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
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522 comments Add your comment
THE Dixie Redcoat Band
December 5th, 2011
10:34 am
We Don’t have a running game and the Spartans know it!!!
Mobile Dawg
December 5th, 2011
10:37 am
Malcome looked like he will fill part of the bill, Samuel should be back, and Carlton will be servicable. That should be enough running game to keep them honest. We will have our hands full with State.
Troof
December 5th, 2011
10:39 am
SPARTANS! PREPARE FOR GLORY!
Frankie
December 5th, 2011
10:45 am
Crowell is a joke…he should have been taken out in the first qtr. He can not block does not know the blocking assignments, and is tip toeing to theline when given the ball. Compare him and thomas, thomas runs much harder.
UGA does not have the KILLER INSTINCT and that comes from the COACHES. when you let up on a good football team you give up the game.
Frankie
December 5th, 2011
10:47 am
How is it that the Freshman RB at LSU is so much better than UGA. that kid was a beast in between the tackles.. Boykin won’t get in his way again…
USC
December 5th, 2011
10:51 am
Great that South Carolina was picked ahead of Georgia for the Cap One Bowl!
Tater Tot
December 5th, 2011
10:53 am
At least TampaGator will get to go to the game and cheer on the Dog’s
TampaDawg
December 5th, 2011
10:55 am
Mobile Dawg
December 5th, 2011
10:37 am
Malcome looked like he will fill part of the bill, Samuel should be back, and Carlton will be servicable. That should be enough running game to keep them honest. We will have our hands full with State.
——————————————–
Agreed, the running game may have enough for this game, but going into next year, it’s back to being the biggest question mark. Would have loved to be a fly on the wall (that speaks english mind you) for the in home visit that CMR and CMB made to Keith Marshall’s house Sunday.
Red Stick
December 5th, 2011
10:57 am
Miles voted UGA 10th in the Coaches Poll.
Geaux Tigers
Go SEC
evil empire
December 5th, 2011
11:04 am
if LSU isn’t recruiting the kid, uga shouldn’t be either…learn from the masters…the state of Georgia is full of running backs every year…just like the state of Louisiana…what happens after they get to Athens and Baton Rouge is two seperate things however…you CMR lovers really need to think about this contract extension for your head coach…rebuilding after his 11th season, not reloading???…really???
gdawginkalamazoo
December 5th, 2011
11:05 am
Bama should be playing LSU, South Carolina should have a better bowl than us after that second half egg we laid and I hope we beat the Spartans. They are a tough team that never quits or lets up during the 60 minutes. Geaux Tigers will it all.
Regarding the RB’s. I watched football all season and sit there watching all these RB’s breaking off TD runs of 40 yards or running over people to gain the tough frist down. Then I watch UGA football and wonder why the heck can’t we have a RB like that?
If Grantham is around next year we should be in good shape if we can find a running game and special teams coach.
Red Stick
December 5th, 2011
11:05 am
Jarvis Jones was the only freshman or sophomore to make the 2011 AFCA FBS Coaches’ All-America Team. Orson Charles also made first team.
Alabama had 4 players named as well.
Geaux Tigers
Go SEC
Red Stick
December 5th, 2011
11:09 am
Correction: Bama had 5 players make the team.
evil empire
December 5th, 2011
11:09 am
is LSU recruiting Keith Marshall??? doubt it…surely there is a kid in Georgia you wouldn’t have to beg to go to UGA as a running back…quit groveling at the feet of these 5 star high school kids…and quit signing these class a and class aa high school superstars…they have built their resume’s on the backs of bag-boys and weekend grass cutters…
Dogs Smell
December 5th, 2011
11:14 am
Here comes another ranked team playing Uga which means a 4th loss.
DawgNation2010
December 5th, 2011
11:20 am
I hope Richard Samuel will be back for this bowl game.
Red Stick
December 5th, 2011
11:24 am
The Los Angeles Times is reporting that UCLA is targeting former Falcons Head Coach Jim Mora Jr.
Geaux Tigers
GO SEC
Atlanta Gator
December 5th, 2011
11:28 am
The Dawgs need to bring their A-game to Tampa. The Spartans are motivated and angry after they were passed over for a Sugar Bowl bid in favor of their rival Michigan, who they beat in the regular season.
BTW, I’ll be cheering for the Dawgs on January 2nd, since my alma mater is not playing Division I football for the rest of the 2011 season.
: (
ole dawg
December 5th, 2011
11:29 am
crowell go visit another school and CMR let him go now and get a 6′5″ 275lb RB in GA that has the desire to go to UGA and can and will play hurt as he did in high school.
TampaDawg
December 5th, 2011
11:39 am
@Atlanta Gator .. thank you and that last line was some real funny stuff .. we said the same thing last year about this time.
@Red Stick .. you are by far one of my favorite “trolls” on here. Appreciate your classy posts and respect for the program. Pulling for LSU to finish the deal, which I am sure they will.
TampaDawg
December 5th, 2011
11:40 am
@Dogs SmOKED YOUR TEAM .. hatred over getting beat is very unbecoming, but we have come to expect it from you
hahahahahahaha
December 5th, 2011
11:50 am
told you that you guys were going to get whipped. absolutely drubbed. nice try puppies.
hahahahahahaha
December 5th, 2011
11:51 am
silly puppies thought they had a chance to win.
My Tigers owned you!!
1eyedJack
December 5th, 2011
11:53 am
Better to have played and lost than to be GT.
hahahahahahaha
December 5th, 2011
11:56 am
I told you I would be back!!!!!!! Where are you big talkers now??
Michigan State has its 1st opportunity ever to beat any UGA team in football history.
December 5th, 2011
11:57 am
Mark Richt played for The SEC Championship Saturday and Sunday he is the # 5-ranked SEC team in Every Single Solitary Poll, playing at 1 pm on Monday in a Bowl Game reserved for the # 5-ranked SEC team, the Outback Bowl, generally referred to as the Consolation Bowl.
Consolation Bowl Michigan State LOST the Big 10 Championship Game and is the # 3-ranked Big 10 team. Both are 10-Win Seasons, but then again so are 26 other teams 10-Win Seasons this season alone.
Michigan State’s Offense isn’t very good, but they have an excellent defense, as do we. Our Offense is better than Michigan State’s.
The difference is that Michigan State returns punts far better than we and they return kick-offs far better than we, but our coach knows what the heck he is doing, ok ? With no special teams’ coach and all walk-ons. Georgia does not stop punt returns well at all, and we are also deplorable at stopping kick-off returns.
Michigan State does not allow sacks and of course, with Aaron Murray, it doesn’t matter if 3 of the senior OL are considered NFL caliber or not, he holds the ball too long and does not show up against any team who ends the season in the top 25, ever. Not once.
0-8 vs teams finishing in the Top 25, Aaron Murray would be a significant part of why Michigan State might put up their only win against UGA in our proud 119-year history. This is because Michigan State is ranked # 12 today and clearly ends the season ranked in the top 25 whether we beat them or not. Georgia is # 18 in the polls.
# 12 Michigan State – 3rd-ranked Big 10 team, lost Champ Game
# 18 Georgia -5th-ranked SEC team, lost Champ Game
Consolation Bowl
Kirk Cousins most likely the more efficient quarterback this day, head-to-head as well. This will be game 9 in a Row where Aaron Murray was NOT CLOSE to being the better quarterback head-to-head vs teams who ended that season in the top 25. He self-implodes in these exact games. He fumbles. He throws interceptions. He gets sacked. He holds the ball too long. He throws the ball behind his receivers. He throws the ball over the heads of the receivers. He has a stellar group of receivers, who will have great success at the next level. But, he hasn’t beat a team who ended up ranked YET, and I will play Albert Einstein and suggest he loses this game too.
The Good News ? Georgia will end up as 1 of the 26 teams this season alone who have 10-Win Seasons, although we shall not have beat ANY of the other 26 teams with 10-Win Seasons this season. We shall also end up ranked for the 1st time in 3 consecutive years now this season, since we are # 18 and figure to drop no more than about 6 places if we lose our bowl game to a team who NEVER in their entire history has EVER beat ANY UGA team at all whatsoever.
Wake me up when he is the better quarterback, head-to-head, on the field of play vs ANY team who ever ends up in the top 25 of ANY Poll.
TampaDawg
December 5th, 2011
12:01 pm
@hahahhaahahahah .. YOUR TIGERS??!?!? Yeah right Tech fan. Nice try.
Fulton Kuykendall
December 5th, 2011
12:11 pm
“The Los Angeles Times is reporting that UCLA is targeting former Falcons Head Coach Jim Mora Jr.”
_____________________________________________________________________________________
He’ll do OK there as long as he avoids the the live radio phone interviews…..
hahahahahahaha
December 5th, 2011
12:13 pm
Tampa Dawg. You are the only one that came back after that beat down.
Sad much on Saturday???
Yeh, your defense is as good as LSU or Bama’s. Riiiiiiight? Pretenders.
SEC West is BEST!
Beneath reproach
December 5th, 2011
12:40 pm
Why don’t we hold an election every year in december to place the correct teams in the NC game. We could run it just like the national elections. We could have head coaches buying tv time to prove that they deserved to be elected. The coaches could hold a couple of debates to convince those sitting on the fence. Imagine the turnout, every four years this election could run concurrently with the Presidential election. This would improve turnout in both elections. If we did this then we would get the democratic process involved so that we could choose the proper opponents.
TampaDawg
December 5th, 2011
12:52 pm
hahahahahahah, you aren’t a Tigers fan you fake. And no, I am not the only one that came back. But if you must know, no I wasn’t “sad much”. Like when me and my LSU buddy watched the game back in 2008 and UGA won, we looked at each other and both laughed and said “regardless, we are still going to Iraq” .. in other words, I can pull for my team, be passionate about my team and talk about them all I want, but my actions don’t affect the outcome of their games and their games don’t affect outcome of my actions. Life went on so much on Saturday that I could only keep track of the game on my phone. Bigger priorities had to be met. And they were.
Danny
December 5th, 2011
12:54 pm
Wonder if Murray will commit another 3 or 4 turnovers against MSU like he did against the last 2 top 15 ranked teams he faced South Carolina & LSU? Except for Murray, we have a great team. When will Richt get tired of losing big games?
Richt
December 5th, 2011
12:58 pm
It all pays the same. Win… Lose… Who cares?
Kerryb
December 5th, 2011
12:59 pm
I love it when you have an all SEC QB going into his Junior year and some dummies want to replace him with the backup. There is a reason why the backup is a backup. The coaches that see them practice everyday make them backups for a reason. You’re talking about a guy as a backup that no notable school was recruiting and UGA jumped on him the last month or so. We were the only big time school that offered him and that’s why he is a backup. If Mason had started that game Saturday against that defense we would not have scored a point. He came in for mop up when LSU’s starters were already out.
Kerryb
December 5th, 2011
1:03 pm
hahahahahahaha , if Tech would have played that game against LSU on Saturday the score would have been 42-0 at the half.
Aaron Murray
December 5th, 2011
1:03 pm
I love mediocre football.
Give me Aaron Murray, only, ever.
old dog
December 5th, 2011
1:07 pm
Yet another example of Crowell quitting again and running his mouth. Before he gets kicked off the team, I hope one of the guys who guts it out every week kicks his butt THEN he gets kicked off! Nothing wrong with freshman mistakes, etc. but a head-case ain’t what we need. He can only do two runs; one to the sidlines, and one (his mouth) at his opponants, the latter who usually have gotten the better of him. I’m a UGA fan, but I’d have liked to see the little honey-badger kick his butt in front of all fans, ours and LSU’s. Think he woulda’ stood a chance against a real football player? I ain’t blaming CMR for bringing him in: who knew? But he is a VAMPIRE as we have heard said before! Sucking blood/life out of a team of folks that try!!!
Danny
December 5th, 2011
1:14 pm
Hey, wonder if Aaron Murray matches his 2010 Bowl game?
2 interceptions, 0 td’s, 50% completions.
Clutch is not his nickname.
33 thrown off or run off already. What's 1 more ?
December 5th, 2011
1:15 pm
Don’t come in here making statements such as All the energy vampires are GONE from the roster.
Whatever mistake it was with each of the 33 already JUST GONE, this coaching staff will never again make these same mistakes in recruiting.
Funny stuff.
Albert Einstein would have a field day with such comments.
Played 3 teams, LOST them all.
December 5th, 2011
1:17 pm
Probably going to be played 4 teams, LOST them all too – leaving us with 4 Losses and 10-Win Season like the other 26 other teams this season alone with 10-Win Seasons.
Clutch is not his middle name ?
December 5th, 2011
1:20 pm
How about Relax is his middle name ?
Calm down.
Slow down.
Give up.
Self-implode.
Wimp-out.
TampaDawg
December 5th, 2011
1:23 pm
Kerryb, couldn’t agree more. People like Danny have no clue what they are talking about. Instead of talking about the real issue, NO RUNNING GAME, they want to point at the QB. Any QB who gets in a game against a defense like LSU with no running game is destined to make mistakes. It’s just football ignorance to keep blaming the QB when there were plenty of holes on other parts of the offense.
Clutch is not his middle name ?
December 5th, 2011
1:34 pm
Oh, I see Central Florida had a great defense ?
South Carolina had a great defense ?
Boise State had a great defense ? Their Passing Defense is barely Top 25.
South Carolina, last year, too, had a great defense ? South Carolina total defense last year was # 52 and their passing defense was # 107.
Arkansas had a great defense last year, too ? It wasn’t anywhere near a top 25 defense.
Missy State’s defense last year was # 53 total defense. That ain’t great either.
Colorado’s defense was # 83 total defense. Good heavens, your EXCUSES NEVER HOLD WATER.
Auburn’s Pass Defense was # 105 last year.
YET, HE LOST ALL THESE GAMES.
Aaron Murray was NOT the better qb head-to-head than ALL THESE QB and he will NOT be 1 pm on Monday in our bowl game, neither. That will be 9 losses in a row to A BETTER QB THAN HE HEAD-TO-HEAD ON THE SAME FIELD.
Try addressing that ? Never mind. You are not capable of it.
old dog
December 5th, 2011
1:42 pm
33,
You’re right….bunches are gone…..get rid of the big-mac-daddy vampire and get a real running back and lets see…..
Jiggy Smaha
December 5th, 2011
1:48 pm
Late to the party today—but . . .
The Outback is a great bowl…The last bowl trip I missed was when we played in Hawaii at the end of the Donnan era and my family and I have loved the trips to Tampa….warm sun..beach…great stadium…Michigan State will be a good opponent….
Crowell needs to be put on the road…he is a cancer…. Tech–you are irrelevent….and I wish the fool from Georgia Southern last night would identify himself because we play the baby brothers next year right before the Tech game and will beat them at least 4 TDs…plus it will provide a good scrimmage for Tech’s high school offense….
slippery rock
December 5th, 2011
1:58 pm
Please Please Please Georgia fans, do not embarrass the SEC with that crappy no class drunken Barking and abusing the Spartan fans.
TampaDawg
December 5th, 2011
2:03 pm
“Try addressing that ? Never mind. You are not capable of it.”
Try addressing the fact that you haven’t made your point.
Aaron Murray versus Stephanie Garcia twice. Neither time can you make a valid point that Garcia was the better QB
Aaron Murray versus Kellen Moore. Moore was the better QB but as a fifth year senior, that’s to be expected.
Aaron Murray versus Cam Newton. The guy won the heisman and was the first pick in the draft. Again, it was to be expected, although Murray was hardly at fault for that game and as far as a passing QB goes, Murray was far superior to Cam’s play. But Cam’s rushing ability was second to NOBODY as a QB goes.
Aaron Murray versus Jordan Jefferson. PLEASE?!?!?! If you think Jordan Jefferson outplayed Aaron Murray, you’re as incompetent as you are ignorant.
The fact is, Aaron Murray could have thrown for 400 yards and 5 TDs but as long as UGA lost that game, your no QB knowledge self would have blamed Murray for it.
How about the lack of a running game? How about the holes in the O-line? But no, to you it’s all the QBs fault. Somehow the people paid to analyze the game and coach the game are ALL wrong and you are right.
GET OVER YOURSELF! YOU HAVE NO VALIDITY TO YOUR POINT BUT THE PRECIOUS FEW OF YOU CAN’T SEEM TO FIGURE THAT OUT!!!
proud
December 5th, 2011
2:03 pm
Has anyone seen the 2012 schedule? Dawgs will be back!!!
UGAY " Nuff Said"
December 5th, 2011
2:03 pm
Enter your comments here
MonstaDawg
December 5th, 2011
2:08 pm
@Clutch is not his middle name ? ..
You hate the QB, we get it. But that doesn’t make your idiot opinions right now matter how many numbers you throw at it. But I guess the other 10 players on the field all played a perfect game in each of those losses you brought up right?