Rumor: Michigan and Vols in Gator Bowl
A Tennessee paper is reporting (citing to TheWolverine.com) that Michigan and the Vols have accepted invites to the Gator. Woohoo. New Year's Day Bowl Game (if true).
http://campussportsconnection.com/ncaa/tennessee-vols/story/54917
December 4th, 2010 at 8:59 PM ^
The Gator Bowl is in Jacksonville, not Gainesville.
December 4th, 2010 at 9:26 PM ^
Going from Gainesville to Jacksonviille is like going from Jackson to Detroit down I-94: I-75 to I-10 to Jacksonville. AAMOF, when Spurrier coached at UF, he spent a fair amount of his down time in a condo just south of Jacksonville.
Have a great trip.
December 4th, 2010 at 11:01 PM ^
Going from Gainesville to Jacksonviille is like going from Jackson to Detroit down I-94: I-75 to I-10 to Jacksonville.
Nah, that's not how you'd get from Gainesville to Jacksonville. You could go that way, but no one does. Takes too long. 301 is the way to go. Just be sure to watch the ol' speedometer through Starke and the rest is smooth sailing.
December 5th, 2010 at 2:24 AM ^
Spurrier still has that pad...it's down in Crescent Beach just south of St Augustine, about an hour south of Jacksonville.
December 4th, 2010 at 9:36 PM ^
I actually knew that, but in my excitement I didn't type it...AND there's still time for several more beers yet this evening.
December 5th, 2010 at 12:31 AM ^
facts can be so misleading, where rumors, true or false, are often revealing
December 4th, 2010 at 9:03 PM ^
Yes please. I like where this going.
December 4th, 2010 at 9:24 PM ^
A New Years Day bowl game for RR and this team considering expectations and the injuries we've suffered would be an enourmous accomplishment.
December 4th, 2010 at 9:24 PM ^
I hate to bring this up, but if we're playing Tennessee, it would probably be favorable for RR's career if we won. Does anyone see it this way as well? Hopefully we hang half a hundred on them (and stop them a few times).
December 4th, 2010 at 10:06 PM ^
Couldn't hurt.
Given that it is a weak Tenn team, it will not be so good for him if he loses.
December 5th, 2010 at 12:31 AM ^
It lowers the expectations a little bit. Now it almost feels like if we lost to UT, then it's a disappointment. Right now, I'll take the risk if it means a higher profile bowl.
December 4th, 2010 at 9:37 PM ^
Sway Arnett to Blue?
December 4th, 2010 at 9:56 PM ^
But a 500+ yard day against an SEC defense (you know, because no one in the country can match up...) could open up some eyes, hopefully for some on the fence recruits.
December 4th, 2010 at 9:57 PM ^
December 4th, 2010 at 10:02 PM ^
Except for that Oregon game they played earlier.
Anyway, they will be ready and properly showered.
December 4th, 2010 at 10:04 PM ^
they played Oregon this year
December 4th, 2010 at 11:59 PM ^
December 4th, 2010 at 10:07 PM ^
Gives me a reason to wake up early on Jan 1 !
December 4th, 2010 at 10:09 PM ^
it's not going to be a cake walk by any means
UT was able to score 52 on an Ole Miss defense that was not significantly worse than Michigan's. they were also able to limit LSU to 16 points. this is not a bs team.
December 4th, 2010 at 10:37 PM ^
...an Ole Miss defense that was not significantly worse than Michigan's.
At first I thought there was no way their defense was worse than Michigan's. Then I looked and Ole Miss gave up 422(!) points this season. Michigan has only given up 406...still awful.
December 4th, 2010 at 10:45 PM ^
They've been clicking pretty well since they inserted Tyler Bray (true freshman) into the starting lineup, and won their last four games to become bowl-eligible. They have talent but are a young team.
December 4th, 2010 at 11:00 PM ^
They're in the same boat Michigan is, they've beaten the bad/average teams and lost to the decent/good teams. I don't know how competitive they were relative to the final scores, but they have five double digit losses and a near upset of LSU.
Their last four wins were over Memphis, Ole Miss, Vandy, and Kentucky.
I'm sure they're significantly better than at the start of the year, but they're still not too good.
December 4th, 2010 at 11:29 PM ^
I was going to mention that their 4-game win streak consisted of three pathetic teams and one decent one (UK). So, yeah, not very impressive, but I guess a win is a win.
I think we will have the edge over the Vols. Their offense is ok, our defense is bad. Our offense is very good, their defense is below average. I don't put that much stock into the near-miss at LSU, because LSU has such an inconsistent offense, and never seems to blow out even the truly bad teams. Maybe I am being a bit rosy about things, but I still think we have the better team.
December 4th, 2010 at 11:58 PM ^
we were in a few of games going into the 3rd qtr this year... Matt Sims was the Steven Threet at michigan of UT football... This guy was the worst qb ive seen in a while. Tyler Bray would have been good for maybe another W or two if he played all year..
December 4th, 2010 at 10:32 PM ^
Time to get some payback for the 2002 game when we got our asses handed to us
December 4th, 2010 at 10:39 PM ^
Please let it happen, I've already started giving my brother-in-law and nephews grief.
December 4th, 2010 at 10:40 PM ^
the dreaded double post, Doh !!!!
December 4th, 2010 at 11:14 PM ^
This is a match up I could live with.
December 5th, 2010 at 12:21 AM ^
Agreed.
December 4th, 2010 at 11:55 PM ^
*sigh* my vols vs my wolverines... and here i was hoping both my boys could get Ws to end the year... why baby jesus?!?!
December 5th, 2010 at 12:14 AM ^
Not saying it couldn't happen, but neither school could have accepted an invitation that hasn't been made yet.
December 5th, 2010 at 12:16 AM ^
...speculation here. This guy thinks it will be Mich-Tenn/UGA. Major part of the story is how Mississippi State is getting the shaft.
As we've been reporting since Thursday (and the Times-Union was the first to report that the SEC vs. Big Ten applecart might be upset), the Gator Bowl could wind up matching Michigan against either Tennessee or Georgia, after weeks of speculation that the game would get a national TV ratings blockbuster between Penn State and Florida.
Turns out the Outback Bowl in Tampa, which picks both an SEC team and a Big Ten team ahead of the Gator Bowl, wouldn't mind having that game [PSU-UF] themselves. They can, and the Gator can't do much about it.
If the Outback sees fit to pass South Carolina (9-4) and Mississippi State (8-4) for the Gators (7-5), and the Chick-Fil-A Bowl passes on Mississippi State, the Gator Bowl selection committee may feel no obligation to swallow a Mississippi State team that may bring some fans, but won't turn on TV sets nationwide like a UF-Penn State or Tennessee-Michigan game.
This is a business, and the Gator Bowl, currently sans a title sponsor, needs to show prospective clients a game with good TV ratings. The Gator will sell in excess of 70,000 tickets this year, so that's not the problem. The novelty of having the SEC and Big Ten in the game after 15 years of the ACC and the Big East has already resulted in strong ticket sales before teams are even announced.
There is the issue of the Gator Bowl passing Mississippi State for a team two games behind in the overall record, but if the Outback Bowl can snub South Carolina for the Gators, why does the Gator Bowl have to bite the MSU bullet?
December 5th, 2010 at 12:57 AM ^
we owe those bastards.
December 5th, 2010 at 1:12 AM ^
Gator Bowl is SEC #6:
Top 5: Auburn, Arkansas, LSU, Bama, USC
They have 2 in BCS so it would technically be Miss St in the #5 Chick-fil-a. So that would leave Florida (7-5) with still a better record than Tenn... no doubt that the gator would still pick them over Tenn (6-6) if they had a choice (not sure if they do, I thought that if there is a team with a higher record, that team must be chosen before the lower).
If they do get to choose if the team is w/in like 1 win or has the same conference record, then Florida would prolly get chosen over Miss State (8-4) and go to the #5 spot, Miss State (8-4) could not be pushed aside for 6-6 Tennessee, thus, no Tennessee in the Gator.
This is all just based on my own inadequate knowledge about how bowls pick teams and should certainly not be taken as expert opinion
December 5th, 2010 at 1:16 AM ^
USC is not bowl eligible due to cheating.
December 5th, 2010 at 1:41 AM ^
University of SOUTH CAROLINA....i hope you were being sarcastic
December 5th, 2010 at 3:29 AM ^
December 5th, 2010 at 8:25 AM ^
We could get some revenge for that 45-17 beatdown in the 2002 Citrus Bowl
December 5th, 2010 at 9:08 AM ^
I could see us beating Tennessee. They too are rebuilding, and have struggled this year, so its very possible we beat them. I think.
December 5th, 2010 at 11:40 AM ^
I just saw cbssports.com updated their bowl projections and they have Michigan vs Tenn. in the Gator Bowl as well. I will be happy with this match up. I originally wanted Florida, but Tenn. would be a game with some interesting headlines. Michigan's first bowl game under RR, and some revenge from the Citris Bowl a while back. I would love for UM to come out and kick some ass. Hopefully, for RR's sake, this happens. I am a fan of RR and would love to see him lead the troops in '11. Go Blue!