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
Tell us what you think about the site
Customer Care »
Vacation stops, manage subscriptions and more
AJC Services
Sections
Other Editions
Visitor Agreement | Privacy Statement
© 2013 The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
1,585 comments Add your comment
Class
January 1st, 2013
12:19 pm
Clock management class– do you get the feeling Coach Mark and Les failed that class. Should they be classified as academically in eligible for the first game of next year?
Steve
January 1st, 2013
12:20 pm
Nope. If UGA loses today it’s because they lost the game. I don’t do excuses like Tech fans.
Cuz
January 1st, 2013
12:23 pm
Got that one right there Steve. Happy New Year.
Wet Willie...keep on smiling
January 1st, 2013
12:23 pm
@Jason..Barrett Jones played most of the game with a damaged ankle sport. 350+ yards and your defense was pushing Bama around? Right. While you’re eating your Captain Crunch get Mommy to drive you over to the Dome and tell Eddie Lacey and TJ Yeldon they can stop running.
Bobo and Richt have this thing that requires them to think they can out smart the defense thus they throw the dayum ball when most smart folks would run when you have a great back like Gurley. odds are 100% those two will do the same again. Those two are afraid to run the ball 3 times in a row and punt then go do the same thing again. Nick Saban will do it 3 times in a row because he knows leaning on you will take a toll in the 4th qtr but Richt and Bobo aren’t that smart and that is why you can’t beat the better teams.
FDawg
January 1st, 2013
12:25 pm
Congrats to tech… Thanks for beating Kiffin and company! Now it’s UGA’s turn…Go DAWGS!!!
Reebok
January 1st, 2013
12:25 pm
Tech fan here. Good luck, Doggies! Happy 2013!
Jeff Schultz
January 1st, 2013
12:25 pm
Texasbob — “Profound news headlines: “Georgia looks to end season with win” or “Georgia tries….to win.” Isn’t winning generally the objective?”
<<< Why don’t you write a good headline for me Joseph Pulitzer and I’ll submit it to the board.
Jeff Schultz
January 1st, 2013
12:26 pm
Cuz — Gray, silver. Tomato, tomahto.
Jason
January 1st, 2013
12:26 pm
Hey Wet Willie, guess what buddy? “Leaning” on teams get you beat. Leaning is not blocking. Learn football. High schoolers “lean”.
it is what it is
January 1st, 2013
12:28 pm
Jeff, you wanted to hear Lane Kiffin’s post game comments:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BKxTbtG9QRM
Jason
January 1st, 2013
12:28 pm
Oh and Wet Willie, Florida is a top team. We actually dominated them. They didn’t score a touchdown at all. Gurley rushed for his usual 100 yard game. Florida has a better defense than Alabama and that’s the truth.
Steve
January 1st, 2013
12:29 pm
Texasbob I believe the Valdosta Daily Times is hiring.
Dr. Kenneth Noisewater
January 1st, 2013
12:30 pm
Would like to see some of the backups on defense today. Hopefully our depth chart is pretty stout
Will
January 1st, 2013
12:31 pm
Most talented team we’ve had in years will be playing in yet another Capital One Bowl. Guess our fans will never reach the point where another garbage bowl game against a garbage Big Ten team isn’t good enough. Thanks for another wasted season Richt.
5150 UOAD
January 1st, 2013
12:33 pm
CUZ…………….how is Baylie doing? Hope all is well with you and her.
5150 UOAD
January 1st, 2013
12:34 pm
STEVE the BOWL thing is so over blown now.
When we were younger there were 17 bowl games now there are 35 and 70 teams play. It is not the Honor it used to be for sure.
Steve
January 1st, 2013
12:34 pm
Will I wouldn’t really call the Capital One Bowl a garbage bowl. It’s the best non-BCS Bowl out there.
Steve
January 1st, 2013
12:35 pm
Agreed on the fact that there are way too many bowl games.
Jason
January 1st, 2013
12:36 pm
On another note, I expect Alabama to run all over Notre Dame. Notre Dame’s front four hasn’t seen an O-line like Bama has with three All-Americans. And one has the potential to be another All-American. That’s as close to an NFL O-line as you’ll see in college football. Big, strong, physical, hit you in the mouth.
Techster
January 1st, 2013
12:37 pm
Tech and Clemson, representing the ACC, won yesterday. Tech takes down a Pac 10 team and Clemson beat LSU from the SEC.
… Now, let’s see what the dogs can do today.
Will
January 1st, 2013
12:37 pm
If it isn’t the BCS Championship, it’s pretty much a garbage bowl. Just another meaningless game.
DP
January 1st, 2013
12:37 pm
“Nope. If UGA loses today it’s because they lost the game. I don’t do excuses like Tech fans.”
Having read all the Dawg whining about how Alabama’s offensive linemen held on every play and the officials cost them the SEC championship game, I’m glad to see there’s at least one Dawg fan who doesn’t do excuses.
01HAWK
January 1st, 2013
12:38 pm
Be careful UGA……………………………Every team that plays an SEC team has a chip on their shouder. Northwestern which is the VANDERBILT of the NORTH is giving MRS. STATE all they can handle.
It does not help that some MISS STATE players were bad mouthing teams from the BIG TEN about the speed that SEC teams have.
Well. it is 10-0 NORTHWESTERN and they are driving for another score.
Wet Willie...keep on smiling
January 1st, 2013
12:38 pm
@Jason…sport you fit right in with the Dawgs no doubt. You never played a down of football. Now you might have been on a team and got a trophy but you never played a down when it counted.
Former Georgian
January 1st, 2013
12:39 pm
Will, the fans at most schools would be happy to play AL so close, possibly win 12 games and finish in top 10, especially after that awful night in Columbia. I can only think of 3 coaches(Saban, Meyer, Spurrier, not sure about Miles) who are better than Richt and our chances of hiring one of them(and we wouldn’t want Spurrier) are nil. Look at TN and Auburn(and Tech) and be very thankful for Mark Richt!
Jeff Schultz
January 1st, 2013
12:39 pm
It is what it is — Thanks. Lane doesn’t seem quite as cocky as normal.
Techster
January 1st, 2013
12:39 pm
If the dogs lose, I sure hope we don’t hear a litany of excuses again from dog fans.
tony
January 1st, 2013
12:40 pm
I think Mark Richt missed opportunity to win the a national championship in 2008 when he had 6 impact players currently having a tremendous impact in the nfl.
1) Geno Atkins (Cin in the playoff – team sack leader)
2) AJ Green (Cin in the playoff – team leading wr)
3) Clint Boling (Cin in the playoff – starting LOG
4) Knowshon Moreno (Den in the playoff – starting rb)
5) Blair Walsh (Min in the playoff – nfl leader)
6) Matthew Stafford (nfl 2nd leading passing)
Vince Dooley had 2 impact player(Herschel Walker/ Rex Robinson) and won a nc.
Bama
January 1st, 2013
12:41 pm
Dawgs try to forget sec ending? Good luck with that! As for me, I’ll remember another win over little cousin, yaaaaaawn. And another national championship for us- its getting to be an expectation now , we’ve been there and done that throughout history. Just enjoy next year and another liberty bowl when you guys play a real schedule. The old ball coach was right as always about you guys.
But again, I must hand it to the dawgs- they undisputedly hands down hold the record for preseason national and conference championships- and no one can take that away from you!
Dawg Patrol
January 1st, 2013
12:41 pm
Looks like #3 Martinez is their main man. We shut him down and we shut them down.
Go Dawgs
Danny Ford
January 1st, 2013
12:41 pm
Clemson is a much better team than Georgia. It’s better coached & more disciplined.
Will
January 1st, 2013
12:42 pm
Former Georgian, you can be thankful for our irrelevance if you’d like. I’d prefer a coach that can actually win a game that matters. Most teams would be thankful to play Alabama close. Most teams don’t have as much talent as we do this year. In fact, I’d go so far as to say that I’m not sure any team had as much talent as we did this year. What do we have to show for it? Not a damn thing.
North Ave. Faithful
January 1st, 2013
12:46 pm
Steve, looks like you made that excuse for USC getting whipped by the Jackets.
Jason
January 1st, 2013
12:46 pm
Wet Willie, I’ve played football. I’d mash you.
Steve
January 1st, 2013
12:46 pm
Clemson is much better than UGA? How so?
Jason
January 1st, 2013
12:47 pm
You think Georgia Tech would have played Alabama close? Wait…LMAO
Steve
January 1st, 2013
12:48 pm
Nope, Tech won the game. I was stating a fact little boy. USC did not want to be there and they started a redshirt freshman, two facts, not excuses.
DawgFan
January 1st, 2013
12:48 pm
Go Dawgs. Put it to he Huskers. Probably going to be a pretty good game in my opinion and no that does not reflect badly on the program. Just feel Nebraska will really want to show something
Bama
January 1st, 2013
12:48 pm
Dawgs are to college football what cubs are to MLB, and the seccg loss to bama is the equivalent of the “bartman ball” incident. Ask cubs fans if they have “forgotten”that one. Lol
Bama
January 1st, 2013
12:53 pm
@jason- I’m glad that “playing us close” is such a feather in your cap to taunt your instate rival with. That’s why I love uga fans. And you are as fearsome with your supposed past football glory “playing downs of football” as uga is with the MPSNC (mythical preseason national championship
5150 UOAD
January 1st, 2013
12:53 pm
STEVE…………..the CHICK-fil-A has proven to be the BEST non-BCS game the last few years.
Steve
January 1st, 2013
12:54 pm
Bama why are you on here? This game/blog has nothing to do with you. Bama beat UGA as they were supposed to, so what?
Athens PD
January 1st, 2013
12:55 pm
Go Corn Dogs….no, Go Corn Balls….nope, Go Corn Bread. Damn, still not right. Go Corn Holes. Uh uh. Oh, I know. Go Corn Huskers!
Bama
January 1st, 2013
12:55 pm
@steve- what was the score of the uga-LSU game this year? Oh that’s right, you didn’t play any teams from the west of significance. Clemson beat LSU, more than you could’ve done lol
TURD FERGUSON
January 1st, 2013
12:55 pm
AHH The Loser Bowl
Steve
January 1st, 2013
12:56 pm
Chick-Fil-A payout – $3.9 million to the ACC school, $2.9 million to the SEC school. Capital One payout – $4.5 million to each school.
Bama
January 1st, 2013
12:56 pm
@steve- I’m just here to serve crow
Danny Ford
January 1st, 2013
12:56 pm
Clemson managed the ball in the last few seconds to win their game. It appears that Georgia can’t handle this feat!
Jason
January 1st, 2013
12:56 pm
@ Bama, you are NOT a Bama fan. GT fan and you just gave yourself away. Silly Techster wins are for US
North Ave. Faithful
January 1st, 2013
12:56 pm
Good grief, your calling me little boy. What day do you go back to school. By the way,as i said before. GOOD LUCK TO THE DAWGS TODAY!!