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
JB
January 1st, 2013
3:11 pm
lack of depth will show up big time on D in the second half. They are making us chase them. The D is pretty much gassed already. This won’t end pretty I’m afraid
kingdaddy
January 1st, 2013
3:11 pm
We haven’t lost yet. Haters need to give it a break and go watch a replay of your first bowl win in 8 years…
Jason
January 1st, 2013
3:11 pm
Anybody else wanna just bust a fat one on Samantha Steele?
DawgNole
January 1st, 2013
3:11 pm
GTAE70
January 1st, 2013
2:50 pm
This is a 1 pt game – anybody could win. Murray is a good QB and will play on Sunday. Why are all of you so down on this team? I certainly do not understand you guys.
___________________
So we’re supposed to be all giddy about losing to a 10-point underdog that just had 70 points scored on them. What is it you don’t understand?
Mariage Parfait Gueze
January 1st, 2013
3:11 pm
It’s not like Nebraska has a weak offense…….They won some games this year and scored some points.
Georgia
January 1st, 2013
3:11 pm
There’s no proofreading in football.
Richt's Butt Cut
January 1st, 2013
3:11 pm
At least Les Miles is still the biggest idiot in football. Im sure Richt is very thankful (his favorite word- “im very thankful we only lost 35-7 at S Carolina etc…) for that….
JB
January 1st, 2013
3:12 pm
Vandy
Jeff Schultz
January 1st, 2013
3:12 pm
Officially saying concussion for Malcolm Mitchell now.
UGA89
January 1st, 2013
3:12 pm
We can’t stop them.
Tony Romo
January 1st, 2013
3:13 pm
when is a penalty full distance. 15 yd penalty Ball was at 28 and ball was placed at 14. I thought outside the 20, it get’s full distance.
kingdaddy
January 1st, 2013
3:13 pm
Missed it by thissssssssss much…
UGA89
January 1st, 2013
3:13 pm
This is why I didn’t go to the game and why aren’t we recruiting another kicker??
GT Fan
January 1st, 2013
3:13 pm
I have more faith UGA will win than some of you dawg fans..have a little faith in your team. Its not over yet.
Steve
January 1st, 2013
3:13 pm
You people are hilarious acting like this game is over. UGA could easily still win by 14+
AS A GEORGIA FAN
January 1st, 2013
3:13 pm
MY DAWGS ALWAYS HAVE A HARD TIME WINNING A GAME IN FLORIDA.
graphite
January 1st, 2013
3:15 pm
Maybe the puppies are looking ahead to Clemson…. RollOn..
Reese Bobby
January 1st, 2013
3:15 pm
Typical lack of discipline and class showing for the Dawgs.
If you ain’t first, you’re last!
Jason
January 1st, 2013
3:15 pm
Looks like Martinez was right. UGA is just another “typical Big 10 defense”
discouraged
January 1st, 2013
3:15 pm
Why is there no soup on the the GA training table? They keep losing their bowls.
Mariage Parfait Gueze
January 1st, 2013
3:15 pm
Steve
January 1st, 2013
3:13 pm
You people are hilarious acting like this game is over. UGA could easily still win by 14+
And you could still get a girlfriend that does not need to be inflated.
He Hate Gator
January 1st, 2013
3:15 pm
The most absurd comments ever made by any fan of any team is that a given coach can’t be replaced…..
Jim Jack
January 1st, 2013
3:15 pm
FIRE GRANTHAM!!!!!!
FIRE GRANTHAM!!!!!
U gotta be kiddin me....
January 1st, 2013
3:15 pm
2 year window missed we are about to go through a slow period of mediocrity.
blamegame
January 1st, 2013
3:16 pm
poor tackling
kingdaddy
January 1st, 2013
3:16 pm
Stop them…not…
Timmy
January 1st, 2013
3:16 pm
If the NC was based on trash talking I think UGA would have it wrapped up.
What happened to GA's D?
January 1st, 2013
3:16 pm
NO RUN DEFENSE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
seenthisbefore
January 1st, 2013
3:16 pm
So let me get this straight–THIS defense has all the NFL scouts wetting their pants in excited anticipation of getting ahold of all this talent…and we can’t stop a running game like Nebraska to save our lives today…WITH all these superlative athletes…do I have that about right?!?!
DawgNole
January 1st, 2013
3:16 pm
Eric C.
January 1st, 2013
2:51 pm
Dawgnole, if Murray had thrown it in the endzone, it might have been intercepted and lowered his draft stock even more
_____________________
I don’t think he’s gonna have a draft to worry about. Too short for NFL, too many passes tipped, struggles in big games.
mh18
January 1st, 2013
3:16 pm
About to be 31-23. Cant stop the run…
GT Fan
January 1st, 2013
3:16 pm
damn that little #8 from ala can run…
THE Dixie Redcoat Band
January 1st, 2013
3:17 pm
This is getting very hard to watch….
SOS Dawgs
January 1st, 2013
3:17 pm
As I said. We WILL lose this game. Defense sux and Murray cannot run the offense well enough to offset the crappy defense.
Jason
January 1st, 2013
3:17 pm
Rush defense needs some serious improving in the offseason. We are horrible defending the run.
Jimmy Crack
January 1st, 2013
3:17 pm
“It’s gonna depend on who wants it more”
- CMR
GTAE70
January 1st, 2013
3:17 pm
DawgNole, that’s why you play the game. On paper means nothing. Why do you think Nebraska is a bad team? Even GT had more rushing against you and Neb knows that.
Scrappy
January 1st, 2013
3:17 pm
Looks like this one is just about over.
Wes Durham
January 1st, 2013
3:17 pm
Defense looking more and more like the group that blew up in Columbia.
Steve
January 1st, 2013
3:18 pm
Good one Mariage Parfait Gueze! So true!
getreal
January 1st, 2013
3:18 pm
Once again A CMR and CMB team comes unprepared and can’t make adjustments at half-time.
kingdaddy
January 1st, 2013
3:18 pm
Way to make adjustments Grantham…not…
J.J.M.
January 1st, 2013
3:18 pm
guess uga misses fat jenkins
zzggyy
January 1st, 2013
3:18 pm
And Martinez . . uh, I mean Grantham, makes how much?
50 ways to leave your lover
January 1st, 2013
3:18 pm
Todd Gtantham officially joins the Worlf of the Incompetents today.
What we need is a clean sweep…
idiots
January 1st, 2013
3:18 pm
All you ignorant masses on here who jump against BOBO need to look at how horrible Georgia’s defense is. This team is the softest on the two lines of scrimmages I have ever seen. I am sick of a team that absolutely SUCKS! GOD GEORGIA SUCKS!
Timmy
January 1st, 2013
3:19 pm
This is almost Shakespearean. How bad do we suck? Let me count the ways.
Mariage Parfait Gueze
January 1st, 2013
3:19 pm
seenthisbefore
January 1st, 2013
3:16 pm
So let me get this straight–THIS defense has all the NFL scouts wetting their pants in excited anticipation of getting ahold of all this talent…and we can’t stop a running game like Nebraska to save our lives today…WITH all these superlative athletes…do I have that about right?!?!
Really? Nebraska is MOST famous for their running game…..With the exception of the Callahan years, they always have been famous for their ground game.
Some of you are so damn obtuse.
Jason
January 1st, 2013
3:19 pm
Actually we’re worse than a Big 10 defense.
Sid
January 1st, 2013
3:19 pm
maybe the Jaguars will use their 1st round pick for Murray….