For the second time in as many years, Georgia is headed back to the Sugar Bowl, this time to take on Big 12 runner-up Baylor.
Kickoff is set for Jan. 1 at 8:45 p.m.
The matchup will be the fifth between the two schools. Georgia and Baylor last met in 1989, with the Bulldogs claiming a 15-3 win.
Baylor (11-2) fell in the Big 12 Championship Game to Oklahoma Saturday, 30-23. The Bears are making their first Sugar Bowl appearance since 1957.
For Georgia (11-2), it’s not only a chance to at least ease some of the pain from the team’s 37-10 loss to LSU in the SEC Championship, but also rectify last year’s sub-par effort in the Sugar Bowl that resulted in the Bulldogs' 28-21 loss to Texas.
"We're going to approach it that way, a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, to be Sugar Bowl champs. None of our kids have been Sugar Bowl champs and they're going to get an opportunity to do that," head coach Kirby Smart said. "We're going to take the ones that want to do that and play well. What I found out last year, for a lot of kids, it was the most important game of the season. But for some others, it wasn't. You've got to take the guys who are engaged and excited about playing. That matters a whole lot more than how good they are."
Players spoken to after the SEC Championship seemed to be saying the right things.
“I don’t think it’s going to be a problem,” said freshman Nakobe Dean, when asked if the Bulldogs risk feeling the same letdown as last year’s squad appeared to do. “We’re going to play one way, and that’s hard,” Dean said.
Junior Demetris Robertson, who was part of last year’s team, agrees.
“For sure, we want to finish the season off strong,” he said. “We want to win for the seniors, those players who have worked so hard all season.”
Running back James Cook said the Bulldogs will be ready to get to work
“We’ll go back to practice and get ready,” Cook said. “We’re going to be prepared.”
Whether or not Georgia will have its full compliment of players remains to be seen.
With the exception of wide receiver Dominick Blaylock (ACL), Smart said he expects all the players injured in the SEC Championship will be ready to go.
As to what draft-eligible players might decide to skip the game, that also is unclear. Both running back D'Andre Swift and left tackle Andrew Thomas told UGASports they would wait until after talking with family before making a decision.
"That's obviously a fluid situation. We'll find out more when it comes about," Smart said. "They really haven't had time to sit back and observe where they are, get information, and things like that. We had one obviously last year, and that was Deandre Baker, so I don't know where that falls, and I'm really not concerned with that right now, as I am finishing final exams, getting on recruiting, and getting ready for Baylor."
INJURY UPDATE: With the exception of Dominick Blaylock who suffered a torn ACL, Smart said he expects all players injured Saturday to play in the Sugar Bowl. That includes Kearis Jackson and Tyrique Stevenson.
