The Georgia Bulldogs will not be coming to the White House to celebrate their national title.
Georgia said Tuesday that it would not visit President Joe Biden because of the June 12 date offered. President Biden initially said in February that Georgia would be welcomed into the White House after going 15-0 during the 2022 season.
“The University of Georgia first received an invitation on May 3 for the Bulldogs football team to visit the White House on June 12,” said a statement from the school. “Unfortunately, the suggested date varies depending on the student-athlete calendar and time of year. However, we are appreciative of the invitation and look forward to other opportunities for Georgia teams to pursue.”
Georgia was not the only college champion invited to the White House on that date. Biden Administration plans to honor several NCAA championship teams that day, However, the UConn men's basketball team and the LSU women's basketball team are scheduled to visit the White House later this month.
As you can imagine, it must have been a logistical challenge for the myriad players on Georgia's 2022 team to attend the ceremony. While it would have been relatively straightforward to arrange travel for players living on campus in the summer, several players on Georgia's team were taken in April's NFL Draft and are already preparing for their professional careers. A date during spring practice and before the draft would work better for Georgia's schedule.
With the exception of the two most recent NCAA tournament champions, it's worth noting that champion teams have not visited the White House during the Biden administration in the immediate weeks and months after winning their titles. The Golden State Warriors won the NBA Finals over the Boston Celtics in June and visited the White House in January. While the Los Angeles Rams have never visited the White House after winning the Super Bowl in February 2022, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers will visit the White House in July 2021 after winning the Super Bowl in February 2021.