UGA vs. Michigan State in Outback Bowl; homecoming for Murray, Charles
Georgia and Michigan State, both with 10-3 records and losses in their conference championship games, will meet Jan. 2 in the Outback Bowl in Tampa.
The matchup was set Sunday, one day after Georgia lost 42-10 to No. 1 LSU in the SEC Championship game and Michigan State fell 42-39 to Wisconsin in the inaugural Big Ten title game.
Georgia was among three SEC teams, along with South Carolina and Arkansas, that were in the running for the Capital One, Outback and Cotton bowls.
Orlando’s Capital One Bowl, which had the next choice of SEC teams after LSU and Alabama were tabbed for the BCS national title game, selected South Carolina. The Gamecocks (10-2, 6-2 SEC) finished second to Georgia in the SEC East, but defeated the Bulldogs 45-42 in Athens on Sept. 10.
The Outback and Cotton bowls, equals in the SEC’s bowl pecking order, were next in line to make selections from the league. The Outback preferred the East team (Georgia) and the Cotton the West team (Arkansas).
The Outback, which will kick off at 1 p.m. and be televised on ABC, will be a homecoming for two of Georgia’s top players, quarterback Aaron Murray and tight end Orson Charles, who were teammates at Tampa’s Plant High School.
“Heading home for the Outback Bowl!” Murray said Sunday night via Twitter.
“It’s a great destination for our student-athletes and our fans –- warm weather, wonderful attractions, a first-class stadium -– and we look forward to competing against a great Michigan State team,” Georgia athletic director Greg McGarity said in a statement. “Our fans have been a big part of our success this season, and I’m confident they will support the team with attendance in this bowl game.”
Michigan State is ranked ahead of Georgia in the latest polls, released Sunday. The Spartans are No. 12 in the Associated Press poll and No. 13 in the USA Today coaches’ poll, while the Bulldogs are No. 18 in both.
While Georgia won the SEC East, Michigan State won the Big Ten’s Legends division. Both teams were 7-1 in regular-season league play.
This is the 15th consecutive season that Georgia has reached a bowl. The Outback is a step up in the bowl landscape from the Bulldogs’ destinations the past two seasons, the Independence Bowl in 2009 and the Liberty Bowl last year.
Georgia and Michigan State have met twice previously in football, with Georgia winning both times.
The first meeting was in Jacksonville’s Gator Bowl at the end of the 1988 season. Georgia won that game, Vince Dooley’s last as the Bulldogs’ coach, 34-27.
The other meeting was in the Capital One Bowl at the end of the 2008 season. Georgia won 24-12 in the final college game for quarterback Matthew Stafford and tailback Knowshon Moreno. Stafford threw three touchdown passes in the second half, the last one to Moreno.
“This promises to be a great match-up,” Michigan State athletics director Mark Hollis said in a statement. “The last time these two teams met … the outcome wasn’t decided until the fourth quarter, so we anticipate another competitive game.”
Georgia has played in the Outback Bowl three times previously, winning all three, while this will be Michigan State’s first trip to the Tampa game.
Michigan State seemed on the cusp of a potential game-winning touchdown in Saturday’s Big Ten title game when the Spartans returned a Wisconsin punt inside the 5-yard line with less than two minutes to play. But a running-into-the-punter penalty negated the return and gave Wisconsin a first down, ensuring its victory and a Rose Bowl berth.
Georgia coach Mark Richt and Michigan State coach Coach Mark Dantonio will discuss the Outback matchup in a joint media teleconference Monday. In a news release from the bowl Sunday night, Richt was quoted: “… Playing a top quality opponent like Michigan State will be a challenge we’ll look forward to.”
Both teams rank in the nation’s top five in total defense. Georgia is No. 3, allowing 268.5 yards per game, and Michigan State is No. 5, giving up 272.7 yards per game.
– Tim Tucker
Tell us what you think about the site
Customer Care »
Vacation stops, manage subscriptions and more
AJC Services
Sections
Other Editions
Visitor Agreement | Privacy Statement
© 2013 The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
522 comments Add your comment
Cuz
December 4th, 2011
9:18 pm
What conference championship did Tech play in this year?
Hahahahahahaha?
Eric C.
December 4th, 2011
9:18 pm
Nothing against the Spartans, they are a great team, but I was really hoping for the Cotton Bowl…the same Big Ten/SEC matchups gets old…heck, UGA just play MSU 3 years ago and that was a snoozer. UGA vs an OU or K-State would be a lot more interesting…oh well.
TampaGator
December 4th, 2011
9:18 pm
Supes……
The Cap-One Bowl has to take the SEC runner up unless another SEC team that is available is higher rated in the BCS…..therefore South Carolina. And….to be honest….I think they are the better team right now…but not much better. And they blasted the team going to the Orange Bowl….but what good team didn’t….even Tech did. You have to be rated in the top 14 to get a BCS Bowl. Cotton….they took Arkansas because they are higher rated in the BCS…..and they are in Arkansas and will bring more fans to the Cotton Bowl. Therefore, Georgia in the Outback. But I bet you the Outback most likely tried to get Georgia and Florida to switch…..because Florida guarantees and sellout in the Outback…..Georgia does not. And I think more Georgia fans would head down to the Gator……but that would have been a slap in the face for Georgia.
Flounder
December 4th, 2011
9:19 pm
Where are my mighty Yellow Jackets going? I sure hope its Boise,Idaho..we love that blue carpet!
Cuz
December 4th, 2011
9:19 pm
What is CMR’s lifetime against Tech?
Hahahahahahahahahah?
SkyDawg
December 4th, 2011
9:20 pm
Sucks Tech’s in the Sun. I’ve always liked watching that game.
TampaGator
December 4th, 2011
9:21 pm
richmond Dawg…..
You are probably right….but Muschamp will get it turned around. The Florida coaches just met with Marshall in his home….and Davis decommits……I wonder??????? But probably not. But maybe.
ray
December 4th, 2011
9:21 pm
we got to beat mich state.. we better NOT lose this bowl game. No excuses.. I want to see us beat a ranked and quality team. We SHOULD beat Mich State.. I don’t like the current system but no one cannot say that the best two teams are playing in the BCS NC. I have friends and a boss that are ok state fans.. as they put it.. beat iowa state after being up 24-7 then there is no debate ok state–no out of conference quality wins. none. Bama smashed up penn state. Beat high ranking arkansas. If ok state played lsu in the championship game.. it would be like what we saw last night.. an ugly ugly 2nd half. Come on dawgs.. lets go.. lets beat up a spart
JB
December 4th, 2011
9:21 pm
The Sun Bowl is a great place to have a Fish Fry, just say’n.
Outback is better than being just out back splitting firewood with NO NY Day bowl to go to
December 4th, 2011
9:21 pm
UGA is at the ground floor with this team. We are building and pointing toward 2012 and 2013. We need to win this bowl …….so that next year in pre season, we get some pollster love and we can make a run, as the season unfolds.
Our 2012 schedule is set and all we have to do is play some ball. Either Crowell sucks it up and grows both in maturity and physicality or he goes home to mow lawns for the county work farm …………eventually. It is entirely up to him.
UGA needs to win the Outback Bowl and recruit some major kids at the last minute with two good to really good backs to augment R Samuel and Boo Malcome and Crowell and get about four or five BLUE CHIP O linemen for depth and we will be good to go.
Gooooooooooooooooooooo Dogs. My son and I will be attending the OUTBACK because it will be better than being out back and splitting firewood for January.
Goooooooooooooooooooo Dogs
UGA class of 71 & 73
GATA
December 4th, 2011
9:22 pm
Memo to ESPN: No one outside the states of Alabama and Louisiana want to see or hear one second of hype about the “re-match.” So just shut the hell up about it and we’ll tune in Jan. 9th.
And Go Dawgs! Get win #11 and go get some running backs so we can win the SEC next year.
Cuz
December 4th, 2011
9:22 pm
So, in conclusion or I could throw more gas on the mound, it is infinitely (Tech concept) better to be a Bulldawg fan than a Jackets fan.
Hate on gnats. It is all you have.
richmondDawg
December 4th, 2011
9:22 pm
@Spartan Fan..the two teams seem very similar this year, which either works out to be a very good or a very boring game, depending how things shake out on the field….That one game against Wisconsin was a lot of fun, and those two teams were very similar that year, so who knows what we will get a month from now? Sometimes the layoff makes for a sluggish first half, and both teams are coming off deflating losses in their championship games….
SkyDawg
December 4th, 2011
9:23 pm
DawginaTruck and SkyDawg fry fish on the day of the Tech game since turkeyneck made his remark. Maybe we’ll fry fish on Dec. 31 in his honor.
Eric C.
December 4th, 2011
9:24 pm
GATA, Amen
Raiderbeater
December 4th, 2011
9:24 pm
This bowl match up is actually better than the possibility that we were going to play Houston….
burrdog
December 4th, 2011
9:24 pm
Any truth to the rumors about Bama coming off our schedule next year because of Missouri joining the East?
JB
December 4th, 2011
9:25 pm
I thought the two CBS guys were going to have organisms when LSU started coming back in the second half. They were in disbelief in the first half and were “begging” them to get their act together……..Making excuses for them as the Dawgs were stuffing them every play. I don’t get it.
JB
December 4th, 2011
9:26 pm
Yes burrdog…That’s what I’m hearing also…
jack bull
December 4th, 2011
9:26 pm
UGA vs MSU, sounds about right. Could’ve faced Nebraska or K-State also, all three of those teams are about the same as UGA. Facing Nebraska would’ve been fun, just from a ‘traditional’ view.
I’m just anxious to see if H Mason gets some serious play time in the bowl game. I’m telling ya, the kid is good. Richt needs to give him a lot of snaps, just to show him not only do we need him here, but that we want him here..Then they’ll be a serious QB controversy(which in my opinion there shouldn’t be).
Sun Bowl will be very scary
December 4th, 2011
9:26 pm
If I were Gt fans attending the Sun Bowl, I would order every meal from room service. No walking on a ridge or a mountian peak for me. Can you imagine dining out side and hearing car backfires? With obama selling guns to drug lords on the Tex / Mex border, GT had better hope that the Sun is played in doors. No way would I walk the El Paso streets at night.
WoW! Danger, danger GT fans. GT will be looking to run their bow loss streak to 6 or 7 in a row.
Go Green
December 4th, 2011
9:28 pm
Stay home UGA…….If Georgia would rather play in the Cotton Bowl, or if Sparty (or the Big Ten) is tough enough……………decline the bowl bid and stay home.
JB
December 4th, 2011
9:28 pm
If it’s gun fire and danger in El Paso, Tech folks will feel right at home.
Camino Real
December 4th, 2011
9:28 pm
MSU 42, UGA 10
Bye bye, dawgturds!
Hit A Single
December 4th, 2011
9:29 pm
The Tacos are good at Taco bell in El Paso.
JB
December 4th, 2011
9:29 pm
MSU ain’t man enough to beat us…..Ask Pat Dye
TampaGator
December 4th, 2011
9:31 pm
RichmondDawg…
I just read about Davis on ESPN….says he decommitted “because of misunderstanding with the coaching staff.” I wonder…….if you go to Tennesee for a visit….maybe you are not really committed to the Gators…..so maybe we are not committed to you……maybe that was the misunderstanding. Matt Jones is not visiting anyone. Muschamp has clearly stated that he only wants players who want to be Gators first……5 star or 3 star…..does not matter. I like that….and it will pay off in the long run. So, Mr. Davis, enjoy getting beat my the Gators in the future….up there in Rocky Top.
Skitty Fritty
December 4th, 2011
9:31 pm
TampaGator:
I think two more players just left the program. As a Dawg fan, I hope you keep Muschamp for a long time.
jack bull
December 4th, 2011
9:31 pm
Hey JB, i was at the game and was wondering how Vern and Danielson were doing? I watched the replay this morning on CSS and they Bob Neal(who was HORRIBLE) and Buck(who along with E Zeier on the radio broadcast, sounded a little preturbed with A Murray), so I didn’t get to hear the CBS guys. They made it obvious, huh?
Hit A Single
December 4th, 2011
9:32 pm
How in the heck does Va. Tech get to go to the Sugar Bowl? This BCS thing is a mess. Oh yea I forgot they think they will bring a crowd and that is what it is all about. If I would have had to sit thru one more TV timeout at the GA. Dome yesterday I think I would have ran on the field. TV, as much as I like watching games is killing college football.
James
December 4th, 2011
9:33 pm
@TampaGator
You left out the score from the Georgia game this year.A lot of difference in the two teams with the main one being that Muschamp is in way over his head.
Skitty Fritty
December 4th, 2011
9:34 pm
The Plain Truth
Fact 1 – UGA has been to 4 SEC Championship Games under CMR
Fact 2 – UGA has won 2 out of the 4 SEC Championship Games under CMR – better than 50:1 odds
You are a Moron!
01HAWK
December 4th, 2011
9:34 pm
2011 CAP ONE BOWL
BAMA…………………………………. 49
MICHIGAN STATE………………….7
Let’s see what the PUPPIES do to hold up the SEC NAME.
We beat them so bad it was hillarious.
I can see steaks falling from the sky!
December 4th, 2011
9:35 pm
Congrats Dawgs on the Outback and a very good season. Let’s start the New Year with a big win against Sparty! I live in Tampa, so hoping to see lots of y’all down here and cheering on the Dawgs.
Hit A Single
December 4th, 2011
9:37 pm
The Plain Truth – Richt is twice the coach Chizik is. Let’s measure Chizik after a few years. Anybody that let’s Crowell and Thomas run for a hundred yards a piece, I have my doubts about. Auburn was terrible this year.
katherine
December 4th, 2011
9:37 pm
stop whining about the outback bowl…there are plenty of teams who arent going to a bowl game at all…..we should just be happy and go out with a win!
Hit A Single
December 4th, 2011
9:38 pm
I really enjoyed my trip to Tampa last time. Great win over Wisconsin and beautiful place. Also I really liked Raymond James Stadium.
katherine
December 4th, 2011
9:39 pm
Camino Real
December 4th, 2011
9:28 pm
MSU 42, UGA 10
Bye bye, dawgturds!
Really? how old are you….12
Hit A Single
December 4th, 2011
9:39 pm
Boise State should have been in the Sugar Bowl.
UGAAlumnus
December 4th, 2011
9:40 pm
Go Dawgs!
ray
December 4th, 2011
9:40 pm
burrdog.. yep bama coming off the schedule. Our schedule is set up perfect for another 10+ wins next year. we play buffalo, fla atlantic and ga southern,, ol miss, vandy, kentucky, tenn, a down fla team. Our only tough game is going to be SC. we look easy for 10+ wins.
Cuz
December 4th, 2011
9:40 pm
TampaGator is one of the good guys. No need to slam they guy just because we won one. Wait til we win two in a row.
Cuz
December 4th, 2011
9:41 pm
I want to sit in the Pirate ship.
Ga Tech Old Timer
December 4th, 2011
9:41 pm
Congratulations UGA on a good season and getting to play for your conference championship. The better team won – just like between us – but what the heck, there’s always next year we can all look forward to doing better. Good luck in Tampa – represent the state well. I have a feeling it won’t be as nearly as boring as some of your supporters think. See you in Athens next year!
Hit A Single
December 4th, 2011
9:42 pm
Someone please tell Coach Johnson that there is a sell on sunscreen at Wal Mart.
Old Dawg
December 4th, 2011
9:42 pm
Frankly, “wheather” isn’t a word. The word you’re searching for is “Whether,”
As for Georgia Southern, it’s doubtful it could beat UGA this year. The Eagles have come close to beating a D-1 team in the past, but it’s never happened. Georgia Southern has tried numerous times to schedule a football game with Tech and the North Avenue has wimped out, though it has played Furman, Jacksonville State and many other 1-AA schools.
Funny thing, if Tech did host Georgia Southern the Flats would be packed with folks from South Georgia and Georgia Southern alums in the Atlanta market. For the record, when they play other 1-AA teams the gate is low. Hell, it can’t even sell-out a game against UGA!
Georgia State won’t schedule Georgia Southern, another opportunity for a great gate. Instead of buying ads on TV and in the AJC to sell tickets, Georgia State should play a home and home schedule with Georgia Southern and get a great crowd in the Dome and experience the great game day atmosphere in Statesboro. The two schools already play in every other sport.
The only rational explanation is that they, like Tech, have difficulty accepting the fact that they could lose to Georgia Southern.
For the record, since Erk resurrected the program in the 1980s, the Eagles have won 6 national championships (in a 16-team play-off) and have been in the finals two other times.
Frankly, there isn’t a college team in the state with a post-season record even comes close to that of Georgia Southern. No, it wouldn’t beat Georgia. But the school’s record in 1-AA speaks for itself.
TampaGator
December 4th, 2011
9:42 pm
Skitty Fitty…..
Me too….as that will mean the Gators are winning championships.
The two that just left, left for the following reasons:
1. Josh Shaw….backup safety….not a great need for the Gators. His grandfather is very ill. He loved the Gators and living in Gainesville….and the coaches. But his family needed him back home in California. He left for that reason only.
2. Lyden Trail…..3rd team DE and never saw the field in two years as a Gator. Would not have played next year either. He loved the Gators, but the coaches told him he had a better chance of playing at a smaller school. Headed to FIU or Florida Atlantic, I believe.
jack bull
December 4th, 2011
9:43 pm
Was at the Outback Bowl when we faced Wisconsin, boy did they have a good band! Nice stadium. And Tampa has a whole lot of ‘Gentleman Clubs’…
Cuz
December 4th, 2011
9:43 pm
Thanks Old Timer. Some of us remember the old days of pulling for the other in state school when we were not playing them. Some, not many.
PMC
December 4th, 2011
9:43 pm
I’ll say this, I’d rather be in Tampa on the beach than anywhere near Orlando if I were actually attending the game. Much better stadium too.