x
Breaking News
More () »

UGA Bulldogs politely decline invitation to White House

The team cited a scheduling conflict that prevented them from accepting the invitation.
Credit: AP Photo/John Bazemore

ATLANTA — The national college football champions will not be at the White House next month.

According to a spokesperson with the University of Georgia Athletic Association, the Bulldogs will not be visiting the nation's capital due to a scheduling conflict.

"Unfortunately, the date suggested is not feasible given the student-athlete calendar and time of year," a statement from the department read. "However, we are appreciative of the invitation and look forward to other opportunities for Georgia teams moving forward."

Georgia won their second consecutive National Championship in the largest margin of victory in national championship history by a final of 65-7 over TCU in January. Georgia finished the season a perfect 15-0, marking the most wins in school history. The school received an invitation to the White House on May 3 and politely declined it.

President Joe Biden and First Lady Dr. Jill Biden are hosting "College Athlete Day" on June 12. They have invited NCAA Champion teams from the 2022-2023 season to celebrate women's and men's teams and their victories.

The celebration comes after the Bidens extended invitations to the men's and women's basketball champions, UConn and LSU respectively. Their visits are scheduled for May 26.

It's become a tradition for the White House to host professional and college national champions for sports such as basketball and football. Historically, invitations have been extended to Little League World Series champions as well as those crowned the champions of their seasons for the NBA, WNBA, NFL, NHL, NASCAR and MLS. Depending on the year, Olympians are often invited as well.

College football national championship teams have typically made a spring or summer trip, according to Sports Illustrated.

Before You Leave, Check This Out