Bulldogs Practice Before Saturday Night's Gala

ATHENS, Ga. --- The Georgia football team practice for about an hour and a half on Saturday morning as the team prepared for the annual Gala on Saturday night. Following Saturday's practice, head coach Mark Richt said he liked the postseason practice schedule, which had the Bulldogs completing a three-practice week on Saturday.  "I thought we had a very fine, spirited practice today," Richt said.  "Our practice format is a little different right now because of exams and the end of the semester and I think I like it.  It's kind of a reprieve for the coaches to get off of the road recruiting.  It breaks up the grind for them."  The 16th-ranked Bulldogs take on 19th-ranked Michigan State in the Capital One Bowl in Orlando on Jan. 1, 2009.  For some of Georgia's team members, including 10 who will be graduating in December, this will be their final opportunity in college to represent the Bulldogs on the field. "I shake my head about how fast these guys' careers finish here, especially if they are someone like CJ Byrd who did not redshirt," said Richt.  "I really start missing them before their even gone and I think they can hardly believe that they only have a couple more practices at Butts-Mehre."  In addition to the Spartans' running back Javon Ringer, who joined Knowshon Moreno as one of three finalists for the Doak Walker in Orlando earlier this week, Richt has also been impressed with Michigan State's passing game.  "Most of their big plays have come in their passing game and the more I study their offense, the more dangerous they look," said Richt.  Richt also mentioned that he and his staff welcomed a group of recruits to campus for the weekend to experience practice, attend the Gala and get a tour of UGA's campus as the Feb. 4, 2009 national signing day grows closer.  "We have something like 12 guys on official visits (to Athens) this weekend and I think this is a big recruiting weekend for us," Richt said.  "I'm excited that this group gets to see something like the Gala, which is a great show of what college football is all about at Georgia." The Bulldogs and Spartans will matchup at 1 p.m. on Jan. 1, 2009 for the Capital One Bowl.  This will mark only the second time in history that the teams have met.  Georgia topped Michigan State in 1989 34-27. 

University of Georgia Athletics

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