Final: Georgia State 7, Alabama 63

[AppStateAlumQC]

Take the money and the beating. It's good exposure for the new program. Actually, I think this is the first I've heard of GSU since Lefty exited.

[Pwns]

But don't you guys know that they have Bill Freakin' Curry as their coach? He nearly beat Furman while at Georgia Tech in 1983 and 1986 and he once made it to a BCS bowl while coaching Alabama!

[Monarch Nation]

A Georgia State poster admitted to me on the CAAZone that this game was all about the money. They have fallen short of their expected donations so much that they haven't begun their practice field yet, which was supposed to be in place last year. They are practicing at either the Ga Dome or a high school facility. Their season ticket sales boasted 1000 on the first day, but no word after that, which also seems strange.

In essence, they need the $400 grand and are willing to put their program at risk by taking an unholy beating.

My big question is what does Alabama get out of this? It is scheduled for the last game of the season (for FCS) and Ga State does not qualify as a bowl contention game because they haven't filled their full amount of schollies yet. Why would Alabama want to schedule a start-up team? Ga State gets money and some notoriety from the deal, and all Alabama gets is quizzical faces at their decision.

[Franks Tanks]

A Georgia State poster admitted to me on the CAAZone that this game was all about the money. They have fallen short of their expected donations so much that they haven't begun their practice field yet, which was supposed to be in place last year. They are practicing at either the Ga Dome or a high school facility. Their season ticket sales boasted 1000 on the first day, but no word after that, which also seems strange.

In essence, they need the $400 grand and are willing to put their program at risk by taking an unholy beating.

My big question is what does Alabama get out of this? It is scheduled for the last game of the season (for FCS) and Ga State does not qualify as a bowl contention game because they haven't filled their full amount of schollies yet. Why would Alabama want to schedule a start-up team? Ga State gets money and some notoriety from the deal, and all Alabama gets is quizzical faces at their decision.

Bama doesnt need this game to be bowl eligible or anything-- they will be either way.

Its a week off for them before Auburn and perhaps the SEC championship, and of course another lucrative home game.

[Tribe4SF]

The game is only about money...aside from Bill Curry's ego. It's a bad idea, and both programs will be skewered by the media leading into the game.

Georgia State fans tout the Atlanta market as a great strength for their new program, but they're having trouble getting folks to invest in the vision. ODU knew when they announced their program that the Tidewater area was ready to pony up for the Monarchs. They did their homework, and launched their business plan with clarity. Georgia State appears to have failed to identify the financial resources they need, perhaps thinking that Curry's name alone would bring in the bucks.

[∞∞∞]

Bumpity bump...time of reckoning is quickly approaching.

[T-Dog]

They might as well play Rammer Jammer before the kickoff.

[Pitz]

Alabama sitting at -56½ -- who would you take?

I think Georgia State has been slightly better than people might have envisioned at the start of the season.

[∞∞∞]

Game is on tonight on ESPNU/ESPN3. ESPN's take:

Cupcake of the Week

Georgia State: Some cupcakes are store-bought, mass-produced afterthoughts that look and taste the same as any other cupcake. That's not Georgia State. The Panthers are decadent, homemade cupcakes that are found only on the dessert plates of defending national champions like Alabama.

Not only is Georgia State an FCS program playing at Bryant-Denny Stadium (3:30 p.m. ET on ESPNU), but this is the first season the school has had a football program. Congratulations, Alabama. You're not just devouring the Cupcake of the Week, you've got the Cupcake of the Year.

http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/page2/st ... ortCat=ncf

[jrj1976urspider]

The record for the worst beating in college football is a Georgia Tech 222-0 victory. Perhaps this record will be broken tonght!

[∞∞∞]

Great story in the Atlanta-Journal Constitution about Coach Curry. Seems like a genuinely great guy...I think he really loves the FCS system compared to the big lights of the BCS.

“To be with a group of young people, most of whom have been told they’re not good enough, and show them how to succeed and have a meaningful life – I haven’t felt like this in a long time,” he said. “I wish I was mature enough to have the same objectives as I did before. But I didn’t. I was caught up in the winning...”

He will tell you this season has been a great awakening for him. He has been allowed to create a blueprint for a program. He has built it from the abandoned ground up. He has coached young men on the field and guided them off of it, without being pulled into a corner by the obnoxious, check-writing, booster buddy of the program who suddenly wants to call plays.

There has been a purity to this job that you seldom find in college athletics.

http://blogs.ajc.com/jeff-schultz-blog/ ... hultz_blog" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[Monarch Nation]

The record for the worst beating in college football is a Georgia Tech 222-0 victory. Perhaps this record will be broken tonght!

I doubt it. I think Alabama will take their foot off of the gas early and allow GaState to score a little. GaState fans will crow that they scored on Alabama and Alabama gets what amounts to a bye week with a hard practice thrown in while prepping for Auburn. It'll be a win-win situation.

[DSUrocks07]

Comment from ESPN game conversation

MDAstro: "Bama should make this a little more fair and start walkons and random students in the crowd."

[∞∞∞]

Got class 'til 9pm, but just wanted to remind everyone that the game is in 2.5 hours on ESPNU. Will definitely be watchin' this one when I return though. My guess is 'Bama by 35 by the time I come back...anyone wanna bet the over/under on that haha?

Anyways, good luck to GSU...

[Skjellyfetti]

Alabama scores easily on first drive.


Then Georgia State comes back and fires 55 yard pass.

[ToTheLeft]

14-0 Bama now.

GSU with 4th down on their next possession.

[ToTheLeft]

GSU takes over on a missed FG, then throws a pick 6 on a screen pass. 21-0 Bama.

[ToTheLeft]

10 to go in the half, and it's now 28-0 Bama on a pass to Jones from McElroy.

[ToTheLeft]

Another defensive score for Bama, and it's 35-0 Tide.

Blocked punt taken to the house.

[danefan]

Uhh..........I'm no coach or anything, but why the heck hasn't Hill been at QB for Ga.St. the whole year?

[ToTheLeft]

GSU with a really nice return...

that they fumble and Bama recovers.

[T-Dog]

Okay, that was pathetic by G-State. A kicker causing a fumble by standing in the way.

[danefan]

Yeah one more score and I'm about to bail out on this game.................

[ToTheLeft]

Backups in for Bama, and they punch it in. 42-0 Tide.

[ToTheLeft]

Touchdown, GSU on the kickoff return.