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
Jason
January 1st, 2013
4:22 pm
Score again for good measure. 52-31 looks real good.
45 ACP
January 1st, 2013
4:22 pm
2nd pick for Swann!
01HAWK
January 1st, 2013
4:22 pm
Georgia player went down in backfield holding upper ankle. Who was it ?
Dawgsy
January 1st, 2013
4:22 pm
Great exhibit for our NFL calibre defense with the numbers that the Huskers are putting up. This isn’t the MNC game, so switching it off..
Glory Between the Hedges
January 1st, 2013
4:22 pm
Yawn…just a sleepwalk for the dawgs. Nebraska gives us everything they have and we toy with them.
Snoop Dawg
January 1st, 2013
4:22 pm
Erk Russsell Dog,
You don’t have a clue. Erk Russell would have quit rather than coach on a staff by an idiot like Mark Richt.
You need to change your name to Jack Russell Dawg.
Reese Bobby
January 1st, 2013
4:23 pm
Yes 89! I am talking to you….
Jason
January 1st, 2013
4:23 pm
Hey Bama, give it a rest. I doubt you really are a Bama fan or you wouldn’t be spending your entire afternoon on a UGA blog that you don’t give a crap about.
goFalcons
January 1st, 2013
4:23 pm
Just the start of a magical Jan.!!!!!!! UGA win check that off,,,,,,,,,,, Falcons end the magical Jan on Feb. 3rd with a win,,,,,,,,, How great it feels to love the Dawgs and the Falcons!!!!!!!!!
TURD FERGUSON
January 1st, 2013
4:23 pm
You Ga Fans Think You Are Playing For A Super Bowl When You Know This Is The Loser Bowl.
UGA89
January 1st, 2013
4:23 pm
GTfan… We haven’t won yet til 0:0
Bama
January 1st, 2013
4:24 pm
@ Erik russel yeah, not much going on for us bama fans this week. We have to watch all these low tier bowls while we wait for the real game next week. But nice job (snicker,snicker) on your capital one whatever bowl. Yawn
Dawg Patrol
January 1st, 2013
4:24 pm
We need to grind it out for a couple of first downs.
DawgNole
January 1st, 2013
4:24 pm
George Stein
January 1st, 2013
3:26 pm
The UGA defensive line is getting pushed around like a bunch of Tech players now. Yeesh.
______________________
Geez, Stein, you really know how to hurt a guy.
Erk Russell's Dog
January 1st, 2013
4:24 pm
Bama
Stop worrying about what Alabama would do against Nebraska. Hell UGA hung 28 on the Mighty Saban defense. And you Bama fans say the Dogs are a bunch of whining Pu$$ies. Take care of Notre Dame and then you can talk all the trash .
Marquis de Mercury
January 1st, 2013
4:24 pm
Shawn Williams evidently hasen’t grabbed the right boy yet…
Steve
January 1st, 2013
4:24 pm
Yet that amazing Bama defense gave up 28 points to UGA : )
phil
January 1st, 2013
4:24 pm
Georgia, you’ve made your point.
Keep in mind that those who talk about their conquests, non-stop, tend to be….well, you know.
Snoop Dawg
January 1st, 2013
4:24 pm
Bama Man, we know this is a low tier game…
Reese Bobby
January 1st, 2013
4:25 pm
UGA89… Michael Stipe wants you to release his microphone.
Hairy Dawg
January 1st, 2013
4:25 pm
Looks like we’re gonna win this one. Good effort in the second half today. I’ll take it.
45 ACP
January 1st, 2013
4:25 pm
10 – 13 on 3rd down. Not bad.
UGA89
January 1st, 2013
4:25 pm
TURD we do realize this is a crappy bowl. We are just trying to make the best of it.
SpikeTheBallStupid!!!
January 1st, 2013
4:25 pm
Richt looks so smug…….player won this game in spite of coaches…..GO DAWGS! Book it
Jason
January 1st, 2013
4:25 pm
Well our offense broke a record. Most yards ever in the Capital One Bowl. UGA’s offense is tremendous. Will be EVEN BETTER next year. Wow!
Dawg Patrol
January 1st, 2013
4:26 pm
Dawgs offense clicking now. Murray is just such a slow starter.
phil
January 1st, 2013
4:26 pm
Nebraska….
Pathetic program now, like Tech.
Mark Richt
January 1st, 2013
4:26 pm
Ha, Ha another game. I am here for 5 more years. Get use to it.
Snoop Dawg
January 1st, 2013
4:26 pm
Aaron Murray, PLEASE register for the draft. .. Better yet, enlist in the navy as a medic.
Corpsman is the comfort wench for Marines.
UGA89
January 1st, 2013
4:26 pm
ReeseBobby… Why are you talking to me? Are you upset about my comments to Buckeye?
SpikeTheBallStupid!!!
January 1st, 2013
4:27 pm
Score…score….one more
Snoop Dawg
January 1st, 2013
4:27 pm
How much money does Mark Marjoe Richt needs before he just leaves us alone?
phil
January 1st, 2013
4:27 pm
Jason, we’ll be lucky not to lose 4 or 5 games next year.
Get real.
goFalcons
January 1st, 2013
4:27 pm
Murray has been Money
SpikeTheBallStupid!!!
January 1st, 2013
4:27 pm
Murray to the NFL…..please
UGA89
January 1st, 2013
4:28 pm
Oh and by the way ReeseBobby. I’m a woman so I don’t mind being with Michael Stipe. One of the bests bands ever.
SpikeTheBallStupid!!!
January 1st, 2013
4:28 pm
Murray head case and to short
Snoop Dawg
January 1st, 2013
4:28 pm
phil, when you consider the talent, UGA is more pathetic today than Nebraska….
Jason
January 1st, 2013
4:28 pm
Yeah Phil if we do, it won’t be because of our offense you idiot. Read my comment.
Bama
January 1st, 2013
4:28 pm
@jason – yeah, yeah, yeah….I’m a tech troll, not a “real”bama fan blah blah blah. Its actually quite fun watching the UGA fans freak out over every little thing, call for coaches to be fired etc. it’s priceless and great entertainment, actually. We don’t have quite as much drama on our boards, see….we expect to win, we DO win big games, and so it’s rather boring. It’s called confidence. It’s called out recruiting you in your own state. It’s called owning the SEC. We are the king of the jungle, you guys are the hyenas who get the scraps after we’re done eating our fill
phil
January 1st, 2013
4:28 pm
Bull…
Academic ineligibility, arrests, homesickness….
Half our offense will be gone by June.
Steve
January 1st, 2013
4:29 pm
Yea Alabama never goes to “lower tier” bowls right?
2010 – Capital One
2007 – Independence
2006 – Independence
2004 – Music City
45 ACP
January 1st, 2013
4:29 pm
Murray has passed for over 400 yards against the #1 pass defense in the nation.
Reese Bobby
January 1st, 2013
4:29 pm
I don’t even know Buckeye… I just know that you had a “roll around” with Stipe in college.
Night swimming deserves a….
Rambo Dog
January 1st, 2013
4:29 pm
Hey, Phil. You’ve probably never caught a pass in any organized league game. Shut up and watch the game.
goFalcons
January 1st, 2013
4:30 pm
BAMA——–IF BAMA SO GREAT THEN WHY THE HELL YOU HERE TALKING TO US??????
Hairy Dawg
January 1st, 2013
4:30 pm
Well, we went 8-5, 6-7, 10-4, 12-2 the last four years. Outside of that South Carolina game, I think we can say that this season has been a very good one. We weren’t good enough to win a title. It’ll happen someday.
Mark Richt
January 1st, 2013
4:30 pm
Just like the Missouri game. God, I’m glad I don’t have to play MO or Neb again.
Snoop Dawg
January 1st, 2013
4:30 pm
Bama, sounds like you are gay, or at least a cross dresser…
son's who?
January 1st, 2013
4:30 pm
Lol, UGA hasn’t quit and neither have the trolls.