Georgia Football: Best Bowl Options for the Bulldogs

The Georgia Bulldogs' regular season ended in multifaceted disappointment over the weekend.  

On Friday, the Missouri Tigers held off the Arkansas Razorbacks and in doing so clinched the SEC East's berth in the conference championship, thus eliminating the Dawgs.  And then on Saturday, a mistake-heavy Georgia effort resulted in a heartbreaking overtime defeat against the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets.

Despite these setbacks, there will still be a lot to play for—most notably a 10-win season—when the Bulldogs participate in a bowl game.  Here are the four most likely bowl destinations for Georgia.

Outback Bowl

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Nick Chubb could be running in Tampa on January 1.

Date: January 1

Location: Tampa, Florida

Opponent: Big Ten

According to bowl guru Jerry Palm of CBS Sports, this is the most likely destination for the Bulldogs, and it's not an entirely unfamiliar one.  Georgia played in the Outback Bowl following the 2004 season and defeated the Wisconsin Badgers by a score of 24-21.  More recently, the Dawgs lost to Michigan State there following the 2011 season.

As far as opposition is concerned, this game always pits an SEC school against a Big Ten school.  Palm projects Maryland as the most likely opponent for the Bulldogs.  Georgia has not faced the Terrapins since a 17-16 victory in 1973.

Minnesota and Iowa are other candidates to fill the Big Ten's slot.

Citrus Bowl

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Hutson Mason scrambles.

Date: January 1

Location: Orlando, Florida

Opponent: Big Ten/ACC

Missouri clouded the Bulldogs' chances at an SEC Championship, and the Tigers are once again in the way.  Depending on how coach Gary Pinkel's squad holds up against Alabama in the Georgia Dome, the Tigers could settle in any of a number of places.

With their range of movement, Georgia could move "up" into the Citrus Bowl in Orlando on January 1.

The Citrus Bowl guarantees a bid to the SEC and selects its other participant from either the Big Ten or the ACC.  Accordingly, Minnesota (Big Ten) or ACC contenders like Louisville, Clemson or Duke could sneak in. 

Music City Bowl

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The Georgia defense swarms.

Date: December 30

Location: Nashville, Tennessee

Opponent: ACC

Things get interesting when travel logistics and ticket sales are involved.  Following three straight trips to Florida for mid-tier bowls (Outback, Capital One, Gator), Bulldog fans would prefer to go somewhere else.  If bowl sponsors realize this, a higher game could pass on Georgia and the Dawgs could slip to the Music City Bowl in Nashville.

With an easily accessible location and plenty to do, Nashville could be a nice change of pace for Bulldog fans looking to make a trip out of the game.  Louisville is the leading candidate to represent the ACC in this Nashville bowl game.

Belk Bowl

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Date: December 30

Location: Charlotte, North Carolina

Opponent: ACC/Independent

Something's probably gone wrong if the Bulldogs slip all the way to the Belk Bowl, but the trip could be salvaged.  Charlotte is a unique destination that Dawg fans haven't recently visited for football reasons, and if Palm's current projections hold, the matchup could come against an intriguing foe in Notre Dame.

The Bulldogs and the Fighting Irish are slated to play in 2017 and 2019, but this bowl could offer a nice preview for two passionate fanbases.

Unless otherwise noted, all quotes obtained firsthand.