Bishop Media Sports Network
Jason Bishop Show With Kipp Branch December 8
Luck Of The Irish
By: Kipp Branch
TheSouthernSportsEdition.com news services
Championship Saturday in College Football started and ended with questions regarding who would be in the top four when the college football playoff starts on December 29th. The semi-final matchups would in the Orange Bowl and Cotton Bowl to determine who will play for the National Championship the following week.
Going into Championship Saturday you had Alabama, Clemson, Notre Dame, and Georgia holding the top four spots. Alabama, Clemson, and Georgia all had to participate in conference championship games.
Notre Dame got to sit on the couch with a bye while everyone else in contention for a playoff spot Alabama, Clemson, Georgia, Oklahoma, Ohio State, and even UCF had to win to stay alive in the playoff hunt.
Are conference championship games even needed anymore is the question? Alabama didn’t win the SEC in 2017 or even make the SEC championship game, but got selected as a playoff team and ended up winning the national championship.
The goal of the playoff is to select the best four teams correct? At least I thought it was. I just don’t think we are talking apples to apples unless Notre Dame is made to join a football conference.
Yes, the Irish play basketball in the ACC, but get the easy way out during football season by being an independent. Do you think an undefeated BYU playing Notre Dame’s schedule would have been selected as one of the top four teams in the country? Let me answer that for you, absolutely not.
Championship Saturday looked like this:
Clemson played a five loss Pitt team in the ACC title game and blew them out while Notre Dame sat home and was given a playoff spot. Now we get an ACC title game in Dallas with ND and Clemson in the Cotton Bowl. Clemson will beat ND by three TD’s.
Oklahoma played a three loss Texas team in the Big 12 title game and won by 12.
Ohio State played a four loss Northwestern team in the Big 10 title game and won by 21.
Then you had #1 Alabama and #4 Georgia in an epic SEC title game that Alabama, who was regarded by many as the greatest college football team ever, had to rally to overcome a 4th quarter deficit to pull out the game 35-28.
All of this went down as Notre Dame sits at the house with a bye and punches a ticket into the playoff.
Oklahoma, Georgia, and Ohio State are all better football teams than Notre Dame, but yet Georgia and Ohio State get left out all because Notre Dame gets the easy way out because they beat a six loss Vandy team 22-17, six loss Pitt team 19-14, and a seven loss USC team 24-17.
Don’t forget the Irish beat Michigan 24-17, a team Ohio State hung 62 points on the last week of the regular season. Georgia beat Vanderbilt 41-13, and Clemson beat Pitt 42-10.
The solutions are simple:
- Make Notre Dame commit to joining the ACC in football and win a conference championship game.
- Do away with conference title games all together and level the playing field with Notre Dame.
- Have an 8, 16, or 32 team playoff like all other college football divisions, and crown a real champion.
Georgia and Ohio State would be undefeated playing Notre Dame’s 2018 schedule. The playoff committee always says the goal is to get the four best teams, but it failed miserably in 2018. Notre Dame may not even be the best football team in Indiana.
So, we are stuck with Notre Dame with their weak slate. So, in 2018 we have the top 3 and Notre Dame.
Address the Notre Dame elephant in the room. The football playoff committee needs scrap this system for a true playoff like everyone else does or make Notre Dame join a conference.
There may be 3-4 teams in the SEC that would beat Notre Dame. Politics won the day on the playoff selection committee.
Georgia Southern Eagles Bowl Preview
By: Mike Anthony
TheSouthernSportsEdition.com news services
Georgia Southern will make a return to bowl season for the first time since 2015 as the Eagles found out they are headed to the Raycom Media Camellia Bowl in Montgomery, Ala.
The Eagles (9-3) will face another group of Eagles in the Dec. 15 contest as their opponent will be Eastern Michigan (7-5) out of the Mid-American Conference.
Georgia Southern’s only previous bowl appearance also came against a MAC team as the Eagles stormed past 2015 MAC champion Bowling Green in the GoDaddy Bowl.
“It’s an honor and a blessing to be able to play in the Raycom Media Camellia Bowl,” Georgia Southern coach Chad Lunsford said. “A bowl game is hard to get to and it’s a reward for our players, staff and fans. We’ve had a great season, but to be able to have the opportunity to pick up a 10th win against a great opponent in Eastern Michigan is something we won’t take lightly.”
Georgia Southern is one of five Sun Belt Conference teams heading to the postseason.
An official statement by the conference on Sunday placed Sun Belt champion Appalachian State in the New Orleans Bowl against Middle Tennessee State (Conference USA), Louisiana in the Cure Bowl against Tulane (American), Troy in the Dollar General Bowl against Buffalo (MAC) and Arkansas State in the Arizona Bowl against Nevada (Mountain West).
Georgia Southern didn’t learn of its exact postseason location or opponent until Sunday, but had spent the last week on the practice field in preparation for whatever bowl season had in store for it.
It served as an extra week of learning and scrimmaging for younger players while offering some banged up regular contributors a few much-needed days of taking things easy.
“Honestly, I would have rather had it not been an off week,” GSU quarterback Shai Werts said. “I think we would have all rather been playing Saturday (in the Sun Belt championship game). But it was good for some guys to get some rest. Now we just ramp it back up and get ready for Eastern Michigan.”
The ‘other’ Eagles from Ypsilanti, Michigan don’t have quite the record as Georgia Southern, but have had plenty of highlights that make them deserving of a bowl game and a tough opponent for Southern.
Eastern Michigan beat a Purdue squad that handed Ohio State its only loss of the season and dropped tough overtime contests to a then-ranked San Diego State and MAC champion Northern Illinois.
EMU is similar to Georgia Southern in that much of its success has come when a sometimes-shaky offense has shown up to compliment what is usually a very steady defense.
One bright spot for Georgia Southern — EMU’s roughest day on defense all season came at the hands of option-heavy Army as the Black Knights ran for 289 yards in a 37-22 victory.
Georgia Southern will ship out to Montgomery on Tuesday, Dec. 11 where the team will continue to practice while also taking part in multiple events hosted by the Camellia Bowl and the city of Montgomery.
Frederica Academy Knights Coach’s Show with Brandon Derrick December 4
Odd Dawg Out
By: JJ Lanier
TheSouthernSportsEdition.com news services
“If you don’t want to be left out, don’t give those who makes the decisions a reason to leave you out.”
I was 14 years old and had been left off the 14-15 year old baseball all-star team I felt I deserved to make, when my Dad uttered those words. It’s a lesson that is as pertinent today as it was on that long drive home all those years ago. It’s a lesson that Georgia fans are currently finding themselves being thrust into learning.
Over the course of the season Georgia accomplished enough to justify their inclusion into the playoffs. Besides having an excellent overall record, they played a tremendous game against Alabama, and if you go by the ever popular “eye test”, you’d be hard pressed to find four teams you would place above the Bulldogs.
On the flip side, Georgia also showed enough to validate the committee’s hesitation to put them into the playoffs.
One of the main arguments being made to include Georgia in the playoffs is the Alabama game. And yes, for the first thirty-five minutes Georgia looked like the superior team.
But, what about the other twenty-five minutes, when the Tide outscored them 21-0? If we’re going to credit Georgia for the beginning of the game, we have to hold them accountable for the end.
As for the eye test, I’ll be the first to admit they played like one of the best four teams throughout the year, but how many times have we seen games and tournaments where the best team didn’t win. I mean, that’s kind of why they play the game, right?
If we judged winners simply by who the better team was, there’d be no reason to keep score. We’d just watch the game and declare the winner based on who we thought was the more complete team. Outcomes are important, win or lose.
Plus, the eye test really only matters when you have two equally accomplished teams, which wasn’t the case. Oklahoma finished their season with a better record than Georgia and was able to avenge their only loss on their way to winning their conference championship; basically, identical to what the Bulldogs did last year.
As great as Georgia may have looked against Alabama, and as great of an impression as they left on those who watched the game, they still didn’t do the most important thing, which is win.
I know people want to knock Notre Dame and their schedule too, but they did play four Top 25 teams, plus two other teams that played in their conference championship games.
I’m not saying their schedule was the most difficult, but they didn’t play schools like “Napoleon Dynamite’s School for Dance” or the “University of Underwater Basket Weaving” either.
It’s been twenty-five years since I learned that difficult lesson, but I was able to use it as motivation and I’m sure the Georgia program will to.
Honestly, I’d be shocked if Georgia isn’t a repeat participant in the playoffs; there have been a lot of familiar names since the playoffs were formed.
It’s easier than said than done, but in most cases it’s not so much about flaunting your accomplishments, as it is making sure you minimize your failures.
They can’t keep you out of the playoffs if you don’t give them a reason not to let you in- just look at Notre Dame. Otherwise you only have yourself to blame.
Frederica Gets Knighted
By: Rich Bontrager
TheSouthernSportsEdition.com news services
The Frederica Academy Knights had one goal all season; to finish what they started last season and actually make it to Mercer University for the State Championship.
Six years to the day that the Knights earned their first Championship in the GISA, they did so again but this time in the AAA Class.
The match up was built as a potential grudge match with John Milledge Academy. The Knights had lost to the Trojan’s only a month ago on a questionable call that cost them a 1-point loss.
However, in this rematch for the GISA title, there would be no doubt! The Knights dominated in all aspects of the game as they shut out John Milledge 48-0.
Frederica would score the only points in the first quarter on an explosive 7-yard TD run by Patrick Brunson (Sr). After that score, it looked like the two may be ready for an intense
defensive battle. Instead, the Knights would tack on another 21 points before half-time and show that they clearly were in control of the game.
Second quarter scores were all rushing touchdowns. Simpson, Veal, and Jackson all found their way to the end zone, as each point after the kick was successful. Frederica went into the locker room at the half stunning most of the fans with a 28-0 lead.
Much of the scoring in the first half was made possible by exceptional defensive plays and stops that forced the Trojans to punt or turn the ball over on downs.
The first half defense featured outstanding plays by Deke Jernigan (Jr), Patrick Brunson, and Cameron Gardner (Sr). The only bright spot for John Milledge was the 46 yards rushing by sophomore running back Amaad Foston.
The second half exploded with a trick play on the very first play from the line of scrimmage, as the Knights ran a double reverse flee-flicker route and scored. Patrick Brunson was left wide open down the middle of the field, as the double reverse unfolded, and caught a 52 yard pass from Jaylin Simpson.
After the game Coach Brandon Derrick said, “We have practiced this play a lot, but never really completed it well enough. Tonight, we did it just perfect.” Simpson completed the game executing 14 of 15 pass attempts.
In the third quarter the Knights would add on another 13 points to extend their lead. John Milledge threatened briefly as they got the to the 5-yard line, but once again the Knights defense held. The Trojan’s would miss the field goal attempt and the Knights would again get the ball on a turnover of downs.
Overall this game was a total team effort that showcased how unselfish play can make a great team even greater. The defense got an interception, sack, and kept Brandon Bellflower (QB) of John Milledge on the run all night long.
The defense made stop after stop. Five different Knights would score on offense and eight different players would rush for yardage. Frederica wraps the 2018 season with a 10-3 record and Championship trophy coming home to Saint Simons Island.
Congratulations to Coach Brandon Derrick, his coaching staff, players and entire team for overcoming early season adversity to make the “March To Mercer” and achieve the goal of winning the GISA title. This will be a season to remember.
Brave Moves
By: TJ Hartnett
TheSouthernSportsEdition.com news services
The MLB Hot Stove seemed like it had gotten overstuffed on Thanksgiving Day turkey as it trudged into December with nary a big move in sight.
Clayton Kershaw decided to forego hitting the market and resigned with Los Angeles; after that, it was all rumor and no action for baseball.
Then the Atlanta Braves decided to strike a match and light up the stove. Alex Anthopoulos welcomed home Brian McCann after five years away, signing the former All-Star backstop to a one-year, $2 million contract.
Before the dust could settle on that acquisition, the news broke that the Braves had also signed third baseman and 2015 AL MVP Josh Donaldson to a one-year, $23 million deal.
Let’s tackle these both briefly for now and chronologically.
McCann’s return managed to be both inflated and a little deflating at the same time. For the past several months it seemed like Atlanta might be able to pry JT Realmuto, arguably the game’s best catcher, away from Miami.
McCann, a fan favorite from 2005-2013, is beloved by the Braves’ fanbase, but is past his prime. While this signing doesn’t mean that Anthopoulos is 100% not looking for another catcher, it’s likely that Atlanta will see a third year of platooning behind the plate. This time with a lefty/righty combination with Mac and Tyler Flowers.
I love Brian McCann. I think his presence in the clubhouse can only be a good thing for this young team. However, my excitement for his return is more reserved than it would be if he were being signed to serve as the backup catcher for someone in their prime.
The Donaldson signing came seemingly out of nowhere. It seemed like the Braves’ lineup focus would be at catcher and replacing Nick Markakis with a stud outfielder.
Third base wasn’t an area of need, with Johan Camargo capably manning the hot corner in 2017. But sign a third baseman they did, and it’s a lineup-changing acquisition.
Donaldson is coming off an injury-plagued year in which he played in just 52 games and didn’t come close to putting up his usual high-caliber numbers.
That being said, this is a great signing. It’s a low-risk, high-reward situation, with Donaldson potentially providing the Braves with 30 home runs and 95+ RBI from the cleanup spot behind Freddie Freeman; if he can stay healthy and return to form. And if he can’t? The Braves still have Johan Camargo.
That may be the best part of both of these signings, but Donaldson’s in particular: we gave up nothing. No prospects sent off, no part of last year’s NL East-winning team shipped away.
All it cost was $23 million dollars for a player who, when he was healthy for the five years prior to his injuries, averaged hitting .282/.377/.524 with 33 bombs and 98 runs driven in. Not to mention, top 10 MVP rankings in four of those years (the fifth, 2017, was the first sign of his injury problems: he hit 33 homeruns in 113 games and got some MVP votes anyway).
If those days are behind him, so be it. It’s one-year, so the deal doesn’t hurt the Braves long-term. Plus, $23 million is barely more than this year’s free agent qualifying offer, which players with worse track records than Donaldson’s rejected.
Some maniacs may think that if the Braves spent $23 million on an aging, potentially broken-down superstar, they should have just ponied up and signed the likes of Bryce Harper.
Don’t pay attention to those maniacs. If Bryce Harper for some reason wanted to take a one-year deal from someone, it would cost, AT LEAST, $40 million dollars. He won’t get that annually on a multi-year deal, but for just one season? He’d hit that mark easily.
That price for the potential that Donaldson offers is a drop in the bucket, even for the Braves, who should still have enough spending room to address the other holes (bullpen, a starter) on the roster.
Whatever happens with the rest of the NL East (the Mets are apparently trying to trade for Robinson Cano, which is the most “Mets” things I’ve ever heard in my life), the Braves are making it clear that the rebuild is over, and they are looking to repeat.
Frederica Academy Knights Coach’s Show w Brandon Derrick November 28
Eagles Hard-Court Landing
By: Mike Anthony
TheSouthernSportsEdition.com news services
In a back-and-forth ballgame, Georgia Southern rarely had the upper hand and couldn’t find a way to come out on top in the end.
Georgia Southern battled East Tennessee State on Tuesday night at Hanner Fieldhouse. The Buccaneers held a small lead throughout most of the game, but the Eagles fought hard and edged ahead several times down the stretch.
Georgia Southern took a 59-58 lead with 5:17 to play, but East Tennessee powered through the final minutes to claim a 69-64 victory and hand the Eagles their first loss of the season.
“I thought we battled and I thought we showed toughness,” GS coach Mark Byington said. “This will come back and help us later on. We missed some shots late and they made them. We did a lot of things right. The things we did wrong that cost us, I know we can fix.”
Tookie Brown led the way for the Eagles (5-1) with 16 points and Quan Jackson added 13 more in his return from an ankle injury suffered last week, but Georgia Southern was never able to turn the game into the free-flowing and high-scoring contests that it has benefitted from so far this season.
The slower pace was, in part, due to a solid effort from the Buccaneers (6-2), who utilized a big lineup to out-rebound the Eagles on both ends of the floor and prevent Georgia Southern from cranking up its transition game that has been a huge weapon so far this season.
At the same time, an Eagle lineup that saw the return of Jackson and the first minutes of the season from junior forward Simeon Carter may have also played a role in keeping the Eagles from finding their rhythm.
“I like our depth, but that means that we’re having a lot of guys working their way back from injuries and getting everyone involved,” Byington said. “We’re going to be a work in progress for a couple of weeks. We were out of rhythm in spots. We just need to learn what we’re like as a whole team.”
Tray Boyd III led ETSU with 17 points, with Isaiah Tisdale adding 15 and Patrick Good chipping in 13 more.
Neither team led by more than seven points during the game and the lead shifted several times in the middle of the second half.
The Bucs took the lead for good on a 3-pointer by Boyd with 4:27 to play.
Brown made a pair of free throws to close within 66-64 with 57 seconds to play. Solid defense by the Eagles appeared to force a few extra steps by Mladen Armus, but no whistle sounded and Armus found Good for a 3-pointer with 38 seconds left that sunk the Eagles’ comeback hopes.
Georgia Southern began Tuesday night as just one of 25 Division I squads that were still undefeated. That lofty title is now gone, but the Eagles still have plenty to prove as they continue a very challenging non-conference schedule.
The Eagles won’t have to worry about Tuesday’s loss for long as travel plans are now in order. Georgia Southern is scheduled to catch a 5 a.m. flight out west as they now look forward to a Thursday night matchup against perennial national power Arizona.
“We want to improve on where we’ve come up short, but we don’t have time to dwell on this loss,” Byington said. “Arizona will be a tough test. East Tennessee will win 20 games and maybe be a tournament team.
“We don’t have a single second to feel sorry for ourselves. The games will keep getting tougher, but we’re going to be battle-tested by the time we get into conference play.”
Who Is In?
By: JJ Lanier
TheSouthernSportsEdition.com news services
If Georgia upsets Alabama Saturday night, then the playoff field will be set, I believe, regardless of any other outcomes: Georgia, Notre Dame, Alabama, and Clemson. (And yes, even if Clemson were to lose to Pittsburgh- which I don’t think will happen- I would still put them in ahead of both Oklahoma and Ohio State.)
If the SEC Championship game winds up being a repeat of last year’s national championship, and Alabama escapes victorious, I don’t think all is lost for UGA fans.
However, I will admit there’s a better chance of me waking up tomorrow with Brad Pitt’s “Fight Club” body than the Bulldogs joining the playoffs for the second straight year. I just don’t think it’s impossible.
The obvious way it could work out is that Georgia plays Alabama tough and both Oklahoma and Ohio State lose their respective championship games.
Georgia’s overall body of work would be better than Ohio State’s and it would be difficult to put in an Oklahoma team that would’ve lost twice to the same team, Texas.
To be honest, even if Ohio State wins, I’m not sure I put them in over Georgia. (I realize I may be the only non-Georgia fan who believes this. I don’t know, maybe after all these years I’m finally starting to warm up to the ol’ Dawgs. Nah, it’s probably the egg nog speaking.)
I don’t think OSU beating a Northwestern team that basically won their division by default is that much of a game changer. I’d still take a two loss Georgia team over a one loss Ohio State.
So, in my eyes, it really comes down to the Oklahoma/Texas game.
The Sooners are in a very similar situation to the one Georgia was in last year; a one loss team, playing in their conference championship game against the team that gave them their only blemish on the season. And much like Georgia last year, it will be nearly impossible to keep Oklahoma out of the playoffs, in this particular scenario, if they win.
As I alluded to above though, if Oklahoma loses I would still go with a two loss Georgia over a two loss Oklahoma.
The Big 12 title game will take place before the SEC, so Georgia fans will have a better idea of the scenarios that may play out, before their game begins.
Look, as difficult as it is for me to say this, I just feel Georgia is the better team between them, Ohio State, and Oklahoma. So, unless it’s just obvious that one of the latter two is more deserving of a playoff appearance than Georgia, the Bulldogs should get the edge.
I don’t think Georgia will win, but I do believe they’re good enough to play the Tide close. When you consider how Alabama has pretty much steam rolled through their schedule, being able to keep close will say an awful lot, if Georgia is able to do that.
Of course, they could completely take away all the suspense by just winning the damn game, but obviously that’s a little bit easier said than done.
If it does play out where there is no clear cut fourth team, it will be interesting to see what the committee does and what they prioritize. I’ve made it clear I think Georgia should be the team, but then again, I also think UCF should be in the conversation, so what do I know. But, that’s an entirely different story for another day.
