Charlotte a better-than-expected experience for Bulldogs

Georgia's Nick Chubb (27) runs into the end for a touchdown against Louisville late in the second half of the Belk Bowl NCAA college football game in Charlotte, N.C., Tuesday, Dec. 30, 2014. Georgia won 37-14. Chubb was the game's MVP.
Georgia's Nick Chubb (27) runs into the end for a touchdown against Louisville late in the second half of the Belk Bowl NCAA college football game in Charlotte, N.C., Tuesday, Dec. 30, 2014. Georgia won 37-14. Chubb was the game's MVP.

CHARLOTTE, N.C. -- The Georgia Bulldogs ended their 2014 football season Tuesday night in a half-empty Bank of America Stadium and in 32-degree temperatures.

Yet they enjoyed their inaugural Belk Bowl trip long before the 37-14 rout of Louisville became final.

"It's everything I didn't expect," Bulldogs senior nose tackle Mike Thornton said. "I never expected this city to be so beautiful or the Belk Bowl committee to be so courteous and nice. Since I've been here, this is the best bowl we've been to as far as team activities and things of that nature."

Tuesday was the 13th Belk Bowl, which was previously known as the Continental Tire Bowl and the Meineke Car Care Bowl. It was the first Belk Bowl involving a Southeastern Conference team.

The Atlantic Coast Conference has been tied to the bowl since its inception, but Belk Bowl executive director Will Webb said it was "huge" to land an SEC agreement.

"We were challenged early on by (Belk chairman and CEO) Tim Belk, who said he wanted to be the best and that to be the best you've got to have the best," Webb said. "To have the ACC against the SEC was extremely important, and we started working on this two and a half years ago. We made a visit to Birmingham, and a contingency from Belk went.

"We promised them the best hospitality and the best events, and we're very proud to have the SEC here."

The most popular event for Georgia's players was Saturday's trip to the Charlotte Motor Speedway, where they had the opportunity to ride three laps around the track at speeds up to 160 mph. There were also a Belk shopping spree and trips to a Charlotte Hornets basketball game, the NASCAR Hall of Fame and a Brazilian steakhouse.

Yet there was also time in which the players were left alone.

"It's been pretty laid back," Bulldogs quarterback Hutson Mason said. "A lot of the other bowls had us running around, and I was telling Coach (Mark) Richt the other day that we've gotten a lot more rest here, which I know is pretty player-friendly.

"We are waking up at like 9:30, which is nice. All the other bowls we've been to, we've been up by 7."

In between Charlotte's initial pursuit of an SEC tie-in to the Belk Bowl and the playing of Tuesday night's game was the launching of the SEC Network, which is headquartered in Charlotte. The SEC held its men's and women's preseason basketball media event in Charlotte during October, and there is little doubt this city is developing an SEC presence despite the absence of a league institution within the state.

"South Carolina is just 90 miles down the road," Webb said. "Georgia is only three hours away, and every SEC school can fly into Charlotte. We are establishing good ties with the SEC while maintaining good ties with the ACC."

Said Mason: "I had never been to Charlotte before, and I didn't realize how close it was to the Atlanta area."

Contact David Paschall at dpaschall@timesfreepress.com or 423-757-6524.

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