OSU-Georgia deal a home run
Published: 11/10/2006 7:44 AM
Last Modified: 11/10/2006 7:44 AM
"Love you, Mike." "No, I love you, Boone."
James Gibbard/Tulsa World
Cowboy athletic director Mike Holder says he hopes OSU fans are excited about the arrangement, which has the Cowboys playing at Georgia in the ESPN-televised 2007 opener and Georgia playing at Stillwater in the '09 opener. How could any Cowboy fan find fault with it?
Three reasons why it was a brilliant play by Holder and Mike Gundy:
* With Bobby Reid as an experienced junior QB, the Cowboys have a chance to be pretty good next season. After a 5-0 start this season, Georgia has lost in four of its last five games. I spoke on Thursday with an Atlanta friend who is extremely familiar with the Bulldog program, and he says Georgia may be really down next season. If the Cowboys are ever going to win a football game at Georgia's 92,746-seat Sanford Stadium, 2007 might be the time.
* As a thank-you for accepting the '07 trip to Athens, Ga., ESPN will give OSU two additional network exposures next season. Television exposure is like Mexican food – you can never have too much.
* The 2009 opener already would have been a major event. It will be the first game played at the completely renovated Boone Pickens Stadium. By then, the $120 million west-end football complex will be finished, inside and out. There could be no better way to christen the sparkling stadium than to play host to a nationally renowned opponent. Georgia certainly qualifies.
Here's what Georgia coach Mark Richt said about the deal:
``(The Cowboys) have got an up-and-coming program as of late. That will be a great challenge for us. They just had that big win against Nebraska recently, which was right around the time we were deciding what to do. (The 2007 contest) is going to be something to really work toward in the summer. It will get everybody’s attention. I believe a game like that, if there is anybody who needed a little extra incentive, that game will give it to them.''
-- Bill Haisten
Written by
Jason Collington
Web Editor
