ATHENS, Ga. - Never before has a Sugar Bowl announcement involving Georgia been met with mixed emotions on the Georgia campus, but that was the reality Sunday.
Georgia players and coaches hoped for a spot in the national championship game after losses by the nation's two top-ranked teams last night. Instead, Number 4 Georgia didn't budge in the polls but instead saw Southeastern Conference champion Louisiana State move past the Bulldogs into the national title game against Ohio State.
Georgia coach Mark Richt said he is excited that his team would face Number. 10 Hawaii in the Sugar Bowl on January first, but he also expressed disappointment that Georgia was denied a spot in the biggest game in New Orleans one week later.
Richt said, ``I do believe that all the media who had the voice, who had the ears of the nation and the voters, they basically disqualified us and Kansas. They said we're out because we didn't win the conference championship, which I thought was wrong because the rules don't say that.''
Added Richt: ``It's a very, very imperfect system. It becomes a beauty contest at a certain point.''
After the Sugar Bowl announcement, Richt told his players they will wear the black jerseys they unveiled in an emotional win over Auburn.
Richt also called on Georgia fans to again wear black.
Thursday
October 24th, 2024
2:19PM
