News / NOKIA
SUGAR BOWL TEAMS ANNOUNCED
ATLANTA, Ga. ----- Southeastern Conference Champion University
of Georgia Bulldogs will face West Virginia University,
the champions of the Big East Conference in the 72nd Nokia
Sugar Bowl Classic Jan. 2, 2006 at 8:30 p.m. in Atlanta’s
Georgia Dome. The game was moved to the Georgia Dome after
the Louisiana Superdome was heavily damaged by Hurricane
Katrina.
Nokia Sugar Bowl president Mark C. Romig, APR made the announcement
today along with Georgia athletic director Damon Evans and
West Virginia University athletic director Ed Pastilong.
Formally accepting the invitations were the presidents of
the two institutions, Dr. Michael F. Adams of Georgia and
David C. Hardesty, Jr. of West Virginia.
“The teams and fans from these two magnificent institutions
will help produce a Sugar Bowl that will be historic in
so many ways.” said Romig. “This year has been
an extremely challenging one for all of us involved in staging
the Nokia Sugar Bowl as we have temporarily moved our operations
to Atlanta. While we look forward to our return to New Orleans,
the country’s most interesting city, we are fortunate
to be hosted by the great people in Atlanta. We will forever
be grateful for the hospitality shown to us over the past
several weeks and we look forward to offering a healthy
portion of the same to the Georgia Bulldogs and the West
Virginia Mountaineers.”
“It is our great pleasure to again be the site for
a game of champions – Georgia as the SEC winner and
West Virginia as the Big East winner,” said Bowl executive
director Paul Hoolahan. “Both programs played at the
highest level throughout the season, and the players and
coaches from each school are to be congratulated for what
they accomplished. We look forward to hosting the staff,
players, alumni and fans from both universities for what
promises to be a unique and exciting Nokia Sugar Bowl.”
As the Southeastern Conference and per Bowl Championship
Series guidelines, Georgia will serve as the home team,
while West Virginia will be the visiting team.
Georgia (10-2, 6-2 SEC) is ranked No. 7 in the BCS rankings.
The Tigers beat then No. 3 ranked LSU, 34-14, in the SEC
Championship game on Saturday for the automatic BCS conference
bid. Georgia started the season winning its first seven
games, before losing to Florida and Auburn in back-to-back
games, and finished the season on a three-game winning streak.
West Virginia (10-1, 7-0 Big East) has won seven straight
games, with its only loss coming at the hands of then No.
3 ranked Virginia Tech, and finished the year undefeated
in Big East Conference play. The Mountaineers are ranked
No. 11 in the BCS rankings. West Virginia clinched its automatic
BCS birth with a win over conference foe Pitt on Nov.24,
but sealed the deal and a perfect conference record with
a 28-13 win over South Florida on Saturday.
Georgia and West Virginia have never faced one another in
regular or post-season play. Georgia will be making its
eighth visit to the Bowl game and currently holds a 3-4
record. The last time the Bulldogs were in the Bowl was
in 2003 when they came to New Orleans as SEC champions and
beat Florida State, 26-13, to improve to a 13-1 record on
the year. West Virginia will be making its third appearance
in the Classic and is 0-2 in the first two meetings. The
Mountaineers lost to both the Florida Gators in 1994 and
Georgia Tech in 1954.
This year’s game will feature two of the nation’s
top young head coaches in college football. Coach Mark Richt
heads the Georgia Bulldogs. He holds a 52-12 mark in five
years as a head coach and all at UGA. Rich Rodriguez is
in his fifth season at WVU where he holds a 37-22 record.
He was also a head coach two NAIA/Division II schools (Salem
and Glenville State) and holds a career record of 83-58-2
as a head coach.
Both the Bulldogs and the Mountaineers are lead by surprisingly
mobile quarterbacks. West Virginia’s Pat White passed
for 708 yards and seven touchdowns while rushing for 875
yards and seven scores as well. Georgia’s D.J. Shockley
passed for 2,311 yards and 21 touchdowns and has rushed
for four scores. He is on the watch lists of many of the
major annual quarterback awards. Shockley is no stranger
to the Sugar Bowl as he played in the 2003 Classic behind
starter David Greene and connected on a 37-yard touchdown
strike to Terrence Edwards.
Defense is said to be the key to winning football games
and both the Bulldog and Mountaineer defenses have been
the keys to their respective success. Georgia, whose scoring
defense is ranked in the top four nationally and has 16
interceptions to its credit, is led by defensive end Quentin
Moses and safety Greg Blue. Moses is credited for 10.5 sacks
on the season while Blue leads the team in tackles with
88. The Bulldog defense tallied five sacks against LSU in
the SEC Championship game. The Mountaineers defense is ranked
in the top 10 nationally and has only allowed 21 offensive
touchdowns and only one 100-yard rusher all season.
The WVU defense is lead by defensive back Mike Lorello and
linebacker Kevin McLee. Lorello and McLeee are tied for
first in team tackles with 74. Lorello has seven tackles
for losses, three sacks, three interceptions and six pass
break ups, while McLee has six tackles for losses, two sacks
and four pass break ups.
The Bulldog and Mountaineer offenses are closely matched
this year as WVU averages 31.6 points a game to UGA’s
29.1. The two programs have outscored their opponents more
than 2-to-1 on the season. The Bulldog offense has passed
for 23 touchdowns and rushed for 14. Georgia’s ground
attack is ranked third in the SEC and is led by Thomas Brown
with 658 yards and three touchdowns. The receiving corps
for UGA has seen freshman Mohamed Massaquoi come on strong
in the second half of the season. He has totaled 34 receptions
for 462 yards and two touchdowns. Junior receiver Sean Bailey
leads the team in touchdowns with four catches for scores.
West Virginia’s top offensive threats are running
back Steve Slanton and receiver Brandon Myles. Playing in
just nine games this year, Slaton finished first on the
team in rushing with 988 yards and 14 scores. He has received
national player of the week honors for his performances
on the year. Myles caught 30 passes for 472 yards and three
scores in 11 games.
###
Georgia (10-2, 6-2 SEC)
Sept. 3 Boise State W 48-13
Sept. 10 South Carolina W 17-15
Sept. 17 Louisiana Monroe W 44-7
Sept. 24 at Mississippi State W 23-10
Oct. 8 at Tennessee W 27-14
Oct. 15 at Vanderbilt W 34-17
Oct. 22 Arkansas W 23-20
Oct. 29 *Florida L 14-10
Nov.12 Auburn L 31-30
Nov. 19 Kentucky W 45-13
Nov. 26 at Georgia Tech W 14-7
Dec. 3 #LSU W 34-14
*Jacksonville, Fla.
#SEC Championship Game
West Virginia (10-1, 7-0 Big East)
Sept. 4 at Syracuse W 15-7
Sept. 10 Wofford W 35-7
Sept. 17 at Maryland W 31-19
Sept. 24 East Carolina W 20-15
Oct. 1 Virginia Tech L 34-17
Oct. 8 at Rutgers W 27-14
Oct. 15 Louisville W 46-44
Nov. 2 Connecticut W 38-0
Nov. 9 at Cincinnati W 38-0
Nov. 24 Pittsburgh W 45-13
Dec. 3 at South Florida W 28-13
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