McGarity is keeping us on our toes...

...with this whole football scheduling bidnizz. After coming out and not-so-shyly stating that the football program would be adding many lesser programs and FCS teams in an effort to make the schedule easier and filled with more home games, he busted out and scheduled the Boise State* opener next season at a neutral site. I assumed that, despite the Boise scheduling, we could typically look forward to a yearly slate of OOC games that would include a FCS school (GA Souther, Citadel, etc.), two far lesser FBS opponents (Florida Atlantic, Louisiana-Lafayette, etc.), and Georgia Tech. This would give us at least 3 home OOC games per season, and 4 home OOC games every other year. It would also secure an average of about 3.9 wins per year, among OOC games. It's yawn-inspiring, true, but you can't deny there is some logic in the athletic department wanting to take advantage of the financial benefit of having 7-8 home games per season, 4 guaranteed wins, and not having to travel across the country for the sake of attempting to market a "national" brand.

On the other hand, it looks like McGarity has, again, decided to throw a curveball to UGA football fans - this one far more exciting than the change-up regarding playing lesser programs or even the slider that is the Boise State game. It appears that McG is currently talking to some big midwestern teams about the possibility of a home/home series in the near future. Specifically, he's trying to drum up a series with Michigan, Ohio State, Penn State or Notre Dame.

I love this idea. First, it makes more sense than setting up games with Pac-10 teams because there is half the time spent traveling and no jet lag for the players. Second, it helps with the "national brand" aspect of the Georgia football program, because all of those teams are larger national brands than any of the guys we had played on the road or were scheduled to play (Arizona State, Colorado, Louisville and even Oregon, which is still somewhat new on the "national" stage). Finally, it gives Georgia a chance to prove its meddle among national powerhouses outside of the SEC. Sure, the SEC conference and schedule is the toughest in the world, so we don't HAVE to go out and play other national teams in order to enhance our profile, blah, blah, blah. But it doesn't hurt to have the confidence to go out and whoop up on the media darlings and traditionally overrated juggernauts dwelling in Big Ten country.

Of those four, who would I like to see a home and home with? Ohio State. They are perceived as the best of those four right now. And nothing is more fun to watch than SEC pwnage of the Buckeyes. Not to mention, red helmets and silver britches against red jerseys and silver helmets would be pretty. Michigan would be my second choice, though I doubt they would want to schedule a big SEC team right now. Notre Dame just got through with a series with Georgia Tech, so I don't wanna look like we are merely following in Tech's footsteps. Not only that, but they aren't Big Ten (and I wanna beat a Big Ten team), so it is not as attractive to me. And Penn State, frankly, is just sort-of boring right now. Not as attractive as the others. Ohio State would be my dream match-up.

I was worried that with the very quick and surefire announcement by McG that we would be looking to soften the schedule, the UGA schedule may get very boring, bland, and too regionalized. But I love the fact that McG has come out in support of some marquis match-ups for the Dawgs in the future. This is some great red-meat to which the fans can look forward. And I really believe that Dawg fans would travel well to a game at Ohio State or Ann Arbor. Should be fun. I hope he can follow through.

(* - Let's face it, the attraction of a Boise match-up is unique because it will essentially be a "home" game, for all intents and purposes, and this was a thinly-veiled attempt for Richt and McG to combat big BCS programs getting a free weekend to show off for Peach State recruits on our turf.)