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
Buckeye
January 1st, 2013
3:25 pm
Time to start the busted for pot ( or weapons) off-season watch, eh dogs?
What's the big deal?
January 1st, 2013
3:25 pm
What’s so special about Grantham? If it weren’t for Bobo’s high scoring offense. . .y’all would be a .500 team. Why is no one talking about the D Coord?
Rob
January 1st, 2013
3:25 pm
Grantham is the most over-paid DC in the country. Their D is terrible! Gonna be even worse next year.
What happened to GA's D?
January 1st, 2013
3:25 pm
When Van Gorder was DC we could at least stop the run.
Dawg Patrol
January 1st, 2013
3:25 pm
This is the part where Murray tries to air it out and keep us in it. I don’t like our chances right now. We need to grind out a long drive and give the defense a rest.
Big Wally
January 1st, 2013
3:25 pm
Run up the middle, where’s our linebackers?
Georgia
January 1st, 2013
3:25 pm
The Nebraska cheerleaders are total corn-fed babes. The Georgia cheerleaders are bulemic stank hoes. I guess it’s a matter of taste.
mh18
January 1st, 2013
3:25 pm
This game is eerily like the 2007 Capital One bowl. That game Florida ranked in the top 6, rolled in with Tim Tebow and were 17 point faviorites over a Michigan team that had lost to Appalachian State & their Head coach Lloyd Carr was playing his last game because he had been fired. Michigan won 41-35. Deja Vu, 6 yrs later. On a bright note, Florida won the BCS National Championship 53 weeks later… Jeff where’s my shout out?
Reese Bobby
January 1st, 2013
3:25 pm
Just think… If it weren’t for a tipped pass, the Dawgs would not be getting their tails whipped by Nebraska now!
My Tide fell asleep and still beat you guys… With a younger team.
Pay homage to the dynasty in Tuscaloosa, Dawg Fans. We are everything you will never be!
If you ain’t first, your last!
Buckeye
January 1st, 2013
3:25 pm
say it ain’t,
Don’t look slow to me
Horn's dad
January 1st, 2013
3:25 pm
Georgia is getting manhandled again!! Can’t stop the run just like the SEC championship game!!
short memories
January 1st, 2013
3:25 pm
Those who can’t learn from History are destined to repeat it. Richt and UGA
50 ways to leave your lover
January 1st, 2013
3:25 pm
This will be three pitiful bowl performances in a row under CEO Markt Wrecked.
LagDawg
January 1st, 2013
3:25 pm
I would love to hear McGarrity make an excuse for this and think changes shouldn’t be made. This is a joke and has been for the past 7 seasons. If you care anything about UGA football and basketball, demand a coaching change.
DawgNole
January 1st, 2013
3:26 pm
Flat Tire doesnt live in Delusionalville Ga.
January 1st, 2013
2:56 pm
5150 UOAD
I agree about Do-little; what I want to know is how he got Loran Smith to step down from his job
I miss Loran
_______________________
Co-sign on Doodle–a nauseatingly fawning boot-licker.
George Stein
January 1st, 2013
3:26 pm
The UGA defensive line is getting pushed around like a bunch of Tech players now. Yeesh.
Jacket Man
January 1st, 2013
3:26 pm
Don’t give up on your team, guys. Don’t forget, Nebraska is the same team that just lost to Wisconsin 70-31. UGA still has plenty of time.
son's who?
January 1st, 2013
3:26 pm
They may as well tackle their own players, they can’t tackle Nebraska’s.
goFalcons
January 1st, 2013
3:26 pm
Get ready for another SEC win with our Dawgs, hearing ppl say SEC is over rated just makes no common sense,,,,,,,,,here we come
Richt's Butt Cut
January 1st, 2013
3:26 pm
If you have 11 guys on D going to the NFL, and you consistently suck, who’s to blame?? Coaching is the problem as usual..
Jason
January 1st, 2013
3:27 pm
We need a defense with players that play with something to prove. Not players that are “NFL talented”. We need players that are trying to prove their worth. That’s the problem.
Old Dog Class of 80
January 1st, 2013
3:27 pm
“If Richt is fires…..Who replaces him?”
There go the owls again… Who? Who?
toccoa
January 1st, 2013
3:27 pm
I thought Grantham was going to make us into an elite defense. When is that going to happen? We’ve got as much talent as anybody and we can’t stop anybody. Time to switch over to the South Carolina game. Their going to be ranked higher then us at the end of the day. And we have Richard Samuel returning kickoffs?
Glory Between the Hedges
January 1st, 2013
3:27 pm
Whether we win or not this is embarressing. Nebraska is a bad football team.
CLEMS@N TIGERS ARE BACK!!!
January 1st, 2013
3:28 pm
GEORGIA BULLDOGS are A JOKE!!!!!! CAN YOU SAY OVERRATED?
idiots
January 1st, 2013
3:28 pm
this program is an embarrassment
doug
January 1st, 2013
3:28 pm
Nebraska up by 1 but this one is over. Another unimportant game to Richt.
Nebraska has heart, Georgia is a quitter.
gethimoffmyteam
January 1st, 2013
3:28 pm
Now we got the dumptruck Richard Sameul returning kicks…! Really Coach Christian. This is worst fucin coaching staff in the united states. Pee wee, rec ball, middle school, high school, wherever. This is pathetic! They make how much man..stealing fucin money man..
50 ways to leave your lover
January 1st, 2013
3:28 pm
The Bama guy is right. Alabama is everything that UGA will never be under Richt.
If Richt had any personal honor he would resign following the game.
He’s another Bill Curray…
SEC bias
January 1st, 2013
3:28 pm
hey goFalcons ………
UGA has won 21 games the past 2 seasons vs. 1 good team (UF this season) and 20 NOT good teams, and vs. the weakest SEC schedule in league history. When UGA has been matched up against good teams, all 7 of them, the past 2 seasons, the Dawgs are NOT good. But vs. the 20 chumps the Dawgs look unbeatable.
P.S. Nebraska is boarder-line GOOD. See Big 10 Champ game if you don’t believe. Beating UGA doesn’t make a team GOOD.
CLEMS@N TIGERS ARE BACK!!!
January 1st, 2013
3:28 pm
Wait till WE play in the VALLEY!!!!!!!
Old Dog Class of 80
January 1st, 2013
3:28 pm
“Don’t forget, Nebraska is the same team that just lost to Wisconsin 70-31.”
Good thing we aren’t playing Wisconsin.
goFalcons
January 1st, 2013
3:28 pm
Dawgs are starting to run it down their throat and passing whenever we want to pass it. Here we go!!!!!
Gator CHOMP Champ
January 1st, 2013
3:28 pm
Love the early timeouts UGA always wastes. Richt clearly missed out on the time management class in coaching school.
GT Fan
January 1st, 2013
3:29 pm
I agree with Jeff–they got their mind on NFL…its not Richt.
blamegame
January 1st, 2013
3:29 pm
alright
goFalcons
January 1st, 2013
3:29 pm
OMG that was beautiful!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Here we go!
Mark Richt said it's too hot to play football in Florida
January 1st, 2013
3:29 pm
even if it’s in a bowl game or against the Gators ….UCF,,,St Augustine school for the deaf and blind. That will be his excuse why the dawgs lost.
Dawg Patrol
January 1st, 2013
3:29 pm
Maybe I was wrong.
Mariage Parfait Gueze
January 1st, 2013
3:29 pm
Glory Between the Hedges
January 1st, 2013
3:27 pm
Whether we win or not this is embarressing. Nebraska is a bad football team.
———————————————————————————————————————————————-
And you should never leave the house without wearing your special helmet
Glory Between the Hedges
January 1st, 2013
3:29 pm
There is nobody out there that can replace richt right now. Its why we are stuck in mediocrity.
Jason
January 1st, 2013
3:29 pm
Well that was nice. It’s not the offense that isn’t ready to play. It’s the defense.
Buckeye
January 1st, 2013
3:30 pm
I see another pick 6 in Murray’s future after the bomb.
Reese Bobby
January 1st, 2013
3:30 pm
I put a cougar in Aaron Murray’s locker at half….
SEC bias
January 1st, 2013
3:30 pm
1st play after the Huskers’ umpteenth 3rd down defensive failure = TD.
If Neb could do anything in 3rd down D this game would be in the bag already for Corny.
Buckeye
January 1st, 2013
3:30 pm
Was Jan Kemp a cougar?
toccoa
January 1st, 2013
3:31 pm
When Geno Atkins is one of the sack leaders in the NFL and he barely had any sacks at GA, what does that tell you about coaching. It SUCKS!
goFalcons
January 1st, 2013
3:31 pm
Now D,,,get us the ball back so we can do it again
deandog
January 1st, 2013
3:31 pm
WHY WHY WHY WHY WHY WHY WHY WHY WHY WHY WHY WHY WHY WHY WHY WHY WHY WHY WHY WHY WHY WHY WHY WHYWHY WHY WHY WHY WHY WHY WHY WHY WHY WHY WHY……………………does markricht have a coaching job anywhere???????
Reese Bobby
January 1st, 2013
3:32 pm
According to Eric Zeier…. Yes, Jan Kemp was a cougar.