Liberty Bowl preview: Can Dogs avoid first losing season in 14 years?
Please join the conversation on Jeff Schultz’s live blog during the game.
Previewing Georgia vs. Central Florida in the Liberty Bowl (3:30 p.m. Friday on ESPN):
3 storylines
- 1. Winning season or losing season? Georgia enters the game with a 6-6 record. A victory would keep give the Bulldogs their 14th consecutive winning season, albeit barely. A loss would give the Bulldogs their first losing season since a 5-6 record in 1996, Jim Donnan’s first season as coach.
- 2. A program-building game? Central Florida has made substantial strides in seven seasons under coach George O’Leary, winning two Conference USA championships and becoming nationally ranked for the first time (No. 24 in the latest coaches’ poll). A nationally televised bowl win over an SEC opponent would be a significant next step in the growth of the UCF program.
- 3. Battle of the freshman quarterbacks. UCF’s Jeff Godfrey and UGA’s Aaron Murray are the nation’s top two freshmen quarterbacks in pass efficiency rating. Godfrey, a true freshman, ranks No. 8 overall with a 165.28 rating and Murray, a redshirt freshman, No. 9 with a 162.72 rating. The 5-foot-11, 182-pound Godfrey is a dual-threat quarterback who has passed for 2,042 yards and 13 touchdowns and run for 546 yards and 10 touchdowns. Godfrey has completed 68 percent of his passes, Murray 62 percent of his.
A Georgia win would …
- Extend the Bulldogs’ bowl winning streak to five games.
- Give the Dogs a 6-2 finish to this season after a 1-4 start.
- Be the Dogs’ first victory this season over a ranked opponent.
A Central Florida win would …
- Be UCF’s first-ever victory in a bowl game after losses to Nevada in the 2005 Hawaii Bowl, Mississippi State in the 2007 Liberty Bowl and Rutgers in the 2009 St. Petersburg Bowl.
- Set a school record for victories in a season by the Knights, who are 10-3 entering the bowl.
- Be the Knights’ ninth win in 10 games since a 2-2 start this season.
Keep an eye on …
- For Georgia: Murray could break records held by Matthew Stafford, D.J. Shockley and Mike Bobo. Two touchdown passes would break Stafford’s UGA single-season record of 25, set in 2008. One touchdown pass or run would surpass Shockley for most total TDs accounted for in a UGA season, Murray already having matched Shockley’s 28 (24 passing, four running) in 2005. And Murray could clinch the UGA single-season record for pass-efficiency rating, bettering Bobo’s mark of 155.8 in 1997.
- For Central Florida: Bruce Miller was an all-county and all-region player at Woodstock High School, but he had no major-college scholarship offers until UCF discovered him. He has grown into the star of the UCF defense. The senior defensive end is the NCAA leader among active players in career sacks with 34. Two sacks on Friday would tie Miller with former Georgia star David Pollack for third place on the NCAA career sack list (since 2000, when the NCAA began keeping the stat).
The numbers game
- 26-16-3: Georgia’s all-time record in bowl games. (The Bulldogs rank fourth nationally in bowl victories and are tied for fifth in bowl appearances.)
- 1-1: Georgia’s record in the Liberty Bowl, losing to Jim Donnan-quarterbacked N.C. State 14-7 in 1967 and beating Arkansas 20-17 in 1987 on freshman John Kasay’s 39-yard field goal on the game’s final play.
UGA-UCF history
- Previous meeting: Georgia escaped with a 24-23 victory at Sanford Stadium on Sept. 25, 1999, in the only previous football game between UGA and UCF. The Knights missed an extra point after scoring a touchdown with 5:21 to play but threatened to win the game on their final possession by driving to the Georgia 20-yard line. Two penalties and a sack pushed the Knights out of field-goal range, and a Jamie Henderson interception ended the game.
The line
- Georgia is a 6 ½-point favorite.
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213 comments Add your comment
Joey
December 30th, 2010
4:47 pm
That’s an easy question. Let’s see which Mike Bobo shows up.
.
Ozzie Hanson
December 30th, 2010
4:48 pm
Go Dawgs I have 2 tickets for sale e-me at leotis1551@aol.com
Idiots among us
December 30th, 2010
4:51 pm
Van = Everett = Paul = Joe
Joe
December 30th, 2010
4:54 pm
Godfrey is one cool customer under pressure. Great in the red zone, among the best in the 4th quarter, awesome on 3rd downs and against teams with winning records, bottom line, he finds a way to win games, many of the losses were games he did not start, he will smoke Murray, look for an upset.
georgia’s gonna see what being cool under pressure at QB is all about.
Godfrey is da man.
The Owl of Prophecy
December 30th, 2010
4:55 pm
We’ll win this game, close but a win nevertheless. Richt always wins the game when his back is against the wall. Too bad that $3M p/year doesn’t get Richt in this mode for every game. Time for a change!
JDawg
December 30th, 2010
4:55 pm
“Murray is winless against teams with a winning record. UCF is 10-3. Uh-Oh. Murray plays his best against losing teams.”
********************************************
Oh, Joe, I thought football was a team sport.
Dufus.
UGA dawg til death!
December 30th, 2010
4:59 pm
I can’t believe all these people calling themselves Ga fans are hopeing Richt gets fired. I bet you weren’t talking all that trash when He was winning. Ga will beat UCF. They will beat Boise State. Heck you could take just about any SEC team, ranked or not, and beat Oregon, Boise St, TCU, and the list goes on. Look at Ohio State if you have any questions about the overated teams of the other conferences. The rebuilding that would have to take place if Richt was fired would be catastrophic. Those of you who are fickled fans please go find another team to support. Get on the Auburn band wagon like everyone else.
Starring Kam Fong as Chin Ho
December 30th, 2010
5:09 pm
I’m amazed at the level of stupidity in some of these posts. I hope they are only posting such drivel to get responses. My IQ dropped 15 points just reading some of them.
Grizzly
December 30th, 2010
5:09 pm
Heck, Georgia can’t beat Colorado, they sure can’t beat Boise.
Grizzly
December 30th, 2010
5:10 pm
I don’t see UGA beating Boise States when they cant beat the Coloradoes.
Jerry T.
December 30th, 2010
5:19 pm
This is our “reward” for a 6-6 season. May the New Year bring better results and much hope for next season.
The Owl of Prophecy
December 30th, 2010
5:20 pm
I respect all of you Richt defenders, but tell me what have you seen in the past three seasons that gives you hope/insight/wisdom that things are getting better at UGA? I see complacency, lack of passion, lack of discipline on and off the field, stubborn loyalty to coaches and dead-beat players, and an out-dated pro style offense. I also see a lack of talent evaluation and coaching up. And, I’m not real sure Grantham has a clue. Just my opinion.
JDawg
December 30th, 2010
5:22 pm
Coloradoes?
You are so right, Grizzly, but, unfortunately for the Techies, as bad as we suck, 9 times out of 10, our last game of the year is a sure W.
It’s always nice to look at the schedule most times, and pencil in a couple of wins when you see Vandy and Ga Tech.
Thanks for that.
Lakedawg
December 30th, 2010
5:23 pm
Believe David and Joe both have been in the sauce early for new years. Dawgs will win at least 10 games in 11 and CMR will still be coaching in 2020 against OSU. Write it down, take it to the bank.
The Owl of Prophecy
December 30th, 2010
5:29 pm
OK Lakedawg…what have you seen that makes you think this way? And, I’m fixing to hit the “sauce”.
wait till next year....
December 30th, 2010
5:29 pm
sounds like a bunch of Braves fans from the 80s!
wait till next year….we’ve got ___________ (insert delusional quote.)
here’s a shot of truth for that glass of koolaide….
Richt had the national championship trophy put in his reach when we started the season ranked #1.
The best we could do was Orlando.
All the koolaiders can do is come up with excuses, insults and attacks on people’s “loyalty.”
economy is down….football donations are down….Richt isn’t putting a good product on the field.
UGA needed the 1M donation from the athletic department for survival.
oh…but wait till next year…………just wait…..he’ll show em……
dawgit
December 30th, 2010
5:35 pm
From #2 in the nation in 2007 to trying to salvage a winning season in the final game. My how we have fallen.
The Owl of Prophecy
December 30th, 2010
5:36 pm
wait till next year…right on! Being head coach at UGA and making $3M p/year is not an entitlement. We expect results, not 6-6 seasons.
Fulltime dawgfan
December 30th, 2010
5:40 pm
Does anybody know of any good blogs where people actually talk football instead of crying because things havent gone their way
Joey
December 30th, 2010
5:43 pm
I like Mark Richt. I support him. I do think he is crazy as hell to not go out and hire a true OC. But I am sick and tired of reading posts that imply that criticism of Richt makes one a little less of a Dawg fan, than folks who kiss his ass!
He ain’t Saban. Or Myer. Or even Miles.
He can’t beat UF, unless he has 3 of the top 30 picks in the NFL draft on his offense (’07 – and not counting freshman AJ Green).
We can’t even be assured of beating Vandy, KY, and others that used to be sure fire wins for UGA. Lately, the only new “1sts”, that Richt’s teams have accomplished generally are bad ones:
1st UGA team to lose to Miss State in what, 20+ years?
1st UGA team to lose a homecoming game to KY, ever?
1st UGA team to lose 4 in a row since, the Goff era?
1st UGA coach to lose to three different coaches? (soon to be 4!)
1st UGA coach to not beat a winning team in a season?
Richt goes 6-6 and states, “no staff changes.”
He is the SEC coach with the longest tenure, yet he hasn’t even sniffed a SEC East title in 5 years.
He got beat by a pathetic Colorado team who then lost 7 straight games, and whose coach got fired before the season was over.
He and his staff made almost $1 Million per win in 2010. Good job, boys.
And, by the way, I am as big a UGA fan as there is anywhere.
Joey
December 30th, 2010
5:44 pm
. . .3 different UF coaches . . .
LLUGA
December 30th, 2010
5:48 pm
@waittilnextyear and owl
Shame on you for buying into that pre-season #1 ranking…that’s your fault, not Richt’s.
UGA did not need $1 mil for “survival” … give me a break…you don’t even know what you are talking about.
You two are the biggest kool aid drinkers…expecting NC every year, SEC titles, and BSC games every year…give me a break…go pull for the Heat or Lakers or Patriots…just quit watching college football, because your expectations are unrealistic.
The Owl of Prophecy
December 30th, 2010
5:48 pm
Fulltime dawgfan, it’s called mamby-pampy land.com you jack waggon. We are talking football.
The Owl of Prophecy
December 30th, 2010
5:52 pm
Thanks LLUGA, you’re correct, I do expect us to contend for the SEC and NC every year. Why not? Other teams such as FL, AL, OSU, etc. do…why not us? I think we deserve it based on what we pay for GEEF, season tickets, alumni, and the $3M we pay our coach. What do you think?
Jiggy Smaha
December 30th, 2010
5:58 pm
Joe is a dumba$$….and a Tech poser….but I am repeating myself…Dawgs win ugly….but they win. Game will be played in heavy rain. Richt will save his job or lose it between tomorrow night and Sept. 3. He has to tigheten the ship and should start by putting Caleb King’s sorry a$$ in the road….he needs to get a couple of mean and ready JUCO D-linemen and a stud running back recruit—and a wide receiver—and let them play. And he needs to allow Grantham and Coach T to do whatever it takes to show the spoiled brats Georgia has recruited that they have to work to stay and play.
rx-dawg
December 30th, 2010
6:02 pm
Are you kidding? Quit with the “Dream Team” talk….we are behind in almost every single game changer in the state? Who exactly do you think we are getting? Ray Drew isn’t coming, Xzavier Ward isn’t coming, Crowell isn’t coming, Xzavier Dickson isn’t coming, Quan Bray isn’t coming….so who? What top level recruit are we getting? Lemay and his questionable character? I’m sorry, but we already have a QB and backup…third string ain’t helping with 6-6. Our recruiting will be the downfall of Richt. I think he has the talent to coach, but he can’t get a lot of talent to come to Athens to work with. Before any of you start off on oh he got x-number of first round picks, there are a lot of schools who generate a lot of first round picks that don’t win titles (OSU comes to mind) or finish with losing records when they lose top level players (Texas this year). It happens elsewhere, but we don’t aren’t at the recruiting level of those schools, so more extended downtimes are expected.
MR Shouldn't Have...
December 30th, 2010
6:04 pm
Let BVG leave in foul mood because he was being underpaid. The Dawgs have never been the same since
dawgit
December 30th, 2010
6:08 pm
UGA annually has top 10 recruiting classes. Surely we have enough talent to be better than 6-6.
AltamahaDawg
December 30th, 2010
6:18 pm
Odd that 7-6 is “albeit barely” a winning season, but apparently 6-7 would not be “albeit barely” a losing season.
When somebody speaks about having a winning season, is it not inferred that it was barely? Isn’t that the point of saying…. a winning season. Nobody refers to 10-3 as a winning season even if that is also the case. “albeit barely” was making an albeit redundant point.
UGA recruiting in 2008 and 09 and the FIX
December 30th, 2010
6:20 pm
UGA last year and the prior year before last, did not produce solid recruiting. 2009 was in particular very bad. We signed about 17 kids and they are just fair. That class was ranked in the top 20s. The prior year included Marlon Brown and one or two others, like Brandon Smith and Ealey that inflated the ranking for 08. These last two in particualr have really not done a thing for UGA yet, beyond Brandon’s SC TD scamper in 09. His fumbles have hurt us more than he has helped us. See KY in 09. Ealey also hurt us with his 09 AND his 2010 fumbles that have driectly led to about 5 UGA losses. He did however, play well in the GT game in 09, he did quite well . He has badly hurt UGA with his off the field antics too.
In the frosh class from two years back, the only kid that has delivered so far is Aaron Murray, who will be a red shirt soph in 2011. He is it in that class of 2008. The rest were apparenlty vastly over rated.
So, in conclusion, UGA and Richt have not delivered solid recruiting in about 4 or 5 years.
That fact is why we were awful in 09 and again in 2010 and why we may be awful in 2011. UGA has not gone after BIG BOYS for BOTH lines of scrimmage and we are seeing the direct result of that reality. We cannot run nor can we stop the run. THIS is why UGA is so awful. Fix this and UGA will be fine.
I see a track meet vs UCF or is it FIA or is it USF?? UGA 32-29 UCF
Go Dogs.
Headley Lamar
December 30th, 2010
6:22 pm
UGA had i think the 4th best record in the country last decade.
Thats pretty dang good.
AltamahaDawg
December 30th, 2010
6:23 pm
“Richt had the national championship trophy put in his reach when we started the season ranked #1.
The best we could do was Orlando.”
Aside from your obvious lack of knowledge about college football and the nature of polls….wouldn’t that also not be true of the last 2 coaches of preseason #1 SEC teams?
UGA Offense coach ?? Hmmmmm??
December 30th, 2010
6:28 pm
Anyone think that UGA would go grab the Fridge? He supposedly IS an offensive minded coach and with a year or two recruiting, he might be just what we need.
Bobo? Oh, he can coach QBs ……………. or he can leave UGA because …………….no one else ………………no one else has even bothered to contact him, nor has his name even been in the rumor mill, he is so bad. THAT says it all.
Ralph Friegden would be an immediate Offensive side up grade for UGA.
Go Dogs.
Dan Mullen
December 30th, 2010
6:34 pm
Well since a couple of you guys are against me coming to Athens, consider Brain Van Gorder. Man that Atlanta Falcons defense is the REAL DEAL. I bet you Dawg fans miss BVG right about now !!!
It is a strange year for college football coaches
December 30th, 2010
6:40 pm
If McGarity sees a lethargic UGA squad and we lose the Liberty, would he pull the plug on CMR right in the middle of recruiting? One year lost due to a sudden firing does not make a university. See Auburn. TT got canned and then Coach AL Capone came in, had his one break in year in 09 and then, went out and a had a fabulous class and look at them now. It happens all over college football folks. See Maryland.
MR being dumped after a Liberty Bowl loss? McGarity I think, has seen all that he wants to see and now might make us ready to reenergize all spring and summer for Boise State with a decision. UGA loses and it could SUDDENLY be very, very ugly for the bulk of UGA’s coaching staff.
Frankly, while viewing the last WSB TV show with Chuck Dowdle and CMR, Richt’s eyes I thought were very telling. He looked exhausted and like a big case of BURN OUT. He looked like he had just had THE TALK with AD McGarity to me. He could not make eye contact with Dowdle. If I am wrong ………………….then I am wrong.
Just a thought.
Go Dogs
UGA class of 71 & 73
Brian Van Gorder
December 30th, 2010
6:40 pm
Dan Mullen,
Last time I checked I was still pretty sore at UGA because they paid me chicken scratch…I like the NFL better anyways
Brian Van Gorder
December 30th, 2010
6:45 pm
Also, I’m too good of a coach and way too under appreciated by UGA fans to ever work in athens again. I’m plenty happy doing my part to help the Falcons make a run at the superbowl hopefully for years to come
dawgit
December 30th, 2010
6:50 pm
I would think Van Gorder would have his sights set on being an HC in the NFL some day. Sounds premature now; but, if his defense continues to improve and the Falcons have a few more successful seasons, I could see it happening.
I pity the haters
December 30th, 2010
6:58 pm
I can’t even begin to understand how pathetic and empty a persons life has to be when he repeatedly posts on a rival teams message board just to spread delusional lies.
I wonder if it takes a lifetime of failure and being lauged at by everyone around them for these guys to sink to that point or are they just sociopaths? I can understand rivalry but most of the sad sacks don’t have a team they support. I guess its easier and safer for them to just bash the teams happier people who have friends and loved ones like to support. I have been told many of the haters posting here are secretly fans of a certain trade school located in a really bad part of atlanta but I’m not sure if that is true.
Anyway since my own life is a happy one full of people who care for me and that I love I truly hope you miserable pitiable guys manage to make it through this holiday season. There are several free programs to help severely depressed people like yourselfs so you won’t have to borrow more money from your parents.
Nicky
December 30th, 2010
7:10 pm
UGA wins by 17 points or more. The rest of this blog is pure boolsheet.
inside info
December 30th, 2010
7:10 pm
rx-dawg.
wow sounds like you know where all these kids have decided to go even though none of the countless recruiting site or bloggers have that information. You must hang out with a whole lot of teen boys to get all this info no one else has.
Please enlighten the rest of us and tell us where all the guys you mentioned will play next year.
Vince Dooley
December 30th, 2010
7:14 pm
Alright guys, its time for another Dooley to lead Georgia back to the promise land. After my son little Derek fixes Tennessee, he will take over in Athens. We’re bringing the Junk Yard Dawgs back !!!
dawgit
December 30th, 2010
7:24 pm
O.K. Vince, but your Dooley will need to find another Herschel.
Jiggy Smaha
December 30th, 2010
7:45 pm
Vince….your boy has more than he can handle with ACC powerhouse North Carolina right now….
missmollie
December 30th, 2010
7:57 pm
Any year the Dawgs beat the Jackets it is a good year!!! A really good game!!! Good Luck fans, coaches and team… Go Dawgs….
Dan Mullen for UGA
December 30th, 2010
8:17 pm
I will be in Athens this time next year! Go DAWGS!
Liberty Bowl preview: Can Dogs avoid first losing season in 14 years? – Atlanta Journal Constitution (blog) | Dog Store Blog
December 30th, 2010
9:07 pm
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December 31st, 2010
12:48 am
UGA dawg til death!
December 30th, 2010
4:59 pm
—Heck you could take just about any SEC team, ranked or not, and beat Oregon, Boise St, TCU, and the list goes on.—
9/11/10 in Knoxville – 3rd in the SEC East UT 13 Oregon 48
dawgsfalconsbravos
December 31st, 2010
4:59 am
techies 8 of the last 9
aubarn 4 outta 5 (give it 2yrs to go trial and it will be all uga enjoy the w while it lasts, we dont pay our players)
uf you still wear jean shorts and had to get a dawg as a coach cuz urban cryer couldnt handle a losing season due to famiily ha!
DAWGS RULE! all the haters callin for richt’s head look at what his mentor at free shoe u did. you cant be on top every year unless it’s the a-she-she
JB
December 31st, 2010
6:35 am
Mullen signs new deal for 2.6 mil…..Take him off the list…..And I am glad……We can do better….