Well, this is odd. Normally, I get to enjoy Thanksgiving and the month of December on a winning streak of sorts. The annual in-state showdown is a usual success coupled with the optimism of going to a decent bowl game. However, the loss to Georgia Tech for the first time since 2000 leaves a sting in my side and now the assurance of a New Year's Bowl game hangs in jeopardy.

So, what is Georgia's prognosis during the bowl season? Well, as much as I feel the Dawgs deserve to play on a blue field this year, I think the Capital One Bowl may be the most anticlimactic/realistic (circle one) choice. Under contractual agreements, the Capital One Bowl must take the first non-BCS team from the SEC or a team within one win of that team. Make sense? Yeah, me neither. At any rate, this is what we have to work with and with Florida and Alabama likely headed to BCS bowl games, it seems the Yellow Jacket upset puts the Dawgs in competition with the 8-4 Ole Miss Rebels.

Whomever the CapOne Committee chooses in the SEC, it will most likely be against Michigan State. The Spartans have the envious task of knocking off another underachieving football team in an otherwise meaningless football game. A realistic goal for MSU was probably circling Orlando back in August. The Dawgs were hoping to go further South by January so the equalizer in this game may be the level of motivation on each side of the ball. For the Spartans, this is a testament to hard work, overachieving attitudes, and making the most out of talent that Ohio State and Michigan didn't want. Sound familiar? Nope. For the Dawgs, this is almost an indictment for a team that had all of the pieces in place to run with Don Johnson and Phillip Michael Thomas in sunny Miami. Top 5 talent? Check. Top 5 NFL talent? Check. Preaseason no. 1? Check. Superior coaching? Uhhh, Orlando we've got a problem.

Don't get me wrong, I still stand behind the coaches but I hope even they can admit the character flaws, lack of execution, and undisciplined performances this program brought to the field this year. It's disheartening knowing your talent is very similar to Florida and Alabama's, but yet, those two teams were remarkably polished and therefore, emphatically good on Saturday night. They deserved to be in Atlanta because they bought into their coach's philosophy. I'm very optimistic the team demeanor will change for the better next year and it all starts with a game on New Year's Day.

Are they ready? We'll find out. Am I ready? No doubt.