Tag: orange bowl

Mark Richt shares heartfelt message ahead of Georgia-Florida State

Mark Richt shares heartfelt message ahead of Georgia-Florida State

The Orange Bowl is here. No. 6 Georgia (12-1) will take on No. 5 Florida State (13-0) from Miami’s Hard Rock Stadium at 4 p.m. ET, televised on ESPN.

Former Georgia head coach and College Football Hall of Fame member, Mark Richt, has a special connection to both programs.

Before Richt’s 15-year stint in Athens, he served as an assistant under Hall of Fame head coach Bobby Bowden at Florida State, winning two national championships.

Richt, now an analyst for ACC Network, shared a heartfelt social media post on Saturday morning ahead of kickoff.

It’s safe to say Richt will find peace with whoever walks away with a win tonight.

Watch: Georgia drops Orange Bowl hype video

Watch: Georgia drops Orange Bowl hype video

No. 6 Georgia (12-1) is set to take on No. 5 Florida State (13-0) in the Orange Bowl on Saturday afternoon. Kickoff from Miami’s Hard Rock Stadium is set for 4 p.m. ET, televised on ESPN.

It’s no secret that this matchup doesn’t hold the weight it should. Both programs have a case to be in the College Football Playoff, but the Bulldogs and Seminoles can’t control that now.

What they can control is the effort given in the game ahead. Surprisingly, Georgia has yet to have a single opt out despite having multiple players with first-round 2024 NFL draft grades.

On the other side, the bulk of Florida State’s top contributors will sit this one out, leaving the ACC Champions with a lot of questions across the depth chart.

With a win over FSU, Georgia’s senior class will become the winningest class in UGA football history.

Here’s the Bulldogs’ final hype video of an eventful season:

 

Watch: Georgia TE Brock Bowers joins team for Orange Bowl

Watch: Georgia TE Brock Bowers joins team for Orange Bowl

Whether Georgia tight end Brock Bowers will suit up against Florida State in the Orange Bowl is one of the matchup’s biggest questions.

The two-time Mackey Award winner has been nursing a surgically repaired ankle he injured in Week 7. He returned 26 days later but was clearly not himself down the stretch.

It makes sense for Bowers to opt out of this game considering the low stakes and his opportunity to be selected as a first-round pick in the 2024 NFL draft.

That may be true for most players, but if there’s one thing we know about the three-time All-American — Bowers doesn’t miss football games unless he’s confined to an operating table.

Bowers wasn’t present when the team touched down in Miami this week, but he has joined the team and practiced with the Bulldogs on Friday.

Here’s more footage of Bowers on Friday.

Kirby Smart was asked on Friday if Bowers has a chance to play on Saturday afternoon, replying “we will see.”

Kickoff against the Seminoles is 4 p.m. ET from Miami’s Hard Rock Stadium. The game will be carried on ESPN.

December 30-January 1 bowl game opt-out tracker

Keep tabs on the opt-outs and transfer departures for the full weekend of college football bowl games.

The bigger bowl games begin with the Cotton Bowl on the night of Friday, December 29, but then the rest of the big bowls begin on Saturday, December 30, and continue through New Year’s Day.

The Cotton is the first of the New Year’s Six bowls. Saturday has the Orange Bowl and the Peach Bowl. New Year’s Day features the two College Football Playoff semifinals at the Rose Bowl and Sugar Bowl, along with the Fiesta Bowl to round out the New Year’s Six bowl lineup.

There are other bowls on the schedule for both Saturday and Monday. Get all the bowl opt-outs for these games at our tracker below, which includes NFL draft opt-outs and transfer portal departures:

Podcast: Orange Bowl predictions for Georgia vs Florida State

Podcast: Orange Bowl predictions for Georgia vs Florida State

Host J.C. Shelton is joined by former Georgia Bulldog Arthur Lynch to breakdown all things Orange Bowl!

Your friends at UGA Football Live and UGA Wire present your one-stop-shop podcast for all things Georgia football: “UGA Football Live with J.C. Shelton.”

Streaming on Youtube as a part of The Pulse Sports Network or, listen wherever you get your podcasts.

Stats, analysis and interviews with some Georgia greats. We are here  throughout the season to keep you up to speed on UGA football.

Georgia will take on Florida State on Saturday from Miami’s Hard Rock Stadium, but both teams will be missing a lot of production from the regular season.

Arthur and I review who’s expected to play, who’s not, and share our predictions for the last game of the season.

Also on the show:

  • Kirby Smart’s ability to limit opt outs
  • Blueprint for UGA domination

Watch here, on YouTube:

Listen here, on Spotify:

Listen here, on Apple Podcasts.

Make sure to subscribe, rate and review! And check out one our latest episodes breaking down what Georgia is getting in Ryan Puglisi:

 

Georgia star WR Ladd McConkey makes Orange Bowl decision

Georgia star WR Ladd McConkey makes Orange Bowl decision

Somehow, Georgia has found a way to get its the majority of its star players to play in the Orange Bowl against Florida State despite opportunities to opt out. On the flip side, the Seminoles will be without more than 20 players, including a slew of opt outs.

The latest Bulldog to commit to playing on Saturday is wide receiver Ladd McConkey. The junior led all UGA wideouts in receiving in 2021 and 2022.

Especially with how many games I’ve missed this year – I missed the first four, came back, and then missed a couple more after that – any chance I can get out there and go play with these guys, I’m going to go out there and do it and leave it all leave it all out there.

Carson Beck, Kendall Milton, Javon Bullard and Kamari Lassiter also share McConkey’s sentiment and will play against the Seminoles.

McConkey missed the Bulldogs’ first four games due to a nagging back injury before working his way back to the playmaker that we’ve witnessed in Athens the last three seasons. Just when McConkey was hitting his stride, he suffered an ankle injury that would limit him for the rest of the season.

McConkey missed another game due to the ankle injury before coming back. He was clearly not himself, especially in the SEC Championship loss to Alabama. The Chatsworth, Georgia, native admitted the season didn’t go as planned, but the opportunity that lies ahead at the Orange Bowl is worth taking the field.

 I guess it didn’t go the way we really wanted it to. Obviously, the end goal was go to the playoffs win the national championship. We didn’t get that but we have another opportunity to go out and play. And, me specifically, I know how quickly it can be taken away missing so many games. So anytime I get out here I will take full advantage of it and try to just make the most of it.

McConkey recorded 29 catches for 456 yards and two touchdowns in eight games in 2023. McConkey is yet to make a decision on his NFL future.

Kickoff from Miami’s Hard Rock Stadium is set for 4 p.m. ET, televised on ESPN.

 

Report: Georgia pass rusher undergoes knee surgery, out vs. FSU

Georgia Bulldogs freshman pass rusher undergoes knee surgery on his meniscus and will miss the Orange Bowl

Georgia Bulldogs freshman outside linebacker Damon Wilson Jr. is out for the Orange Bowl against the Florida State Seminoles after undergoing knee surgery. Wilson Jr. had meniscus surgery, which means he should be ready for the start of the 2024 college football season.

Damon Wilson played in 12 games and recorded two tackles and one-half of a sack as a true freshman. Wilson, a former four-star recruit, was expected to have a larger role in the Orange Bowl because fellow pass rusher Marvin Jones Jr. transferred to Florida State.

The Orange Bowl will be played on Dec. 30 at 4 p.m. ET in Miami, Florida. Wilson is one of many players that is expected to miss the Orange Bowl due to an injury, entry into the transfer portal, or decision to opt out.

Graham Coffey of the Players’ Lounge reported Wilson’s surgery.

Star Florida State DE Jared Verse opts out of Orange Bowl

Star Florida State defensive end Jared Verse has opted out of the Orange Bowl against the Georgia Bulldogs

Star Florida State Seminoles defensive end Jared Verse has opted out of the Orange Bowl. The 6-foot-4 edge rusher is entering the NFL draft and will skip the matchup against the Georgia Bulldogs.

Who can blame Verse and the other top Seminoles for opting out after the College Football Playoff committee screwed the undefeated ACC champions.

Verse was one of the star players on Florida State’s defense that led them to a 13-0 season along with an ACC championship. He was an All-ACC first team player and looks to be a first round prospect in the 2024 draft.

He finished this season with 41 tackles, nine sacks and a forced fumbles. He had two sacks in the ACC championship win over Louisville. He transferred to the Seminoles in 2022 from FCS Albany.

Verse is another notable starter to opt out of the game in Miami. Defensive tackle Fabien Lovett, wide receiver Johnny Wilson, running back Trey Benson and tight end Jaheim Bell all opted out of the game as well.

Update on Georgia star TE Brock Bowers’ status for Orange Bowl

Update on Georgia star TE Brock Bowers’ status for Orange Bowl

Georgia football faces many questions as it prepares to take on Florida State in the Orange Bowl on Saturday.

While we know a couple of star defenders will play in the game, we are still awaiting word on tight end Brock Bowers.

The two-time Mackey Award winner didn’t travel with the team to Miami on Tuesday, but he is expected to join the team later in the week. Whether he will play is not known.

According to tight ends coach Todd Hartley, Bowers’ surgically repaired ankle is what’s holding him back. Hartley didn’t completely shut out Bowers’ chances at playing during his media session on Wednesday.

“We don’t know. His status is still unsure,” Hartley said. “We know he’s still battling that ankle injury that has been nagging him it seems like forever now. He’s been great in his rehab. I hope he makes it; don’t know if he will. Still something that we’re up in the air on. He’s been great in the support of his teammates throughout the prep, every since the Alabama game. We’ll see what happens.”

Bowers’ future can’t be ignored here. He’s widely considered a top-10 NFL draft pick and aggravating an ankle injury that hobbled him throughout the latter part of the season would set him back for pro day and the NFL combine.

That said, it wouldn’t be a surprise for Bowers to make an appearance against the Seminoles. After all, he returned to action 26 days after undergoing TightRope surgery.

Whether Bowers plays or not, his name is cemented in UGA football lore forever.

Kickoff against Florida State on Saturday is set for 4 p.m. ET from Miami’s Hard Rock Stadium. The game will air on ESPN.

 

Pair of star Georgia defenders to play in Orange Bowl

Pair of star Georgia defenders to play in Orange Bowl

Georgia football received good news ahead of the Orange Bowl matchup against Florida State when star defensive backs Javon Bullard and Kamari Lassiter announced their intentions to play against Florida State on Saturday.

Both have NFL decisions to make, but instead of opting out, which has become the norm during bowl season, Bullard and Lassiter will play at least one more game in a Georgia uniform.

This is a testament to the culture Kirby Smart has built in Athens. His players continue to make decisions that, on the surface, appear to be selfless attempts to represent the University of Georgia by supporting their teammates.

On the flip side, the Seminoles will be without more than 20 players that helped secure an ACC title and 13-0 season.

Kickoff against Florida State is set for 4 p.m. ET from Miami’s Hard Rock Stadium. The game will air on ESPN.