Penn State will face Georgia in the TaxSlayer Bowl in Jacksonville, Florida on January 2nd. The game is scheduled to kick at noon.
The two teams have only played once before, the 1983 Sugar Bowl, when the second-ranked Nittany Lions upset the then top-ranked Bulldogs, 27-23, winning the national championship in the process.
More currently Georgia enters the game with a 9-3 record, good enough for third in the SEC East Division with notable wins over South Carolina and Auburn. The Bulldogs have won five of their last six to close out the year and have won four straight. Georgia is ranked 9th overall nationally in points against per game giving up just 16.9 but tied 85th in points for with just 26 per contest. 194 yards on the ground per game is 36th best in the nation.
Perhaps most importantly it will mark a game of change for both programs. Penn State now without fired offensive coordinator John Donovan and Georgia without head coach Mark Richt who recently took the head coaching job at Miami. Georgia will be coached by Bryan McClendon on an interim basis.
As such Penn State’s meeting with Georgia will mark the fourth game this season against an interim head coach. Penn State has won all three games this year against such teams.
Former Alabama assistant Kirby Smart will coach Georgia next season after taking the job earlier this week.
