It’s official: UGA vs. Central Florida in Liberty Bowl
It’s official. Georgia will play in the Liberty Bowl on Dec. 31.
What became apparent eight days ago became official late this afternoon, when the Liberty Bowl formally announced that Georgia will play in the New Year’s Eve game in Memphis. The opponent will be Central Florida, coached by former Georgia Tech coach George O’Leary.
The game will kick off at 3:30 p.m. and be televised by ESPN.
Georgia’s invitation to the Liberty had been expected since the Bulldogs clinched bowl eligibility by beating Georgia Tech on Nov. 27. In an interview about an hour after that game, Liberty Bowl executive director Steve Ehrhart made it pretty clear his bowl intended to invite the Bulldogs (6-6).
The only thing that could have derailed the Dogs’ invitation might have been if the SEC had not put two teams in BCS bowls.
Central Florida clinched its berth in the Liberty Bowl on Saturday by beating SMU 17-7 in the Conference USA championship game. The Knights are 10-3 and ranked No. 24 in this week’s coaches poll.
The Liberty Bowl will feature two dynamic young quarterbacks: Central Florida freshman Jeff Godfrey and Georgia redshirt freshman Aaron Murray. They rank Nos. 1 and 2, respectively, in the nation in passing efficiency among freshmen this season — Godfrey at 165.28 and Murray at 162.72. Murray has passed for 2,851 yards and 24 touchdowns, Godfrey for 2,042 and 13 touchdowns. Godfrey also has 546 rushing yards and 10 rushing touchdowns.
Georgia is in a bowl game for the 14th consecutive season.
This will be the Bulldogs’ third trip to the Liberty Bowl and their first in 23 years. The Dogs lost to N.C. State 14-7 in the 1967 game and defeated Arkansas 20-17 in the 1987 game on John Kasay’s 39-yard final-play-of-the-game field goal.
While head coach at Georgia Tech from 1995-2001, O’Leary faced Georgia seven times, posting a 3-4 record vs. the Bulldogs. His Tech teams won three in a row against Georgia from 1998-2000. In the only meeting of an O’Leary-coached Tech team vs. a Mark Richt-coached Georgia team, the Bulldogs won 31-17 in 2001.
Check back to AJC.com for a full report on the local and national bowl picture later tonight.
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401 comments Add your comment
DamntheButcher
December 6th, 2010
8:47 am
I will say it for the 500th time. Auburn will be the 6th SEC team to win a NC on Mark Richts watch at GA and the Dawgs are not even in the same area code as getting there. FIRE MARK RICHT.
UCF DAWG
December 6th, 2010
8:49 am
I’m a UCF graduate and am currently attending there for my MBA. I went to the Conf USA Championship because they said it was free for UCF students to get it (not the norm). I wanted UCF to win the championship and they did which is great. They are a slowly rising team in Florida. They are at least between 5-10 years from competeing against Miami and FSU.
Watching their offense and how their defense played, UGA will have no problem with UCF. The QB doesn’t have a strong arm and can not throw well on the run. UGA receivers will be too much for the UCF secondary. The Dawgs should keep UCF to no more than 14, but they (Dawgs) should rack up over 40 points.
I like UCF my undergrad degree and eventually my MBA…but it’s all in hopes to teach/work at UGA in the near future.
GO DAWGS!
Tommy
December 6th, 2010
8:50 am
Here’s part 1 of the Documentary on UGA’s new QB, Christian Lemay:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V0kzh6hGXnQ&feature=related
DawginLex
December 6th, 2010
8:51 am
Tommy will vanish when Lemay redshirts and Murray throws for 3500 yards and we win 10 or more games next year.
Lemay=DJ Shockley
He will play 1 year if he stays that long. Richt might use him in certain situations before then but Murray is the starter.
For those of you wondering about Mettenberger, think Daniel Cobb.
Murray would have continued to be the starter if Mett hadn’t left.
Tommy
December 6th, 2010
8:52 am
Lemay just threw for 3200 yards, completing 69% of his passes, 44 td’s, 2 int’s.
But he also went undefeated. And along the way, beat Indep high, 1st time Indep had lost a home game in 22 years.
Lemay led the way.
DawginLex
December 6th, 2010
8:53 am
North Carolina high school football??
Think Joe cox.
Enough said.
Tommy
December 6th, 2010
8:54 am
Murray had his chance, he couldn’t beat a single team with a winning record. Did fine against 1-11 teams. Murray is not the future. He’ll be a nice able back up though.
Tommy
December 6th, 2010
8:54 am
Chris Leak also came out of NC, led Florida to a Natl Champ.
DawginLex
December 6th, 2010
8:54 am
Lemay threw for 3200 yards LAST YEAR.
Versus North Carolina high school talent
He hasn’t played in a year.
He won’t beat out Murray next year.
Tommy
December 6th, 2010
8:55 am
Murray = Joe Terishinski
DawginLex
December 6th, 2010
8:56 am
tommy/Marcus/whatever your name is this week,
I’ll bet you all the money you have that Murray will be the starter next year.
We open with Boise State in the Ga Dome.
You think Richt is going to start Lemay?
If you do, you are dumber than a bag of hammers.
Tommy
December 6th, 2010
8:57 am
Murray couldn’t beat Colorado. Lemay visited the Dogs when UGA had Mett. Mett was the only QB he considered competition. Mett’s gone. At 6-6 record as a starter, you can see why Richt will make that change.
UCF DAWG
December 6th, 2010
8:57 am
Oh…and on Lemay vs Murray. Since we don’t have the “play the senior no matter what” mentality, or so I hope. The QB competition will be Murray’s to lose. If Lemay is THAT good, then he will win the QB competition and start. If he is not that good, then he won’t, bottom line. Could be just like the Green, Shockley situation…who knows.
No one will know until next fall, so get over it. Should be an exciting Spring G-Day game though!
GO DAWGS!
Tommy
December 6th, 2010
8:58 am
If Richt goes with 6-6 starter Murray, it will be his last year at Georgia. Lemay is his only hope. We know what Murray can do, 6-6. That will get Richt fired in 2011.
Tommy
December 6th, 2010
8:59 am
Richt can’t start Murray/Joe T again.
Tommy
December 6th, 2010
9:01 am
Joe Terishinski Jr. could have beaten Idaho State & Lousiana Lafayette. Murray didnt do nothing Joe T couldn’t have done. Murray reminds me a lot of Joe T.
SeasonTicketHolder
December 6th, 2010
9:03 am
Well, if you can’t make it to the big-time, as in BCS, I guess the Liberty is better than nothing. Come to think of it, the Liberty is Mark Richt’s speed anyway. By the way, UCF is #25 on the BCS top 25 list. UGA didn’t make it.
Scott
December 6th, 2010
9:06 am
I agree, Murray reminds me of Joe T also, couldn’t quite put my finger on it who he reminded me of.
Tony
December 6th, 2010
9:06 am
Murray reminds me of Joe Cox, without the arm.
Jeff
December 6th, 2010
9:07 am
Murray’s too short to play QB.
DawginLex
December 6th, 2010
9:11 am
Keep changing your name moron.
If you are looking for a dual threat QB who has played real competition, then Nick Marshall is your man. I guarantee you he could be a better college QB than Lemay.
Murray will start and will continue to shine and will win a ton of games whether you and your multiple sign on names like it or not.
DawginLex
December 6th, 2010
9:12 am
BTW, dimwit, Lemay and Murray are the same height.
This is way too easy.
hushpuppy
December 6th, 2010
9:13 am
there is no way CMR will turn down ANY bowl offer because he get a pay BONUS for getting any bowl game. On another vent…Georgia fans should by now understand that Mike Adams is at war with the bulldog nation and he will do nothing to make things better. McGarity is just a toady for Adams just as he was for Dan Magill prior to going to Florida
DawgFaninFL
December 6th, 2010
9:18 am
Don’t waste your breath DawginLex…Marcus/Tommy/Tony/ect. #1 don’t know football, otherwise with all thats ailed UGA this year, one of the last things they’d focus on is QB, and #2 They have an agenda. You’d have to, to single out one of the bright spots of the team this year as the main reason for losses. As Murray keeps starting and balling, their voice(s) will eventually fade.
Jeff
December 6th, 2010
9:19 am
Murray reminds me of Joe T, without the wins. Joe Terishinski won 5 out 7 as starter, even beat Col & SC.
You can’t put Murray in Joe T’s league, Murray’s record is .500 as starter, Joe’s was .720
Jeff
December 6th, 2010
9:21 am
Then again, Murray does have that deer in the headlights look like Cox had, you guys see Murray’s expression after Fairley opened the gash on his chin in the Auburn game?
Georgia can do better.
Jeff
December 6th, 2010
9:22 am
Joe Cox won 62% of his start at Georgia, don’t belittle him by comparing him to Mr. 500, Murray.
Phil
December 6th, 2010
9:25 am
You won’t find a single QB Richt’s ever coached that finished as bad as 6-6. It’s unheard of. Richt’s a QB expert. If you can’t win more than 1/2 your games with Richt coaching you, go get a clipboard and sit on the bench.
Stewart
December 6th, 2010
9:26 am
Obviously, Aaron Murray is the worst QB in Richt’s career, heck, he might be the worst at Georgia in 25 years. 6-6? You have to go way back to find a QB that bad.
Scott
December 6th, 2010
9:28 am
I still say Aaron Murray reminds me of Joe T, without the wins.
Auburn=UGA
December 6th, 2010
9:29 am
Tommy
LeMay is not better than Newton. Could not carry his jockstrap. He is however the same “me”type of player and also has a Pimp Preaching father like Newtie.
senoiadawgs
December 6th, 2010
9:30 am
You folks calling for Murray’s head are a bunch of idiots.
Jeff
December 6th, 2010
9:31 am
No no, Murray is more like Joe Cox, without the wins. Cox won .620, Murray’s a .500 QB.
Cox is the closest comparison. Bout the same height. Murray can’t win as well as Cox, Cox beat teams like Arkansas & Auburn, so think of Murray as Joe Cox, in non-SEC play.
Jeff
December 6th, 2010
9:33 am
Joe T beat Colorado & South Carolina, and won .720 of his starts, he was a ton better than .500 starter Murray who lost to Colorado & SC.
Larry
December 6th, 2010
9:44 am
I’m betting that Georgia will be bowl eligible next year too. Might even be 7-5 !!!
minor league
December 6th, 2010
9:47 am
another terrible bowl game for uga, this time against a commuter school in orlando. Hopefully, one day ga plays in a real bowl against a good team.
WV
December 6th, 2010
9:48 am
Georgia = sad state of college football in 2010! Both teams 6-6 and in toilet bowl games…
nobody
December 6th, 2010
9:49 am
this bowl is a worst case scenario, a lose-lose situation….we win, everybody expects it….we lose, it provides additional fodder as to how over-rated our program is….
Ray Ray
December 6th, 2010
9:50 am
I still can’t believe Murray lost to Colorado. Georgia was favored by 14.
JAMES
December 6th, 2010
9:52 am
HEARD HUTSON MASON GETS THE START AGAINST CENTRAL FLORIDA. I’M SURE RICHT LOOKED AT HIS 6-6 RECORD, LOOKED AT WHO HAD STARTED EACH GAME AT QB, AND SAID ENOUGH IS ENOUGH. INSANITY IS TRYING THE SAME THING, BUT EXPECTING DIFFERENT RESULTS. MURRAY? 6-6? TRY SOMETHING NEW.
Legoland
December 6th, 2010
9:53 am
AJC headline: Tech women pull away from UGA to win 69-53
Looks like UGA is Tech’s bitch again.
The Alpha Male
December 6th, 2010
9:58 am
Yes….. O’Leary own us….. 3 wins, 4 losses…… oh-fer against Mark Richt. That’s real ownage.
Rad
December 6th, 2010
9:58 am
Murray may start in Memphis, but he’ll be gone by the third quarter.
Fred B. Vanders
December 6th, 2010
10:00 am
‘ve never understood how anyone – even an alumnus – could support and take pride in UGA’s football team. When you look at their history for the past forty years, how can anyone ignore Jan Kemp and the “remedial studies” scam, the Jim Harrick fiasco, the DUIs in the athletic office, the DUIs and other arrests of players, the #1 party school tag (i.e., the most drunk students), the suspensions and outright dismissals, the Fulmer Cup, and on and on?
As disgraceful and humiliating as it is, I don’t see many alums and fans demanding an end to this sordid activity. It sets UGA apart as the kind of school most people abhor, and it’s become an embarrassment to the whole state of Georgia.
Will it never end? Apparently not while Mark Richt is at UGA. Richt is perhaps the biggest hypocrite in the United States. But even with all the cheating and lawlessness that he ignores, he still can’t win the SEC.
So you’re paying him to be BCS champions, but he can’t even win his SEC division. So why do you pay him millions of dollars a year?
Just asking.
DawgNation
December 6th, 2010
10:05 am
Fred,
Clear your clip board out and come up with something new.
GT
December 6th, 2010
10:06 am
O’Leary has a month to get ready. This is a very athletic Central Florida team and a far superior coaching staff. Central Florida has something to prove and Georgia is a team that can’t make four quarters in the middle of the season, more less be discipled over the holidays. This could be very similar to the South Florida, Miami game only Central Florida is a better team right now. Notice how O’Leary gets the running quarterback trend and the running game, ball control. He also gets the defense. If ND had gotten off their high horse and realized they didn’t hire a stranger when they hired O’Leary, and in most cases like this a resume is irrelevant, they would be playing for some marbles themselves this year. O’Leary even recognized the trend to these unknown Florida schools before most of us. I think never playing the game in college is a plus for George, and Paul Johnson, their thinking is more macro than micro they see the playing field of the game better, they don’t enter the game with memorized solutions, they creat their own styles. Georgia needs this kind of thinking. They are one of the few schools in the SEC that doesn’t push the envelope. The firing of the conditioning coach is par for the course, too comfortable in Athens, watch Central Florida eat their lunch.
Why?
December 6th, 2010
10:06 am
..are the Allbarners on here commenting?? Their jealousy of UGA never ceases–even with an SEC championship and a crappy year for UGA. Classless.
Tams
December 6th, 2010
10:07 am
Hopefully, one day ga plays in a real bowl against a good team.
When? It hasn’t happened in years, and it won’t happen under Mark Richt.
Pago Pago Dawg
December 6th, 2010
10:08 am
Well at least UGA gets more practice time and $$$ for the SEC (UGA).
Eating crap, and howling at the moon.
December 6th, 2010
10:15 am
Both Tech and GA should not a get a bowl,They both stink!