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
UGA ECONOMICS MAJOR
January 1st, 2013
4:58 pm
i,m so sick of UGA AND THIER OVERATED FOOTBALL TEAM AND OVERATED AND OVERPAID COACH……CAN WE FINALLY TALK ABOUT THE TEAM TO WATCH AND THE TEAM THATS POTENTIALLY CAN GET A CHAMPIONSHIP AND MY FAVORITE TEAM………..THE ATLANTA FALCONS////THATS SHOULD BE THE TALK OF THE TOWN
SpikeTheBallStupid!!!
January 1st, 2013
4:58 pm
Thanks Jeff!! See ya next yr
Dawg Patrol
January 1st, 2013
4:58 pm
Bama — Y’all haven’t beat ND yet in a bowl game, but the Irish haven’t played the Tide with Saban coaching. For the SEC’s sake I’ll be pulling for the Tide. Actually I always pull for the Tide when they’re playing outside the SEC. Don’t let us down. We’ll see you in the Dome next year. GO DAWG
Denver Dawg
January 1st, 2013
4:59 pm
Hey Bama – “we” nothing…. You’re always spouting off about how “we” did this, “we” did that, etc. You personally haven’t done NOTHIN’, son. Quit validating your life through the actions of teenage strangers. You probably only leave your trailer to buy more ho-ho’s….
Moist Dawg
January 1st, 2013
5:00 pm
If I was Richt I would make the whole team find it’s own ride home after that performance. I’m glad we won but I’m sickened by the fact that we barely beat a sorry Nebraska team.
Richt should take out a full page ad in the ajc apologizing for not having our team ready today.
We really need to fix this nonsense if we are gonna win a title next year.
DrC
January 1st, 2013
5:00 pm
How sweet it is….great bowl victory…top 5 finish.
Tampa Gator
January 1st, 2013
5:01 pm
It is hard for Georgia, South Carolina, LSU, and Florida to get up for these games……but at least Georgia and SC have “wanted it more” than LSU.
FalconUGAFan
January 1st, 2013
5:03 pm
GG Dawgs!
@brownies-Stupid post of the day…Murray has more heart in his pinky…well you know the rest.
Flat Tire doesnt live in Delusionalville Ga.
January 1st, 2013
5:05 pm
Moist Dawg
So its the players fault??
The way we played today has been played every season since Van Gorder left
To Tell the Truth
January 1st, 2013
5:06 pm
What a JOKE WIN as Nebraska is not that freakin good as most GA fans wanted to moan about not being in a BCS Bowl!!!!
LMAO!!!!!
Erk Russell's Dog
January 1st, 2013
5:06 pm
UGA Eco Major
Be happy at least the Falcons won’t lose this week. There a 7 point favorite over some team called BYE.
UGA89
January 1st, 2013
5:06 pm
I agree TampaGator. Does anyone think those players wanted to be there when they were a few yards from the Nat’l Chsmpionship?
Michael
January 1st, 2013
5:08 pm
They probably all loved being there. It is football after all.
doug
January 1st, 2013
5:09 pm
I was wrong but you know I was right.
Erk Russell's Dog
January 1st, 2013
5:11 pm
Tampa Gator
I would not put the blame on LSU’s players last night ,If Lester “the Jester” Miles had a brain LSU would have run out the clock last night. I do give Clemson’s QB credit for being a tough Son of a gun ,but Miles blew the game by not running the ball on 2nd and 2 on the 50 yard line.
graphite
January 1st, 2013
5:15 pm
The puppies needs a player like Clowney. Need to watch the replay of that game….. Wish Bama could find one !!!
Kevin
January 1st, 2013
5:18 pm
Okay where is the aarron Murray folks do now man won over Neb. cornhushers 54-31 had over 400yards passin and 5tds….So and we did finish 12-2 at end…So what will Ga Tech loons say are Richt haters….do now i sure some will say was fluke we playin a bad Nebraska team soon….So and great win by Tech was a fluke cause USC had lousy QB in game and bad coachin skills…..so there!
curious
January 1st, 2013
5:19 pm
For all the talent UGA has on the defensive side, something is wrong when I’m telling the wife that 38 points may not be enough.
How many times in the past would you have been worried when UGA scored 38?
I know, UGA had 45, but you get the drift.
SpikeTheBallStupid!!!
January 1st, 2013
5:20 pm
Bowl appearance—-$75,000. Top 5 finish—-$100,000…. Equals Richts payday…..he ain’t going nowhere……yuck!!!!
son's who?
January 1st, 2013
5:21 pm
Good luck to Jarvis Jones in the NFL. He has had to come through circumstances in his life that would have destroyed a lesser man. Good luck with your career, and good luck with the rest of your life.
I wish that for all of the departing players.
I wish for all of the yearlong trolls to kiss my a**
Vampire Bill
January 1st, 2013
5:21 pm
glad for the win but overall UGA football is exposed again as a second rate team. Not everyone can be a champion or play like one.
Murray leads Georgia to 45-31 win over Nebraska in Capital One Bowl – Atlanta Journal Constitution
January 1st, 2013
5:22 pm
[...] Atlanta Journal Constitution [...]
Ghost of Ron Zook
January 1st, 2013
5:22 pm
Where is Suckeye (Tech Nerd)? Poor little thing had all the witty comments queued up posting but it went in the toilet when UGA won along with USC…..poor poor little Suckeye (Tech Nerd).
MOIST DAMP MOLDY DAWG
January 1st, 2013
5:23 pm
Enter your comments here
Big Crimson 75
January 1st, 2013
5:23 pm
Congrats to UGA.
All y’all could do was get a W & you did.
Good job to SC, also.
Dan Mullen antics today was no surprise.
Go SEC & Roll Tide
Buckeye
January 1st, 2013
5:23 pm
Lady gym dogs Jan 5!
Kevin
January 1st, 2013
5:23 pm
To Tell the Truth
January 1st, 2013
5:06 pm
What a JOKE WIN as Nebraska is not that freakin good as most GA fans wanted to moan about not being in a BCS Bowl!!!!
LMAO!!!!!
See right there if Ga lost he say to a better team we win Nebraska was bad must be a GT loon here. Hey I can go better GT Joke win was Tech beatin USC team there a Joke cause they not want play GT at all seen the ball room Tech players n folks showed up while USC head gasket refused come what a class act ehh!
SpikeTheBallStupid!!!
January 1st, 2013
5:24 pm
Gotta say I hope Bama creams the irish…SEC BABY!
DawgNole
January 1st, 2013
5:24 pm
Buckeye
January 1st, 2013
3:49 pm
Wolverines leading USC.
SEC! SEC!
_____________________
How’d that work out for you?
Buckeye
January 1st, 2013
5:24 pm
Wisconsin put up 70 on Nebraska.
Big Crimson 75
January 1st, 2013
5:25 pm
Btw, stop rooting for LSU.
There bolting the SEC for the Big 12 within 3 years.
Buckeye
January 1st, 2013
5:25 pm
Not well.
But, we represented.
No shame in losing, right dogs ( See Alabama)
JB
January 1st, 2013
5:26 pm
Alverez had like 6 coach’s leave already. Who’s helping him coach this game. You need some help.
kingdaddy
January 1st, 2013
5:26 pm
Where are all the trolls claiming the game was over before the first half was over, lol. UGA needs more 60 min. fans and less trolls…
SpikeTheBallStupid!!!
January 1st, 2013
5:27 pm
King…trolls?…. Get a new act, u are getting old, real old
Techster
January 1st, 2013
5:29 pm
The best thing about the dogs winning is we won’t have to listen to dog fans making excuses and whining and crying for the next two months.
JB
January 1st, 2013
5:29 pm
One reason it looks like we give up a lot of yards is it appears Georgia always has 2 of 4 LB’s rushing from the outside leaving 3 down lineman and two LB’s, and they have pass coverage on certain packages, thus leaving 5 hats on those people and if you get past the line you have success. we rarely clog the running lanes.
MOIST DAMP MOLDY DAWG
January 1st, 2013
5:30 pm
Moist Dawg
Your support of the team, coach, school is starting to sound a little “off campus”. Would love to be a member of your “positive world”. But I feel sure with your perfectionist, driven, do no wrong attitude, you have achieved great things in your very successful life. Someone with so much time has probably made his fortune, and looks forward to spreading joy on the 31st page on a blog discussing his teams “12TH VICTORY THIS YEAR”. I detect an “off campus” attitude. Correct?
Hamburger steak
January 1st, 2013
5:31 pm
why SC gamecocks beat MIchigan 33-28 so at least the SEC is doin better then ACC are Pac-12 are Lame-10 confs…..Must be sad Iowa state lose to Tulsa also …Purdue look like chicken soup gettin beat and No worrys Stanford will beat Wisconsin so bad half the fans for badgers will head home…
JB
January 1st, 2013
5:31 pm
Techster…… you did read all the dumb Tech post yesterday about Tech being ” back”…….Pleazzzzzzzzzzzzzzzze…….
The REAL Phil
January 1st, 2013
5:32 pm
Moist Dawg breathes air decent people could be breathing. He is a waste of space on the planet.
lay off the feedbag
January 1st, 2013
5:33 pm
way too much donut eating going on in Athens…Richt is not only getting balder he is CHUBBY…
Flat Tire doesnt live in Delusionalville Ga.
January 1st, 2013
5:35 pm
kingdaddy
Im still here; I guess Im part of the “Society of the Miserable”
KJ
January 1st, 2013
5:41 pm
“Not well. But, we represented.”
Ah, the mantra of the lolBigTen fan. Never gets old. UGA now what, 8-1 against them in the last 25 years or so? Now lets hear the excuses about something something warm weather, etc.
DawgNole
January 1st, 2013
5:42 pm
doug
January 1st, 2013
4:12 pm
Up by 14. They will still lose. Watch. Coaching mental lapse.
______________________
They still lose?
Why are you lying?
JB
January 1st, 2013
5:42 pm
Maybe Grantham can study some Bama film this off season and get a hint how to adjust to at least slow down the run. Both run a 3-4. We seem to run a “got our Azz run over” 3-4.
JB
January 1st, 2013
5:43 pm
I bet the coach of the Jets would take Murray over Tebow or Sanchez.
goFalcons
January 1st, 2013
5:46 pm
is Ohio state 1-10 vs the SEC in bowl games…….how can anybody take Ohio state serious?
Moist Dawg
January 1st, 2013
5:46 pm
I won’t respond to the childish name calling but you know what I wrote is true.
I shouldn’t be nauseous after watching my team win
I shouldnt have to smoke an entire pack when we play Nebraska.
I shouldn’t have my new years ruined year after year by underachieving performances.
CMR should apologize for not having them ready today.
Don’t get me wrong, I’m glad we won but I’m sickened by the effort. We need to do better than that if we are gonna win it all next year.
The truth hurts but it needs to be said. Go Dawgs!!!
JB
January 1st, 2013
5:47 pm
Murray has lost games before for Dawgs…..I say he won one today. Pretty impressive with one of the top Defensive backfields in the nation and without his top 3 receivers. ( Bennett,Brown & Mitchell)