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
phil
January 1st, 2013
4:30 pm
Jason, you make little to no sense…
Bricks have ore to offer.
phil
January 1st, 2013
4:31 pm
More, jason, more….
Now i’m sounding like you.
Snoop Dawg
January 1st, 2013
4:31 pm
Steve, are you stupid or what?
Bama is about to play for its third national championship in four years.
You are an embecile.
Reese Bobby
January 1st, 2013
4:31 pm
Well said, Bama.
If you ain’t first, you’re last!
Scott
January 1st, 2013
4:31 pm
Gotta go for this on 4th! Blocked field goal would be only chance for N
son's who?
January 1st, 2013
4:32 pm
Michigan 28-27 over USCe with 1:30 left and the Cocks with the ball.
goFalcons
January 1st, 2013
4:32 pm
All man so close to another 6
Hairy Dawg
January 1st, 2013
4:32 pm
Should’ve had that one, Tavarres. That was a great throw.
Jason
January 1st, 2013
4:32 pm
Right through his hands. Should be 52-31 right now. Oh well, Murray has thrown for over 400 yards and 5 touchdowns. That would have made it 6.
phil
January 1st, 2013
4:33 pm
Yet another dropped pass……
And we wonder why we never win a thing that matters.
UGA89
January 1st, 2013
4:33 pm
What did I say to make you mad ReeseBooby? Like I said I’m a WOMAN. I wouldn’t mind being with Stipe. I’m not offended. Don’t be mad because UGA is going to win.
Dawg Patrol
January 1st, 2013
4:33 pm
Need another turnover.
Bama
January 1st, 2013
4:33 pm
@erk – you “hung” about 5 points less than it took to actually get more than a “moral” victory, but glad it makes you feel better that you “almost” beat us. We just take care of business as we always do, and like we will do against Notre dame. Be sure to cheer for us as we bring home yet another mnc
Dawgs1965
January 1st, 2013
4:33 pm
Shouldn’t have loafed, idiot.
What happened to GA's D?
January 1st, 2013
4:33 pm
Bama and Reese Bobby, with their stupid comments, are making it hard for me to root for Alabama in the NC game!!!!
Marquis de Mercury
January 1st, 2013
4:33 pm
Murray and UGA are now 1-4 in SECCG and bowl games…impressive…in last two seasons, UGA has top 8 record in nation…an amazingly pathetic 0-5 vs those 7 other teams record wise in the country…
Erk Russell's Dog
January 1st, 2013
4:34 pm
TURD I thought you already got flushed in the first half. Should have checked for floaters ,or should I call them Fergusons.
goFalcons
January 1st, 2013
4:34 pm
Come on D,,,,,,,,,1 more stop please
Dawgs1965
January 1st, 2013
4:34 pm
Too bad it didn’t work out for all you trolls. Your tears are sweet.
Jason
January 1st, 2013
4:34 pm
If Murray comes back next year, expect UGA’s offense to finish in the top 5
Steve
January 1st, 2013
4:35 pm
Wow Bama you play on the team? You keep saying “we” so you must! Go get a life.
UGA89
January 1st, 2013
4:35 pm
ReeseBobby is a putz.
Marquis de Mercury
January 1st, 2013
4:35 pm
is there a more invisible player in America than Cornelius Washington?
phil
January 1st, 2013
4:36 pm
We deserve to be booed!!!
goFalcons
January 1st, 2013
4:36 pm
Great win and another great season Dawgs!!!!!!!! Way to step it up after the SC game! So proud to be a fan of this team with the season they gave me this yr. Thank you UGA for putting a great football team on the field this yr.
What happened to GA's D?
January 1st, 2013
4:37 pm
So boo yourself Phil……
tmc
January 1st, 2013
4:37 pm
that’s an INT! challenge.
Erk Russell's Dog
January 1st, 2013
4:37 pm
Bama
Don’t want to here about moral victories or any more Bama BS ,take care of the Irish next Monday ,until then Shut your toothless pie hole Goober.
Steve
January 1st, 2013
4:38 pm
And down goes another “Big” Ten team! Carolina wins!
Bama
January 1st, 2013
4:38 pm
@steve- yeah, way to dig back to 2007 to find our “low tier bowls” we’ve played for all the marbles 3 out of the last 4years. Didn’t you guys play, no LOSE, to a cusa Ucf team in the LIBERTY BOWL?? Keep talking steve, keep talking. We do our talking ON THE FIELD (remember?)
Marquis de Mercury
January 1st, 2013
4:39 pm
how about South Carolina? easily the class of the SEC east!
tmc
January 1st, 2013
4:39 pm
wow. SC just won beating michigan on a late td.
kingdaddy
January 1st, 2013
4:39 pm
Haters are LOSERS…
son's who?
January 1st, 2013
4:39 pm
And Carolina breaks Michigan’s heart!
45 ACP
January 1st, 2013
4:39 pm
A. Murray 19/34 428 yards 5 touchdowns 2 ints
phil
January 1st, 2013
4:39 pm
Top 5, Jason?
Truly delusional, aren’t you?
Jason
January 1st, 2013
4:39 pm
SO PROUD of UGA overall. Defense does need work, but next season looks promising. Should be a top 5 finish in the country and start next season ranked very high. 12 wins!
1969 Graduate
January 1st, 2013
4:39 pm
South Carolina spiked the ball with 17 seconds, behind by one point. Exciting. Then, South Carolina got a touchdown with 11 seconds left.
And we’re going to win, too. Cool!
Go, S.C. Go, SEC. Go, Georgia!
goFalcons
January 1st, 2013
4:39 pm
Congrats on your record breaking 5 TD in the Capt. bowl Murray
Hairy Dawg
January 1st, 2013
4:40 pm
We played much better in the second half. Solid response.
45 ACP
January 1st, 2013
4:40 pm
WHOA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! big hit!
DawgNole
January 1st, 2013
4:40 pm
BALLDAMNGAME–FINALLY (for the third time)!
Snoop Dawg
January 1st, 2013
4:40 pm
When you consider the immense talent on this team, and combine it with the most incompetent coaching in Division 1 NCAA football, this is the worst UGA game I have watched in 45 years.
FIRE MARK RICHT. FIRE MIKE BOBO. FIRE TODD GRANTHAM. SEND EM HOME. THEY’RE RICH!
phil
January 1st, 2013
4:40 pm
Proud? Of giving up 31? Of blowing the Bama game?
Loser fans like you just kill the program.
goFalcons
January 1st, 2013
4:41 pm
SEC SEC SEC SEC SEC SEC SEC SEC
Bama
January 1st, 2013
4:41 pm
Are they REALLY going to “Gatorade” CMR after beating Nebraska in the capital one bowl?? Pathetic.
Dawgs1965
January 1st, 2013
4:41 pm
Go Dawgs. Great year, great team.
Marquis de Mercury
January 1st, 2013
4:41 pm
who cares goFalcons…no one cared who had the last record….
80sDawg
January 1st, 2013
4:42 pm
If murray comes back, the Dawgs O is going to be stout!
GT Fan
January 1st, 2013
4:42 pm
UGA89..told you…got to believe.
phil have a good year.