Georgia vs. Nebraska in Capital One Bowl (UPDATED w/ comments)
(Updated 10 p.m.)
A day after coming up five yards short of a trip to Miami for the national championship game, Georgia’s football team learned Sunday that it will play a bowl game in a different Florida city.
The Bulldogs (11-2) will play Nebraska (10-3) in the Capital One Bowl in Orlando on Jan. 1 in a matchup of the losers of the SEC and Big Ten championship games.
While Georgia lost the SEC title to Alabama 32-28 on the final play of a stirring game, Nebraska endured an embarrassing 70-31 loss to Wisconsin in the Big Ten title game.
The Capital One, which holds first choice of SEC teams after the BCS games, had been rumored to be considering Texas A&M and its Heisman Trophy candidate, quarterback Johnny Manziel. But after Georgia’s strong performance against Alabama, the bowl opted to take the Bulldogs, who dropped from No. 3 to No. 7 in the final BCS standings released Sunday night.
Notre Dame and Alabama remained Nos. 1 and 2, respectively, and will meet in the national championship game on Jan. 7 in Miami. Alabama survived an SEC title game that saw the lead change hands five times and ended with Georgia on the Crimson Tide’s 5-yard line as time ran out.
Florida moved up to No. 3 in the BCS standings Sunday and, as the second highest ranked SEC team, will go to the Sugar Bowl to play Big East co-champ Louisville.
Other BCS games will match Pac-12 champion Stanford vs. Big Ten champ Wisconsin in the Rose Bowl, Big 12 co-champ Kansas State vs. BCS No. 4 Oregon in the Fiesta Bowl and ACC champ Florida State vs. Mid-American champ Northern Illinois in the Orange Bowl. In the latest controversial chapter of BCS history, Northern Illinois (12-1) received a BCS berth by being ranked in the top 16 (No. 15) and ahead of at least one champion of an automatic-qualifying conference.
After Florida passed Georgia in the rankings, UGA was locked out of a shot at a BCS game because of a rule allowing no more than two teams from a single league to get BCS bids, a rule that Alabama coach Nick Saban sharply criticized after beating the Bulldogs. Saban called it “a crying shame” and “ridiculous” that Georgia would be excluded from a BCS invitation.
Actually, Georgia appeared in danger of falling farther down the bowl pecking order than the Capital One. But that’s where the Bulldogs landed after some late scrambling among bowls triggered by Northern Illinois earning a BCS berth at the expense of Oklahoma.
“If we weren’t going to be in a BCS game, this is the location we wanted to be,” Georgia athletic director Greg McGarity said Sunday night.
But McGarity added, “There’s no question — there’s absolutely no question — that we are deserving of a BCS bid. … There’s no question we played great the last half of the season and just to see the way we laid it on the line (Saturday) proved that we’re right there along with the best in college football.”
Capital One Bowl CEO Steve Hogan called the selection of Georgia “an easy decision” in the end.
“No offense to Texas A&M,” Hogan said. “I think they’ve had a fine first year in the conference, a 10-win team. And we have an opportunity to get an 11-win division champion, a few yards away from a national championship.
“The most important thing to our committee was, Georgia deserved this trip. And we’re fortunate to have a team, really, that is of BCS quality.”
After the Capital One selected Georgia, the Outback, which had the next pick from the SEC East, chose South Carolina to play Michigan. And the Cotton, with the next pick from the SEC West, chose Texas A&M to form a marquee matchup against surprisingly available Oklahoma.
The Capital One Bowl will be played at 1 p.m. on New Year’s Day in Florida Citrus Bowl Stadium and will be televised on ABC.
Georgia coach Mark Richt said he foresees no problem in getting the Bulldogs to bounce back from the disappointment of losing the SEC title game and their national championship aspirations.
“I think playing Nebraska is going to get everybody’s blood pumping,” Richt said. “There aren’t many teams in the history of Georgia football that have ever won 12 games in a season and it’s going to mean something to them. I know our guys want to finish on a high note.”
Georgia and Nebraska have met only once previously in football. Georgia lost to the Cornhuskers 45-6 in the 1969 Sun Bowl in El Paso, Texas.
This will be Georgia’s sixth appearance in the Capital One Bowl. The Bulldogs are 3-1-1 in the Orlando game, most recently defeating Michigan State there at the end of the 2008 season.
In Saturday’s loss to Wisconsin, Nebraska’s defense allowed 640 total yards, including 539 yards rushing. Against Alabama, Georgia’s defense surrendered 512 yards, including 350 rushing.
– Tim Tucker, AJC
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
841 comments Add your comment
Orange12
December 2nd, 2012
9:20 pm
NIU vs FSU in the Orange Bowl. I wonder if they have a mercy rule in a BCS Bowl?
Delbert D.
December 2nd, 2012
9:21 pm
The nonsense will continue until there are four 16-team conferences in the top division.
JB
December 2nd, 2012
9:21 pm
hit a single…………Only 4 or 5 wackos who post here want to fire Richt. Please. There were 118 D1 teams Saturday night wishing THEY were playing to get in the NC. This class coming to Athens will bw top 3 and the entire offense is coming back, plus many defensive backups. Dawgs will be fine and in the hunt. AU/Tenn a train wreck, Fla getting better, Carolina losing their entire defense. We will probably be in the Dome next year, round 2 against Bama.
Thouse
December 2nd, 2012
9:21 pm
You don’t see why fans want Richt fired? It’s his 1-11 record in a big games.
JB
December 2nd, 2012
9:22 pm
I think LSU/Clemson will be interesting……LSU will win
JB
December 2nd, 2012
9:24 pm
grantham better work on stopping the run in the off season. Everyone ran on us this year. 11-1, but gave up a lot of rushing yards.
Truth Teller
December 2nd, 2012
9:24 pm
Georgia fans don’t want to get rid of Richt. The pretenders and haters do–they are tired of getting beat by his teams.
STUDENT ATHLETE
December 2nd, 2012
9:25 pm
PLEA TO UGA FANS – DON’T GO. LEAVE THE FREAKIN PLACE EMPTY.
JB
December 2nd, 2012
9:26 pm
Like to see a poll of Tech ticket holders who want Johnson gone. My guess, 75%.
Thouse
December 2nd, 2012
9:26 pm
Nebraska has the #8 rushing offense.
UGA has the #88 rush defense.
Look for Nebraska to win a high scoring affair, maybe 60-30.
Beast from the East
December 2nd, 2012
9:26 pm
Orange12
December 2nd, 2012
9:20 pm
NIU vs FSU in the Orange Bowl. I wonder if they have a mercy rule in a BCS Bowl?
——————-
Have fun selling that one out. The Semis are all depressed because they found out for about the 10th year in a row that they are NOT “back”. And how many tickets will NIU be able to sell? The Orange Bowl crowd will mirror the ACCCG in attendance. Could be the first time they have to break out the tarps for a BCS game. Good times….
hit a single
December 2nd, 2012
9:27 pm
Really, I want somebody to tell me why you need to name a National Champion? When I was growing up it was barely mentioned. You had tie ins with conferences to certain bowls and had some great rivalries. You had a good year and went to a Bowl and it meant something. Now Bowl games mean very little. I still enjoy going to them. It is kind of like a vacation and we need to keep them as a reward to the players and coaches. But we need to get back to providing good matchups and forget this BCS crap. It is going to kill college football. I saw more empty seats this year than I have ever seen in stadiums.
Delbert D.
December 2nd, 2012
9:27 pm
I’d rather watch Georgia vs. USC and Tech vs. Nebraska. Surely that can be arranged within the rules.
UGA Alummy
December 2nd, 2012
9:27 pm
After Nebraska husks UGA corn in a bowl nobody gives a fat damn about, will Richt throw another little girl hissy fit if somebody axes him a quirstun he don’t like? WWJD, Marky? (Hint: You ARE a choker, Richtus.)
JB
December 2nd, 2012
9:27 pm
I mean REAL Tech people. Not the ones on here who are still living at home at 30 eating Mama’s cooking still looking at Girlie mags.
Seriously?
December 2nd, 2012
9:27 pm
UF, I apologize for the comment, dude. It was in bad taste..
My bad.
pure still an idiot, though
Armydawg
December 2nd, 2012
9:28 pm
Shame on UGA for accepting this bowl bid and shame on the SEC for not getting UGA in the Sugar. What a crock of crap!
no name
December 2nd, 2012
9:28 pm
Bama loses to Texas A&M and drops one position, GA loses to bama and drops out of the top 5 that is fucked up.
THE TRUTH
December 2nd, 2012
9:28 pm
What a bunch of [crap] bowls. UF vs Louisville… Stanford vs. Wisconsin… N. Illinois vs. FSU… all of those games are a joke. UF, Stanford, and even a crappy FSU team will roll in all 3. And meanwhile you shaft teams like UGA (the 2nd best team in the country… sorry Notre Dame, you’re still overrated) and Oklahoma. What a joke.
Truth Teller
December 2nd, 2012
9:28 pm
Thouse, and who is your team? Coward won’t say? Exactly…
BCS Bowls Ain't All That Anyways
December 2nd, 2012
9:29 pm
Tech lucked up getting USC in the Sun Bowl…even though they’ll get killed at least they aren’t playing..um..NORTHERN ILLINOIS!
Rad
December 2nd, 2012
9:29 pm
Ga got screw. It should be Bama and the dogs for it all. I am a Bama fan.
uh huh
December 2nd, 2012
9:29 pm
hit a single…you just hit a home run. good post
JB
December 2nd, 2012
9:31 pm
Who is Carolina playing?
uh huh
December 2nd, 2012
9:31 pm
no name, how’d that f bomb get past the censors? you must work for the ajc. you’re classless, that’s for sure.
GDAWG65
December 2nd, 2012
9:31 pm
Yes we need the playoff system. But we also need competent officials. The SEC officials are the worse. Good thing they weren’t in the SECCG the ACC aren’t much better if any.
Thouse
December 2nd, 2012
9:32 pm
Bowl Prediction?
1. Murray throws his Bowl average 2.5 interceptions
2. Grantham’s D gives up 300 yards rushing
3. Nebraska wins 60 to 30.
Only 1 or 2 UGA fans left who are happy with Richt’s 1-11 record in a big games.
Big Crimson 75
December 2nd, 2012
9:34 pm
These BCS Bowls look weak.
The anti-SEC crowd got there wish & this is the result.
N. Illinois getting a nod over UGA, LSU or A&M is a crime.
It’s a crime, I tell ya!!
?????
December 2nd, 2012
9:36 pm
Flo-ri-duh… South Carolina beat Georgia and beat them bad, they also had the same record, 10-2. So the way you see it, South Carolina should be ahead of Georgia in the bowl picture? Not trying to stir you up, just asking.
JB
December 2nd, 2012
9:37 pm
Aren’t most of the people in Illinois in prison?
The King
December 2nd, 2012
9:37 pm
CMR put me in my place for sure, wow. I am a coward BTW
JB
December 2nd, 2012
9:38 pm
Georgia playing Carolina last night would win by 21
Delbert D.
December 2nd, 2012
9:38 pm
@hit a single “Really, I want somebody to tell me why you need to name a National Champion? When I was growing up it was barely mentioned.”
When I was growing up, the polls were final before the bowl games. The AP figured that games played 5 weeks after the end of the season didn’t count; they were exhibitions. Also, Notre Dame did not allow participation in bowls. The Big Ten allowed participation only in the Rose Bowl, and the Big Ten teams could not play in the Rose Bowl in consecutive years.
hit a single
December 2nd, 2012
9:39 pm
?????? – UGA lost only one regular season game. You shouldn’t be penalized for a loss in the SEC Championship. Good question but that is just the way I see it.
dave
December 2nd, 2012
9:40 pm
as far as bcs goes we would have been better off not playing for sec championship. gators were in a can not lose situation. this is what happens when it is about money and trying not to hurt smaller colleges feelings. only way to get it right or close is a 8 team playoff system…..
Defense wins Titles
December 2nd, 2012
9:40 pm
BCS aka Bulldawg Cheating System. Period.
UgaDawg97
December 2nd, 2012
9:41 pm
I am so tired of not being able to win big games. Now we get a team that just gave up 70 to WISCONSIN in the Mickey Mouse Bowl. What a joke.
Thouse
December 2nd, 2012
9:41 pm
Grantham Defense in the last 8 games against ranked teams has allowed:
32, 9, 35, 33, 42, 45, 35 points
In 7 out of 8 of Grantham’s last games vs. ranked teams, his defenses gave up between 32 and 45 points.
So 90% chance Nerbaska scores at least 32 points on UGA, after all, EVERY team except Florida has scored at least 32 points on Grantham.
And Richt/Murray duo are 0-7 in his last 8 games vs ranked teams when the other team scores 30 points or more.
NEBRASKA WINS.
Delbert D.
December 2nd, 2012
9:42 pm
If’s and but’s. If South Carolina had run the table after their loss to LSU, Georgia would be in a BCS game. With this system, that’s what you get.
Truth Teller
December 2nd, 2012
9:43 pm
???? the problem with that logic is that Georgia beat Florida, but Florida crushed the same SC team. That is why we have rules that evaluate the whole season. The SEC rules are much fairer than the bowl rules. Remember, too, that UGA played a harder schedule, having the extra game and playing the tougher overall schedule with Bama instead of LSU. It isn’t exact, but it works fairly well (the SEC rules). Finally teams are dynamic. UGA has improved a lot. Maybe SC has too, I don’t know.
Ga8tor
December 2nd, 2012
9:43 pm
It was a great game. And as good as Georgia was, they still lost…again. It’s is beyond getting old. And it will not be getting any better for GA. Florida is back and SC out plays and coaches you too.
playmeortrademe
December 2nd, 2012
9:44 pm
The BC$ really is killing college football….or at least the bowl system, as it was surely designed to do in the first place.
There would never have been a problem if the media didn’t insist on recognizing two major polls, the AP and UPI. Of course, E$PN has also done its part by constantly focusing on the national championship picture and politicking for teams.
hit a single
December 2nd, 2012
9:44 pm
Delbert -yea I just remember the great USC, Ohio St. UCLA, Michigan in the Rose Bowls. The Sugar was great with the SEC teams vs the great Penn St., Pittsburgh, Notre Dame games. The Cotton Bowl with the Longhorns, the Razorbacks against other SEC schools. Man what some great Bowl Seasons! Oh yea how about Pepper Rogers Kansas Jayhawks and the Sooners against them Hurricanes or Seminoles in the Orange. Man the BCS, TV and ESPN has screwed up all of it.
Thouse
December 2nd, 2012
9:45 pm
Anyone know, has Murray ever led his his team to a Bowl game win? I think he’s 0-2 in Bowl games, to go along with his 1-11 record vs. ranked teams.
Murray also likes to throw pick 2-3 interceptions in bowl games.
Erk Russell's Dog
December 2nd, 2012
9:46 pm
@Thouse
About your prediction LMAO.
Nebraska gave up 70 points and 595 yards rushing against Wisconsin .
Delbert D.
December 2nd, 2012
9:46 pm
Bo Pellini publicly apologized to the Nebraska fan base, declaring the season a failure. How does that play in trying to get the team up for a bowl game?
UgaDawg97
December 2nd, 2012
9:46 pm
Stop the whining. We had our chance and Richt and Murray blew it. Yeah we beat UF, but the Cocks beat us. Plus UF beat LSU, the cocks, Texas am and FSU. We had a chance to seize a moment and didn’t. Good, well coached teams do that. Richt sucks…bottom line.
Erk Russell's Dog
December 2nd, 2012
9:46 pm
I will say it again Lou Holtz is a friggin tool.
Gator
December 2nd, 2012
9:47 pm
No name…. You said what everybody’s thinking. Until there is a playoff system in place, there will always be controversy. Football is the biggest sport sanctioned by the NCAA, and football is the only NCAA sanctioned sport where the championship is not decided by a tournament or playoff. Go figure.
Good luck to all SEC schools in their bowl games .
Ckgator
December 2nd, 2012
9:47 pm
No complaining about the officials, Dawg fans. You had multiple breaks all year:
-First, when the SEC handed you that schedule
-when Florida handed you the ball 6 times (and would have won had it only been 5)
-when the refs called that game heavily in your favor
-and last night… the “tipped pass” that wasn’t and the overturned INT on the final drive
It appears “being 5 yards away” is now part of the Georgia vernacular. The world owes you nothing. It was here first.