(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
841 comments Add your comment
seabass
December 3rd, 2012
10:17 am
Brian, an Notre Dame did! Notre Dame played a hard schedule? Which was what, Navy in Scotland? Or could it have been that triple overtime win against that power house Pittsburgh. Scary! It could of been that dramatic win against 7-5 USC, without there QB. You must be an Auburn fan.
Al
December 3rd, 2012
10:18 am
Nothing wrong with Ga’s schedule?!? 1 win against a ranked team?? Why should you get a BCS game with 1 win over a ranked team?
SteveW
December 3rd, 2012
10:18 am
Notre Dame has played how many current BCS Top 10 teams?
Ohio State has played how many?
I rest my case
ARdawg
December 3rd, 2012
10:20 am
anon1
you are not worthy of honest, open frank football discussion. You are a tech troll and a hater. Now put your little weenie away and get out of the sandbox
SteveW
December 3rd, 2012
10:21 am
The win was against current ranked #3. Also smashed an 8-4 Vandy team 48-3.
Beat the ACC division winner 42-10 also
ARdawg
December 3rd, 2012
10:22 am
On the schedule discussions, Tech was twice as soft as UGA’s yet, we won 11 games. Any of you morons that want to cry soft schedule are whinny little crybabies that don’t know football or shyte from shinola
Joey D
December 3rd, 2012
10:25 am
ND didn’t lose any games, no need to dissect thier schedule.. Don’t be bitter bc Ga had a great team and lost TWICE!! Just be grateful you didn’t have to play the good teams in the West like us and Carolina did.. We’ll hold down New Orleans for you, take care in Orlando
Hail Varsity: Hot Reads: Orange Blossom Special
December 3rd, 2012
10:27 am
[...] what about Georgia? Coach Mark Richt had this to say in his Sunday night teleconference: “I think playing Nebraska is going to get everybody’s [...]
ARdawg
December 3rd, 2012
10:27 am
Joey D
Quit trying to make your team look bad. Accept your blessing and at least try to struggle with Louisville for posterity
anon1
December 3rd, 2012
10:28 am
Well ArDawg, I just asked a question about run defense, what crawled up your butt? And for Flo-ri-duh, Northern Illinois beat Buffalo 45-3. It all boils down to 11-1 with their first loss being by 1 to Iowa in their first game.
ps: haven’t said anything about Tech, this isn’t a Tech blog ARDug.
SteveW
December 3rd, 2012
10:28 am
Joey D – now that is idiotic logic.. Never dissect 12-0 teams schedules? That’s just stupid
Joey D
December 3rd, 2012
10:29 am
What’s Richt’s record in big games? Stop trying to downplay the disappointment
DwayneL
December 3rd, 2012
10:29 am
Those dogging Chick-Fil-A bowl…..LSU will be playing a highly ranked opponent in Clemson which will help greatly in final polls of year. Is Nebraska ranked?? NO they aren’t!
SteveW
December 3rd, 2012
10:30 am
So Uf played Alabama this season? When?
DwayneL
December 3rd, 2012
10:30 am
UGA is 2-13 against top 10 teams. You should be used to losing big time games by now. LOL GEAUX TIGERS!
David Hull
December 3rd, 2012
10:34 am
I was at a Holiday party at at restaurant in Chicago and had to go to the bar to get up-dates, or down-dates on the Big-10 Blowout. I am a huge Husker fan and am screaming for Bo’s job. This was absolutely the most pathetic performance I have ever witnessed by this team. I agree with all the UGA Fans that this is a meaningless accomodation. I am absolutely stunned that Nebraska is even playing on Jan 1. The reason NU is even in this bowl game is becuase they travel welland will drop alot of money in the local economy. I will still root for the Huskers, however I know UGA will still be victorious. Nebraska cannot hang with SEC teams. I just hope and pray the “Bama knocks the snot out of Brian Kelly and the Notre Dumb-ers. I am not even remotely a fan of that organization and have even less tolerance for the supposed “fans”. Good Luck, UGA Faithful. Merry Christmas and Happy New Year.
ARdawg
December 3rd, 2012
10:34 am
anon1
But you are a tech troll. Posts like this are a dead give away;
Nebraska could not stop Wisconsin run game so “Gurshall” should run wild. Hopefully they won’t change their name to “Marley” before next year by hanging around with some of the smokers at GA.”
Bama gashed us with their running game. That’s no secret. They aren’t the only ones to do that this year. Bama has gashed everyone this year including A&M. 350 yards is shameful but, it is what it is, Captan Obvious
Joey D
December 3rd, 2012
10:37 am
Nope, but only lost once and beat A&M and LSU (both of which would’ve prob beat Ga). More than one win vs a ranked team- 4, i think. You’re very passionate, Steve. Can I assume you were one of the “fans” who rolled and egged your QB’s house?
True Nebraskan
December 3rd, 2012
10:40 am
UGA fans will be crying even more after they lose to us then what are you going to say o wish we could of played someone else. well you all need to stop your crying you suck you lost and you will lose to Nebraska
ARdawg
December 3rd, 2012
10:41 am
Joey D
If both A&M, LSU would have “probably” beat UGA, why didn’t FL? You had your opportunity and couldn’t get it done for the second straight year. Guess what? You won’t next year either. Your dismissed. Go troll elsewhere, Moron
Joey D
December 3rd, 2012
10:42 am
Haha even when Ga beats UF, UF still wins
ARdawg
December 3rd, 2012
10:42 am
True *cough* Nebraskan
42-10
anon1
December 3rd, 2012
10:44 am
ARDawg- Never did like the stupid name combination comparing them to Herschel. How do you combine the stats of two guys to compare them to one heisman guy? Never saw Alabama do it for their two guys.
How many guys were suspended for pot this year? That’s why I used the Marley reference. (You know, Bob) Now if UGA was in Colorado, would it be ok to smoke pot?? These are questions to make you think, not to put down the University.
Red Stick
December 3rd, 2012
10:46 am
DwayneL
December 3rd, 2012
10:29 am
“Those dogging Chick-Fil-A bowl…..LSU will be playing a highly ranked opponent in Clemson which will help greatly in final polls of year. Is Nebraska ranked?? NO they aren’t!”
Nebraska is ranked 16th in the BCS and 23rd in the AP poll.
Geaux Tigers
Go SEC
JIMBOB
December 3rd, 2012
10:49 am
I’m a GT grad, but I’ll gladly state that GT should do the right thing and give up this bowl bid and let Louisiana Tech take its place.
I have no reason to think that SC would not wipe the floor with GT, and this is really the right thing to do.
Dawg Medic
December 3rd, 2012
10:50 am
@put in timeout…Blah Blah Blah and Dunb Bass Both Are Probably Tech fans and want to comment on something that they don’t know nothing about; football.
ARdawg
December 3rd, 2012
10:50 am
anon1
If you knew the back story to the “Gurshall” you might not look so stupid for wondering that. Coined by a teammate and the duo liked it. These are kids here anon. I suspect you’ll see both of them developing their own identities in the coming years.
I got the Marley reference and know what you meant. To my knowledge there were two. One claimed to eat a brownie and the other was proven to be innocent and in the wrong place at the wrong time. Both paid the harsh penalty for it. Why would either of these be issues to discuss on a football blog? Unless of course, you are a tech troll
SteveW
December 3rd, 2012
10:52 am
I’m not sure of the pont. We beat UF and the point is what exactly? How is UF a subject on this blog?
UFs Coach is even from UGA.
anon1
December 3rd, 2012
10:56 am
What a “touching” back story. Yes, they are kids who the “fans” hold to a level far beyond what should be. The expectations of the fans put so much pressure on them that it leads to things like the incident in KC. Have you read some of the posts about “kids” on recruiting blogs for UGA, Tech or any other teams. Fans who spend most of their time denigrating 18 year olds because they didn’t pick their team. Look within yourself.
shankit
December 3rd, 2012
11:02 am
N. Illinois is obligated to buy 17,500 tickets for the Orange Bowl.
Their average attendance this year at home was 16,500.
This bowl game could break their budget.
ARdawg
December 3rd, 2012
11:09 am
anon1
You’re all over the place aren’t you? Are you taking meds?
Yup, I have read them. What are you looking for from me, an apology? You want me to apologize for all the idiot bloggers on ajc? Okay anon1, I apologize for all the idiot bloggers on ajc.
Now will you continue to connect the incident in KC with all of college football, all of college football fans? The recruitment process or just the idiots who denigrate kids on a blog? (pssssst, He was a professional football player, not a college player. Keep that under your hat FYI)
ZMan
December 3rd, 2012
11:17 am
Funny thing is, nothing stops the BCS bowls from making exceptions to their rules. They’re just sour grapes over the switch to the playoff format at this point. If anything it just proves how broken the system is.
No SEC fan should be surprised about getting bad/nocalls against Bama though. That’s just to be expected at this point.
McDawg
December 3rd, 2012
11:18 am
no disrepect to Louisville BUT id rather play Nebraska
Columbia SC Dawg
December 3rd, 2012
11:18 am
@ Put in Timeout by Ken Sugiura,Filtered by Mark Bradley, Banned once by Bill King & Chip Towers but only slightly loved by Jeff Schultz. You are a goddamned fool, maggot.
ATLien
December 3rd, 2012
11:28 am
I love these Tech idiots on the UGA blogs talking smack. Get a life, and a real football team.
Speaking of the jokes by Coke. They somehow get a pass on the rules so they can go to a bowl game. Which they don’t deserve by any reasoning. However, the Dawgs are held strictly to the rules, and don’t get into the BCS, which they do deserve. Well, atleast it proves that the Techsters aren’t as smart as they proclaim….if they were they would understand the simple math of .500.
Orlando Dawg
December 3rd, 2012
11:44 am
I love the Capital One Bowl…fire up the motorhome and Go Dawgs! 12 win season, Just Do It! Great season Dawgs! UGA and Bama are the top two teams in the country!
dbldawgdare
December 3rd, 2012
11:46 am
BCS = bull crap series
Yella Britches
December 3rd, 2012
11:54 am
Capital One Bowl ??????? HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHA
How the mighty have fallen….
HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA
Calvin
December 3rd, 2012
12:04 pm
The BCS(Bull Continuous S#!T) shouldn’t have dropped Georgia that low in the BCS standings especially not after playing for the SEC Championship.
Biggest Dawg
December 3rd, 2012
12:25 pm
Bottom line folks…this tean deserves our support…get on down to Orlando and yell!
RawDawg
December 3rd, 2012
12:34 pm
I rather play Nebraska than earn the ‘honor’ of playing in the Sugar Bowl… against Louisville. LoL
Had UGA somehow made the BCS game, that would have been an even bigger insult.
Georgia vs. Nebraska in Capital One Bowl – Georgia – Dawg News
December 3rd, 2012
12:37 pm
[...] here: Georgia vs. Nebraska in Capital One Bowl ← Back to Home Tags: big, bulldogs, capital, football, game, georgia, kick, met, [...]
Stephen
December 3rd, 2012
12:46 pm
As a former NCAA offical or “ref” as it is being refered to here, you can see alot more on TV that you can actually see on the field. Watching replays on TV, I saw at least four different cases of offersive holding committed by Georgia linemen that went uncalled. I saw at least two cases of offensive holding by Alabama uncalled. My point is, calls are missed every game. Having the resourses of a T.V. set gives viewers a different view than can be seen on the field. All the crews I’ve worked with take the job serious and call the best game they can. Sometimes they miss things. One of the things we were were taught was to watch the quarterback after an interception. How that call was missed, I don’t know.
aldawgfan
December 3rd, 2012
12:47 pm
I am tired of “DAWG FANS” bad mouthing Coach Richt and this coaching staff. Just who in the hell do you think you can get to win 10 games a season and a chance to play for a title? I bet there are several teams in the SEC who would be GLAD to have him….Auburn…Arkansas…Tennessee…Kentucky. Until you write his paycheck…..SIT DOWN! I’m a proud “Dawg Fan” and I LOVE the coaching staff….and if were a true fan you would not mouth off about the team or the coaches!
Loving it!
December 3rd, 2012
12:54 pm
Enough Said.
Oconee Dawg
December 3rd, 2012
1:23 pm
Lake Oconee Dawg 1964 that was a great year! Yes, we wuz screwed big time. The DAWGS should be in the BCS scramble………….. everybody except FL fan thinks sooooooooooooooo…!
astrouga
December 3rd, 2012
1:27 pm
Really, after the national title game, does anyone care which bowl we end up in, as long as it is a good opponent? Nebraska is a program with great tradition (at least as many bowl appearances as UGA, and at least 3 valid national titles).This will be a good bowl game to watch. One of the better match-ups probably.
The ten or so regulars complaining about the bowl, UGA, the players or coaches should take it elsewhere. No one agrees with you anyway.
GTSteve
December 3rd, 2012
1:30 pm
First of all Great Seaon for the Doggies, and yes you were robbed on the Bowl game….No sane reason that UGA is not in the Sugar Bowl
john Hicks
December 3rd, 2012
1:30 pm
Interesting the headline for this article Os Georgia and Georgia Tech , but no information on GT , Ga. journalist forget what city they are writing for , maybe the AJC needs to move to athens .
Truth
December 3rd, 2012
1:41 pm
If anyone really cares. The over/under on NI tickets to the Orange Bowl has gone up. NI is giving away tickets to the game to it’s students. The over/under went from 1,000 to 1,001