Georgia Bulldogs Championship Football Team Declines White House Invitation

Georgia quarterback Stetson Bennett celebrates with the College Football Playoff National Championship Trophy after the Bulldogs' 65-7 win over TCU in the title game at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, Calif., on Jan. 9, 2023. Ezra Shaw/Getty Images

The University of Georgia’s championship football team has declined an invitation to the White House, citing a scheduling conflict.

“The University of Georgia first received on May 3 an invitation for the Bulldog football team to visit the White House on June 12,” said the University of Georgia Athletic Association in a May 9 statement.

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

The Epoch Times has reached out to the White House for comment.

The scheduling conflict appears to be the White House’s fault, according to Zachary Faria, a commentary writer at the Washington Examiner who mainly opines on politics and sports.

“I have no idea what their spring schedule looks like, but [President Joe] Biden pushed it off long enough that they already played their spring game, so if it’s a scheduling conflict, it’s one of Biden’s making,” he told The Epoch Times.

The Bulldogs blew out Texas Christian University on Jan. 9 in the College Football Playoff National Championship, 65-7, and completed a 15-0 season record.

The Biden White House has had rejections when it comes to inviting championship sports teams.

Because of COVID-19, the Bulldogs did not visit the White House following their January 2022 football championship. Nor did the Alabama Crimson Tide after their January 2021 football title.

Jill Biden wanted to invite the winner and loser of the April 2 NCAA women’s basketball championship, the Louisiana State University Tigers and the Iowa Hawkeyes, respectively. The Tigers beat the Hawkeyes, 102-85. However, LSU star Angel Reese, who came under fire for unsportsmanlike behavior during the postgame celebration for pointing at her ring finger as Iowa star Caitlin Clark walked past her, blasted the first lady’s comments.

Jill Biden’s press secretary, Vanessa Valdivia, clarified that it would be only the Tigers who would be welcomed at the White House. Despite the clarification, Reese did not forgive the first lady.

Nonetheless, LSU announced on April 6 that it accepted the White House’s invitation. In a reversal of her previous stance, Reese said she would accept the invite.

The White House announced on May 8 that LSU will visit on May 26, when the White House will also have a ceremony for the University of Connecticut men’s basketball team, which defeated San Diego State, 76-59, in the NCAA title game on April 3.

The 2022-2023 college football season begins Aug. 27.