LIVE: Georgia tries to forget SEC ending, close with win
Aaron Murray high-fives Xzavier Ward before the Capital One Bowl. (Brant Sanderlin)
ORLANDO — When asked the other day if he viewed this season as a missed opportunity to win SEC and BCS championships, Georgia coach Mark Richt said, “Every year is a missed opportunity, I think.” And that’s probably the right thing to say, even if it’s not every season the Bulldogs come within one tipped pass of winning the SEC title and going to the BCS championship game.
When Georgia faces Nebraska today in the Capital One Bowl, the question is whether we’ll witness any hangover from the last game. The Dogs (11-2, coming off a 32-28 loss to Alabama, No. 7 BCS) may be a more talented team than the Cornhuskers (10-3, coming off a 70-31 loss to Wisconsin, No. 16 BCS). But that doesn’t always mean anything in bowl games. Witness Georgia Tech vs. USC. Or witness Georgia’s last two bowl efforts — losses to Central Florida in the Liberty Bowl two years ago and Michigan State in the Outback last season.
I ran into this guy in the parking lot. Who's his dentist?
OK, a few quick things about today’s game and then I’ll open the cyber-venting lines:
– The Dogs’ defensive front will have to put up a better effort than it did against Alabama (350 yards rushing). Nebraska ranks ninth in the nation in rushing at 254.5 yards per game but only 81st passing, although quarterback Taylor Martinez has thrown 21 touchdown passes.
– The defensive line will be missing nose tackle John Jenkins, who is academically ineligible, and possibly end Abry Jones (ankle), who is questionable. Kwame Geathers will start for Jenkins.
– Nebraska’s defense ranks first against the pass, but that’s a little misleading. Opponents seldom have had to throw against the Huskers because they’re so weak against the run (97th, 194.8 per game). Also, the Big Ten is not full of wide open offenses. So expect a heavy dose of Todd Gurley and Keith Marshall today.
Final thought: I think Georgia wins today. Finishing the year with a win and losing the last two bowl games should be motivation enough. A victory also could leave the Dogs as one of the top five ranked teams in the nation.
But if Georgia players are thinking about the SEC championship or the NFL draft, everything goes out the window, and they’ll lose today.
What are your thoughts? The floor is yours.
– Jeff Schultz
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1,585 comments Add your comment
goFalcons
January 1st, 2013
2:34 pm
Here we come,,,,,,,,Nobody is going to stop UGA Offense today
What happened to GA's D?
January 1st, 2013
2:34 pm
Looks like GA needs to run the ball and keep their “lacking” defense off the field.
50 ways to leave your lover
January 1st, 2013
2:35 pm
50 excuses for UGA coaches…
graphite
January 1st, 2013
2:35 pm
Where are all these all world defense players? Dawgs look outclassed..
goFalcons
January 1st, 2013
2:35 pm
You cant stop the Dawgs!!!!!!! woooooo hoooooooooo
SOS Dawgs
January 1st, 2013
2:35 pm
Good call there.
5150 UOAD
January 1st, 2013
2:36 pm
North Ave. Faithful……………go have a LOVE FEST with Thomas Brown and WnE……………..
Jason
January 1st, 2013
2:36 pm
Gurley is the best running back we’ve had in years. And he’s only a freshman. It’s our defense that’s painful to watch. I’m starting to really question Todd Grantham. I think 2013 will be his make or break year.
Macclenny_dawg
January 1st, 2013
2:36 pm
Defense can’t stop run!!! We have a bunch of pass rushers not run stopping lbs!!!
icedawg
January 1st, 2013
2:36 pm
Defense was a big disappointment this year. You would think that the 3-4 would do better against the run. Maybe we just did not have the depth to play fresh for 60 mins.
Pete
January 1st, 2013
2:36 pm
50 Ways, UGA not motivated because they wanted to be in the BCS championship game or at least a BCS bowl. Nebraska is motivated because they want to make up for the embarrassing loss to Wisconsin. Plus, UGA does not have a good record in bowl games for the last several years nor a good record against ranked teams. I predicted to my friends that this would be a close game, and possible a Nebraska upset. As a big UGA fan, I hoped I was wrong.
Tech1986
January 1st, 2013
2:36 pm
Thought only Tech used the cut block, Jesse Palmer just commented on UGA cut blocking to set up the cut back run.
GT Fan
January 1st, 2013
2:36 pm
Grantham just got a raise..$$$
Larry
January 1st, 2013
2:36 pm
Murray has zero instincs as a QB…that pass to the covered Marshall behind the line should have been throw into the ground.
tmc
January 1st, 2013
2:37 pm
@TxDawg- spot on my friend. (2:34pm post)
SOS Dawgs
January 1st, 2013
2:37 pm
Punt Richt!!!
Jason
January 1st, 2013
2:37 pm
Should have given it to Marshall. He had room.
5150 UOAD
January 1st, 2013
2:37 pm
Was MURRAY doing a Reggie Ball?
Tech Nerd
January 1st, 2013
2:37 pm
I have nothing better to do on New Years Day so I will try and aggravate everyone….I make a great pest.
Jeff Schultz
January 1st, 2013
2:37 pm
That was fairly awful.
bubba4dawgs
January 1st, 2013
2:37 pm
I’ve been watching this game in disbelief!!! How could the DAWGS even suggest that they should be playing for the national championship? Murry…..2 interceptions in the first quarter? Yea, do the DAWGS a favor, go on to the NFL but guess what….it ain’t gonna make it there either. Bobo, play calling is atrocious! Why the hell are you trying to score so quickly and put the defense back on the field without a rest? Wake up, man! This is what happened in the Alabama game!! What’s with all these face mask calls? My goodness, where’s the vaunted DAWG defense that Nebraska was supposed to fear?
I don’t see how the DAWGS will win this one!! And, Mr. Murray, this will be 3 in a row for you!! I don’t think the NFL will be yellin too loudly for you!!
Looks like Grantham needs to build a defense from the ground up! The Nebraska gave up over 5000 yards on the ground to Wisconsin! What say you???
tmc
January 1st, 2013
2:37 pm
Another off balance wrong foot pass again…
Dawgs1965
January 1st, 2013
2:38 pm
Wasted Gurley runs.
SOS Dawgs
January 1st, 2013
2:38 pm
Typical Dawgs CHOKE in a big game!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
goFalcons
January 1st, 2013
2:38 pm
that is ok, it was a good drive and not so good of a kick,,,,no problem
GT Fan
January 1st, 2013
2:38 pm
That sucks
son's who?
January 1st, 2013
2:38 pm
wow
blamegame
January 1st, 2013
2:38 pm
Come ON
50 ways to leave your lover
January 1st, 2013
2:38 pm
These blind homers are the biggest reasons we are saddled with all these incompetent coaches.
Pretending it isn’t so doesn’t make it any better.
Dawg Patrol
January 1st, 2013
2:38 pm
I HATE to see Neb. get the ball back.
Flat Tire doesnt live in Delusionalville Ga.
January 1st, 2013
2:38 pm
Altamaha Dawg
you were saying about our special teams?????
Buckeye
January 1st, 2013
2:38 pm
What say you, dogs?
seenthisbefore
January 1st, 2013
2:39 pm
CMR, I lave ya, bt I truly, truly wish you would leave UGA…and take your entire coaching staff with you.
Buckeye
January 1st, 2013
2:39 pm
Stay classy with your personal fouls, dogs.
kingdaddy
January 1st, 2013
2:39 pm
If you’ve already givenup on the Dawgs, please don’t call yourself a UGA FAN…FEEL FREE TO WATCH ANOTHER GAME AND PULL FOR ANOTHER TEAM…
Every game is the same losers that whine and carp all game long…why bother???
GT Fan
January 1st, 2013
2:39 pm
Neb Coach don’t mind getting in his players face….
DawgNole
January 1st, 2013
2:39 pm
CountryBoy
January 1st, 2013
2:25 pm
Nebraska doesn’tbelong in a bowl game. They get slaughtered every year! Such a joke of a program.
_____________________
Is today’s game your definition of Nebraska getting slaughtered?
SOS Dawgs
January 1st, 2013
2:39 pm
God I hate a Richt coached team. So much talent with so little direction.
Jason
January 1st, 2013
2:39 pm
This is reminding me a lot of the Michigan State bowl game last year. Get ahead by a safety, make you think they’re going to win…and then choke late in the game. Nebraska gets the ball back to start the half, we need to get the ball back and score.
Hairy Dawg
January 1st, 2013
2:39 pm
Now THIS is the team I expected to see today. The only thing consistent about our team is that we are a bunch of headcases who can’t be trusted from one game to the next.
01HAWK
January 1st, 2013
2:39 pm
It will be sad to possibly see MISS ST and UGA go down today.
MISS ST players tweeting to much about SEC speed and NORTHWESTERN did not like it.
SOU CAR is leading I believe.
Buckeye
January 1st, 2013
2:40 pm
dogs losing at the half? Oh my.
GFY
January 1st, 2013
2:40 pm
I think Pelini may have a coronary………
5150 UOAD
January 1st, 2013
2:40 pm
You have to say this is a good game and hard played game so far.
Wierd call………
50 ways to leave your lover
January 1st, 2013
2:40 pm
snoop just got word that Nick Saban wants to hire Bobo at Alabama.
NOT!
goFalcons
January 1st, 2013
2:41 pm
I always think about how good we would be if when tennessee fired Phil Fulmer if we would of picked up John Chavis……….That would of been a huge hire for UGA but ohhh well. Uga is to strong to lose this game. We will win
Buckeye
January 1st, 2013
2:41 pm
“Tub” Jenkins:
Spotted at the Varsity – ordering the entire menu – twice.
Dawg Patrol
January 1st, 2013
2:41 pm
Love the zebras.
CountryBoy Eats Idiots Sandwiches
January 1st, 2013
2:41 pm
Georgia should never play for sec title,they gets beat every time.
GFY
January 1st, 2013
2:42 pm
Quit dancing and just run up the field……..