, but loose to Boise then can you get it together enough to beat usc? That makes the Boise game probably bigger than it should be.

    Like

  9. Cousin Eddie
    July 18, 2011 at 10:06 AM

    The game is more important to Boise. They only have one shot to win it all. Unless they run the table their season is below expectations. For UGA, sadly, the goal is the SECCG (or at least from what i understand that is the realistic goal) so a loss to Boise has no true effect on the goals for UGA. In terms of ‘goals” it is way more important to Boise than UGA, but in a national status symbol, UGA. UGA (or SEC teams) should not lose the mid-majors no matter where they are ranked.

    Like

  10. Seth
    July 18, 2011 at 10:07 AM

    Not to lose it. Georgia found lots of ways to lose games last years, just look at all the confounding statistical analyses of the past few months.

    Of course, playing not to lose is probably what cost them those games instead of, you know, playing to win.

    I’m gonna go with C: a win is a win is a win, whether it was won or not lost.

    Like

  11. Stoopnagle
    July 18, 2011 at 10:24 AM

    Yes.

    Honestly, I think it says a lot about the Georgia mindset that this is even a discussion – although it is late July, and distance makes the mind wander/wonder.

    My only thought is this: If Georgia can’t beat Boise, how is it going to win the SEC?

    Like

  12. Doug
    July 18, 2011 at 10:46 AM

    The UGA-Boise game is more important for Georgia — I think Boise has already proven their elite status, while at this point Georgia kind of needs to re-earn theirs.

    That said, though, I think the South Carolina game is way more important to the Dawgs’ season. If the Dawgs lose a close one to Boise but then win their revenge game against Carolina, this still has a chance to be a great season. And I’d rather lose to Boise and win the SEC East than beat Boise only to end up with another 4-4 or 3-5 year in conference play.

    Like

  13. Ausdawg85
    July 18, 2011 at 12:03 PM

    To answer the Senator’s question directly, this game is more important to Boise. A loss pushes them almost entirely out of the BCS conversation. And while the Dawgs should win this one, and critically important to meeting ALL of the goals and momentum needed to begin the season, clearly a loss does not hurt us as much. Nevertheless, this team should be focused on ONE game at a time, and the first one IS significant. GATA.

    Like

  14. Silver Creek Doug
    July 18, 2011 at 12:51 PM

    I have a little different take on this.

    It’s more important to me to see the Dawgs play well in the opener than the scoreboard result. If the D plays well and the running game show signs of life, then I think we’ll beat BSU. If we play well and lose (kind of the anything can happen stuff), I wouldn’t like it much, but probably could live with it. That provides the momentum going into the USCe game that I want to see.

    I’d be a whole lot more concerned about Week 2 if I saw a sloppy/ugly win or loss in the Dome.

    Like

  15. W Cobb Dawg
    July 18, 2011 at 4:00 PM

    The Dawgs must not lose to BSU. The dome will have almost 100% UGA fans, and last time I looked it was near the center of our state capital. As JaxDawg pointed out, we have everything – a huge fan base, resources, facilities, talent, etc. BSU is a clownish program with a fricken blue field. A loss would further reduce our program to national joke.

    Like

  16. Cojones
    July 18, 2011 at 5:48 PM

    I’ve been worked up to wanting the Dawgs to kick Boise St’s collective butts and send them back to Idaho. I want us to do it for the SEC as well. UNEQUIVOCALLY!! We are the Georgia Bulldogs with years of kickass history behind us and an opportunity to start another roll. Losing to UCF is the main reason we need to feast on Bronc tenderloin. We need to beat these hay-burning, potato-farming, Brogan-wearing clod-hoppers like an unwanted stepchild. Then worry about the next one and the next one and….well, you get my drift.

    Like