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
blamegame
January 1st, 2013
3:32 pm
HERE WE GO
Dec-Bulldog
January 1st, 2013
3:32 pm
All of you non believers get off the post. Like I said earlier UGA will win big………
Buckeye
January 1st, 2013
3:32 pm
dogs prayers answered.
Tie game.
Jason
January 1st, 2013
3:32 pm
Two pointer good! We have a game.
Wes Durham
January 1st, 2013
3:32 pm
Good catch on a pass that was behind McGowan.
50 ways to leave your lover
January 1st, 2013
3:32 pm
Even a blind squirrel finds an acorn every once in awhile…
Dawg Patrol
January 1st, 2013
3:33 pm
Nice little rest for the defense. They NEEDED it. Now we need a turnover.
Buckeye
January 1st, 2013
3:33 pm
Feb-March dogs:
We’re National Champs!
goFalcons
January 1st, 2013
3:33 pm
we go for 2 and don’t care what they think about it being to early to go for 2!!!!!!!! We are back baby!!!! UGA steps up to the plate and ans. the bell for the 2nd half! Got to love it! woooooo hoooooo
Buckeye
January 1st, 2013
3:33 pm
“Tub” Jenkins:
Leftovers!
Jason
January 1st, 2013
3:33 pm
The defense sucks. If we had a good defense, this game would be over. But we don’t. Once again, the offense puts up 30+ points but the defense gives up 30. What gives?
blamegame
January 1st, 2013
3:33 pm
New game plan——bombs away
CLEMS@N TIGERS ARE BACK!!!
January 1st, 2013
3:33 pm
DABO<<<<<<<< WE RAID THIS STATE!!!!!!!
Jeff Schultz
January 1st, 2013
3:33 pm
Murray was 12 for 24 before that TD pass. … Actually was 11 for 23 before consecutive completions for 60 yds on drive.
Valyboy35
January 1st, 2013
3:34 pm
Same ol UGA always underacheving!!
Marquis de Mercury
January 1st, 2013
3:34 pm
just imagine how good Georgia’s defense would be without all that NFL talent? and you idiots gave him a raise because he hollers alot…
Steve
January 1st, 2013
3:34 pm
Jan – Dec Buckeye:
I still have no life!
50 ways to leave your lover
January 1st, 2013
3:34 pm
I see we got another 50 ways man in Dec Bulldog…
mh18
January 1st, 2013
3:34 pm
@ Glory Between the Hedges Nebraska is not a bad team, we just are not an elite team.
Jimmy Crack
January 1st, 2013
3:34 pm
Once again….70,000 people in that stadium have cameras…
Why can’t a multi-TRILLION dollar media company like ESPN/ABC not put cameras ON ALL FOUR END ZONE LINES??
They should be there ALL THE TIME for the love of football!
Todd Grantham
January 1st, 2013
3:34 pm
Hmmm…..if I can’t coach a defense with 11 guys going to the NFL, how will next year look when I have a bunch of sophomores and red shirt freshmen. Better ask for a raise now, before they realize I’m a fraud.
Buckeye
January 1st, 2013
3:34 pm
dogs,
Admit it. You didn’t expect a game, did you?
Dec-Bulldog
January 1st, 2013
3:34 pm
Oh everybody is singing a different song now. Non believers
UGA89
January 1st, 2013
3:34 pm
Sid… I’m a Jaguars fan and even we aren’t that stupid. We won’t take Murray.
Jim Jack
January 1st, 2013
3:34 pm
Thank goodness for Bobo and the offense.
FIRE GRANTHAM!!!!!
Glory Between the Hedges
January 1st, 2013
3:35 pm
Mariage that was about as lame a comment as a tech fan. Nebraska is garbage. Georgia.is sleepwalking through this.game. Frazier left in the 90s. Your not relevant anymore. Georgia fans are completely let down and.not excited about this game whether we win or lose.
Real Talk
January 1st, 2013
3:35 pm
Clearly Murray needs to leave, why don’t we have guys with speed returning the ball, defense is so overrated, coach Richt really. Time for a change unless you want to see the same results next year. Mason or somebody can’t wait to see you playing next season.
Buckeye
January 1st, 2013
3:35 pm
stevie,
Admit it. You have a man crush on me.
50 ways to leave your lover
January 1st, 2013
3:35 pm
Think Murray will get picked up in the first round. Don’t you?
seenthisbefore
January 1st, 2013
3:35 pm
Hey Parfait….obtuse, did you just call me obtuse? Shades of Shawshank…great movie reference!!! What I’m saying is that Georgia, as a top-10 team, should be able to stop ANYONE’S running game when everyone in the stadium knows it’s coming…we couldn’t against Bama, and we can’t here…with all that D talent, it comes down, then, to scheming (being in the right place for the right play)…that’s a coaching thing.
Buckeye
January 1st, 2013
3:36 pm
Nice Run D, dogs
UGA89
January 1st, 2013
3:36 pm
Buckeye. What bowl game is OSU in?? I can’t remember.
Bali
January 1st, 2013
3:36 pm
I don’t know if I want murray to stay or go…..this is just hard to watch
Wes Durham
January 1st, 2013
3:36 pm
Defense is just awful
deandog
January 1st, 2013
3:36 pm
Go daw…..falc…..ah ah ah what’s the use??
DawgNole
January 1st, 2013
3:36 pm
Steve
January 1st, 2013
2:56 pm
Buckeye, are you really that dumb? The SEC is terrible huh? What’s the Purdue/Oklahoma State score? Michigan/South Carolina? Who won Minnesota/Texas Tech?
____________________
Then there’s LSU-Clemson, Miss St-Northwestern, UGA-Neb(?).
Alphare
January 1st, 2013
3:36 pm
OK, dawg D has given up 31 points after 2.5 quarters.
Real Talk
January 1st, 2013
3:36 pm
Coaching is horrible!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
goFalcons
January 1st, 2013
3:36 pm
GOT DANG IT!!!!!! WTH is wrong with us? We can not get set before a play is snap??? It makes me so mad
Reese Bobby
January 1st, 2013
3:36 pm
Cracker can run!
Flat Tire doesnt live in Delusionalville Ga.
January 1st, 2013
3:37 pm
Grantham just seen at Its a small world ride at the Magic Kingdom
Jason
January 1st, 2013
3:37 pm
Defense is getting gashed with the run. They don’t even look ready on defense.
Dawg Patrol
January 1st, 2013
3:37 pm
This looks like a replay of the Alabama game.
Wes Durham
January 1st, 2013
3:37 pm
On some plays Jarvis really looks like he’s mailing it in
toccoa
January 1st, 2013
3:37 pm
How did we play a tight game against Alabama? Bama must not be very good
Rodney
January 1st, 2013
3:37 pm
Now that Rodney Garner has gone to coach the D Line at Auburn, what is the excuse for the pathetic defensive line play in this game? LOL…
George Stein
January 1st, 2013
3:37 pm
UGA looks completely unprepared.
Jason
January 1st, 2013
3:37 pm
Looks just like the Alabama game. Nebraska is not even bothering passing the ball. Just running all over the Dawgs.
Georgia Tech Fan
January 1st, 2013
3:37 pm
Hang in there dawgs! Seems you have your hands full this afternoon.
christophorm
January 1st, 2013
3:37 pm
There gose O.J. burkhead