The Peach (Chick-Fil-A) Bowl Open Thread
At the request of an MGoUser, the former name of this bowl will be primarily used in the thread title, and I agree with him, for the sponsors have gone too far this time.
So, 7:30 PM EST on ESPN, live from the Georgia Dome in Atlanta. You'll see an 8-4 Virginia team versus a 7-5 Auburn in what may very well be the highest quality game of the day, and believe me, that wouldn't take too much to accomplish.
Hopefully, this provides some decent pre-"Ball Drop" viewing for everyone.
From LSAClassOf2000 to the MGoCommunity, best wishes in the New Year and thank you for allowing me to be a miniscule part of your MGoBowlSeason.
December 31st, 2011 at 7:09 PM ^
the thread. But, speaking of high quality games, why are there NO games tomorrow? (New Year's Day) I mean, no college football on January 1st. Is it because of the NFL? Whatever it is, it makes me feel a little dead inside.
Edit: I just saw the other Board post, my apologies for jumping the gun.
December 31st, 2011 at 7:11 PM ^
Despite the fact that tomorrow is New Years' Day, the NFL owns Sunday and there is a lack of willingness to share, I am sure. That being said, the last two days have been bowl-heavy and I could use the recharge in order to be back at it on Monday for some higher-quality games.
December 31st, 2011 at 8:14 PM ^
The Rose Bowl has been moving the parade, and later the football game, to the 2nd if the 1st was a Sunday since the beginning.
Here's an explanation from today's Sacramento Bee:
But the reason there won't be college football on New Year's Day this year – and why the Rose Parade and six bowl games will air instead on Monday, Jan. 2 – may have more to do with horses in Pasadena on Sunday, Jan. 1, 1893.That was when the Tournament of Roses, which staged the first Rose Parade in 1890, imposed a "never on Sunday" rule in fear that the procession would spook horses tethered outside local churches and disrupt worship services with bedeviling gallops.
December 31st, 2011 at 7:21 PM ^
This Bowl will be decent, because we're about to head out and enjoy NOLA. So the one I'm not around to see will be awesome....
December 31st, 2011 at 7:24 PM ^
Cheering for UVA hard, but I think its going to be Auburn, even though they appear to be in shambles.
December 31st, 2011 at 7:30 PM ^
GO HOOS
December 31st, 2011 at 7:31 PM ^
What the hell is that thing Gene Chizik wears? It looks like a torso diaper.
December 31st, 2011 at 7:38 PM ^
Looks like Clemson v Auburn
December 31st, 2011 at 7:56 PM ^
I hate these orange helmets.
December 31st, 2011 at 8:01 PM ^
'The Peach Bowl' sounds better. Seeing the Chick-Fil-A logo at midfield is just too hokey.
December 31st, 2011 at 8:16 PM ^
...wait until they bring the cows out at halftime.
December 31st, 2011 at 8:03 PM ^
Wahoo, where in Virginia do you live?
December 31st, 2011 at 8:27 PM ^
I live in Michigan.
December 31st, 2011 at 7:40 PM ^
I don't know about you but something about this game is making me hungry for some chicken.
December 31st, 2011 at 9:39 PM ^
All I see is a great looking T-bone with a bell around it's neck?
December 31st, 2011 at 8:08 PM ^
He looks like he is reading poetry into the headset.
EDIT: NICE block off the edge on that punt. Auburn ball.
December 31st, 2011 at 8:07 PM ^
December 31st, 2011 at 8:21 PM ^
Think they got rid of that rule a couple years back. At the behest of USC/UCLA if memory serves. A momentary lapse of insanity by the NCAA.
December 31st, 2011 at 9:09 PM ^
This bowl game is actually, well, a good game. 14-14 on the early side of the 2nd quarter. I may be watching this one without my Mystery Science Theater goggles on.
EDIT: So, Auburn has just decided to go balls out early with the onside kick and now threatening yet again inside the 5...
DOUBLE EDIT: McCaleb is obviously just the go-to guy here. 28-14 Auburn. Glad I took Auburn in the pool.
December 31st, 2011 at 9:12 PM ^
The Lexus Bowl with all of these damn Lexus commercials.
December 31st, 2011 at 9:53 PM ^
December 31st, 2011 at 10:28 PM ^
Man, our special teams are losing us this game right now, period. The problem is that our special teams coach is a UVA legend and a major-league recruiter so he can't really be unceremoniously dumped, but....he needs to be reassigned somewhere else. This isn't the first special-teams embarrassment, the reason everyone thinks "hey, they almost lost to Idaho" is because of a zillion special teams gaffes.
December 31st, 2011 at 10:33 PM ^
Special teams would be my only knock against UVA, and yet, it has meant most of 16 points in this game. That's rather remarkable in a way.
December 31st, 2011 at 10:37 PM ^
I chalk up 19 points to the special teams assery. Blocked punt leading to a short field, onside kick leading to a short field, both touchdowns. Blocked punt for safety, long return to set up field goal. We're losing by 13, if Auburn actually had to march down the field, at worst we'd be within a touchdown. Oh, and the failed fake FG, which takes three points off the board for us. So 22.
December 31st, 2011 at 10:42 PM ^
...that late hit did not help.
It's been a pretty good game from a quality standpoint, at least when compared to the bowls played to date, and I won't pretend to be hugely informed on UVA, but they just seem worn out now. Auburn just seems to be grinding them into exhaustion.
December 31st, 2011 at 10:49 PM ^
We don't seem to know what to do with the no-huddle. That was my biggest fear going in, because nobody in the ACC runs anything like that. The other problem is we've got a huge depth mess all of a sudden on defense with three starters out, two from bowl practices.
December 31st, 2011 at 10:54 PM ^
May I say, aside from that INT just now, I have been pretty impressed with Mike Rocco overall.
The other thing I see is that Auburn is just beating UVA on the perimeter all day. That being said, that was an awesome scramble by Auburn.
January 1st, 2012 at 1:34 AM ^
Rocco played a great game. You just saw one of his best performances of the year. Guy's only a sophomore so I think the future looks good for him. I wish his arm was a little stronger but we can't always be picky. Not bad for a guy who we snake-oiled from Louisville because that was his only other real offer and who had to platoon with a true freshman for half the season. Ever since we stopped doing that, he's looked very good.
December 31st, 2011 at 10:56 PM ^
Auburn is a little brother program like MSU. Both have no football tradition, and they both talk smack to the rest of the country thinking they are all that when in reality no one really cares about them.
December 31st, 2011 at 11:00 PM ^
I hate the SEC as much as anyone, but that's just silly. Auburn won the national title last year. Nuff said.
December 31st, 2011 at 11:00 PM ^
Why go for it on fourth down that just seems like something Bret Bielema would have done. Hopefully they put our kickoff classic on abc.
January 1st, 2012 at 1:11 AM ^
I had no problems with that. Kicking a field goal is what would have really been running up the score. Going for it on fourth let the game be mercifully ended.