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
4:05 pm
4th Qtr..Dawg Qtr, 4th Qtr..Dawg Qtr
Flat Tire doesnt live in Delusionalville Ga.
January 1st, 2013
4:05 pm
When is Richt going to stop allowing the trash talking to other teams players
Sid
January 1st, 2013
4:05 pm
Pollack….the same Pollack who picked against his own school in the SEC Champ game…..lost maybe not testy.
Hairy Dawg
January 1st, 2013
4:05 pm
That’s the best way to do it. Change your opinion in a minute or two and see what reaction you get. Most people can’t read or remember.
Lonnie
January 1st, 2013
4:05 pm
3 and out now run the ball!!!!!!!!!
DawgNole
January 1st, 2013
4:06 pm
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.
______________________
Because they lost 3 games in weak-azz small 10 and gave up 70 points to a 5-loss, slow-azz Wisc team. Duh!
GT piles up rushing yards against everybody. What’s that got to do with today?
Wise up!
What happened to GA's D?
January 1st, 2013
4:06 pm
The best defense is a good offense! Run, run, run the ball and the clock!!!
doug
January 1st, 2013
4:06 pm
Georgia leads by 7 but this one is over. Nebraska will win.
phil
January 1st, 2013
4:06 pm
Hairy Dawg, i do enjoy the abundance of ignorance….very much so.
I’m as big a fan as anyone, without going crazy and ignoring the warts.
Bama
January 1st, 2013
4:06 pm
Crybaby dawg fans same old lame line every time someone is calling you out-”Tech troll”- is that like the boogey man?
AUTGRZ
January 1st, 2013
4:07 pm
Come on Nebraska!
goFalcons
January 1st, 2013
4:07 pm
The HOSTILE TAKEOVER HAS BEGUN!!!!!!!! SO PROUD OF THIS TEAM
phil
January 1st, 2013
4:07 pm
doug = moron
Reese Bobby
January 1st, 2013
4:07 pm
89 had a “roll around” with Michael Stipe in college.
Sic' 'em
January 1st, 2013
4:08 pm
Duh! Buckeye IS pansy little Tech fan hiding behind his big 10 name….what a puzzy!
Jason
January 1st, 2013
4:08 pm
Run Gurley and eat up clock. Yet we throw the damn ball! WTF!
Hairy Dawg
January 1st, 2013
4:08 pm
Run the damn ball, dammit. Run it.
Jeff Schultz
January 1st, 2013
4:09 pm
Aaron Murray has thrown 4 touchdown passes but he’s only 15 of 28 in game.
Erk Russell's Dog
January 1st, 2013
4:09 pm
Bama
Just take care of your own business next Monday. I think Notre Dame knows how to play defense.
North Ave. Faithful
January 1st, 2013
4:09 pm
Obviously the dawg defense has been sand bagging. Going to shut them down in 4th qtr. Protecting those signing bonuses.
Dawgstyle86
January 1st, 2013
4:09 pm
4th qtr TD, still I see a loss coming!!!!!!!!!! Defense has 9 future pro bowlers (once they are “coached up” next year) and as usual they are “dazed & confused”; one whole month to prepare and I see NO
improvement; I believe it is TIME for CMR & STAFF to move on. We need someone with the heart & soul to blister some butts & get pissed & implement some discipline on & off field. Congrats to Blair Walsh (Pro Bowler / Minn) for a tremendous year, it’s a shame you couldn’t be coached as well in Athens!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Bama
January 1st, 2013
4:09 pm
Murray quit whining about face mask “no call” and just play football
phil
January 1st, 2013
4:09 pm
Great idea….
Go conservative. Idiots.
Boooooooooo!!!
Where would the Dawgs be without Murray
January 1st, 2013
4:09 pm
Where would UGA be without Murray? He has made some pinpoint laser bombs today for TDs.
UGA’s defense is getting embarrased again even thought we are up 7.
Dawgs1965
January 1st, 2013
4:09 pm
Bye bye!
What happened to GA's D?
January 1st, 2013
4:10 pm
87 for 6
Hairy Dawg
January 1st, 2013
4:10 pm
Okay. You can throw it. That’s okay.
Weeee!
phil
January 1st, 2013
4:10 pm
Better!!
87 yards!
Flat Tire doesnt live in Delusionalville Ga.
January 1st, 2013
4:10 pm
goFalcons
winning percentage; how about checking his winning percentage against top 10 and top 25 teams
no one cares about winning against the vandy’s and buffalo’s
Jason
January 1st, 2013
4:10 pm
Chris Conley is FASTTTTTTT
goFalcons
January 1st, 2013
4:10 pm
welcome to the DAWG SHOW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! IT IS THE BEST COLLEGE SHOW ON EARTH,,,,,,,,WOOOOOOOO HOOOOOOOOO
son's who?
January 1st, 2013
4:10 pm
I cuss Bobo just as he makes a great call. lol
Steve
January 1st, 2013
4:10 pm
Hmmmm I thought this game was over? Like I said a little while ago UGA can still win this game by 14+
45 ACP
January 1st, 2013
4:10 pm
That looked like Belue to Scott!
GA Fan Here
January 1st, 2013
4:10 pm
ANYONE on Probation should not be in the Polls. Also(I care so little about the Big 10, I don’t know), but I think Ohio St. is playing 2 less games than a lot of the Bowl teams.
Lonnie
January 1st, 2013
4:10 pm
Yes Conley!!!!!
DawgNole
January 1st, 2013
4:10 pm
FINALLY (again)! Hell, let’s score 70.
Jim Jack
January 1st, 2013
4:11 pm
Where would we be without Bobo? FIRE GRANTHAM!!!!!!!!!
Scrappy
January 1st, 2013
4:11 pm
Wow. Nothin’ but green. Chris’s eyes must have been as big as dinner plates!
Buckeye
January 1st, 2013
4:11 pm
dogs,
Enjoy basketball season.
Dawg Patrol
January 1st, 2013
4:11 pm
Conley streched out. Sic’em Dawgs.
Dawgstyle86
January 1st, 2013
4:11 pm
guess BOBO isn’t calling plays today?
Bama
January 1st, 2013
4:11 pm
Fire Bobo and Richt!!! We suck!!!!
No wait, Go dawgs were awesome! Bobo is a genius!!
(For the next 5 minutes)
Typical uga fans lol
goFalcons
January 1st, 2013
4:12 pm
Flat Tire doesnt live in Delusionalville Ga.
You don’t think ppl care about beating Vandy and other teams that are not ranked,,,,,,then see what happens when you lose to one and then tell me ppl don’t care about winning those games
doug
January 1st, 2013
4:12 pm
Up by 14. They will still lose. Watch. Coaching mental lapse.
Buckeye
January 1st, 2013
4:12 pm
Glory Glory,
We lost the biggest game of the year and won the storied Capital One.
woof woof
Reggie Ball
January 1st, 2013
4:12 pm
The SEC is weak compared to the mighty ACC!
phil
January 1st, 2013
4:12 pm
Chris Conley….
Always remembered for screwing up the Bama game, along with Richt, Bo Bo and Murray.
He thinks this makes up for it.
It doesn’t!!
Reese Bobby
January 1st, 2013
4:13 pm
89 went to his after I outed him.
Did Michael sing to you?
tmc
January 1st, 2013
4:13 pm
@goFalcons really? you wanna go there?
Dogs are like 7-16 vs ranked teams since 2008.
and 3-10 the last 3 years (including this year, not including this game)
That makes you happy?