Mark Richt, Bo Pelini discuss Georgia-Nebraska matchup in Capital One Bowl
Georgia coach Mark Richt and Nebraska coach Bo Pelini were each flown to Orlando on Thursday by the Capital One Bowl for a news conference to preview their teams’ matchup in the Jan. 1 Bowl. Following are some of their comments from that session:
NEBRASKA COACH BO PELINI
On being selected for the Capital One Bowl:
“We’re excited. I know I can speak for everyone and say that we’re excited to be coming back to Orlando. We’re coming to a first-class bowl game, great hospitality, great city of Orlando, and the opportunity to play a tremendous football team, one of the top five, top couple football teams in the United States. So we’re looking forward to the challenge, a great football game and a great trip for our team and our fans.”
On a return trip to the Capital One Bowl:
“Having some familiarity with the surroundings, the hotel, everything. One thing I can say from my appearance last year is that the folks at the Capital One Bowl do such a great job. They’re so organized. They made it easy on us. It’s first class all the way. We’re looking forward to it.”
On the possible distractions of playing in Orlando:
“I don’t think it’s a distraction. There’s time for work and then there’s time for play. Going to a bowl game is a reward, a reward for a lot of hard work that’s gone into it, a lot of sacrifice. I think we do a good job of balancing that.”
On playing Georgia:
“I know Coach Richt from my time in the SEC, watched him on film a lot. I have a lot of respect for their program. I know they’re a tremendous football team, very talented football team and they’ll be a great challenge for us.”
On rebounding from the Big Ten Championship Game loss:
“It’s not the first time we’ve gotten hit in the mouth. Everybody who plays the sport of football, or plays athletics, goes through a tough time. The way you’re defined isn’t by what happens to you, but the way you react to it. Our guys are looking forward to the next opportunity to go out there and play. The opportunity to play against Georgia is great.”
On stopping Georgia’s running game:
“There not the first team we’ve played and they’re not going to be the last that has a good running football team. We’ve played enough of them this year, physical running backs, physical groups up front. We’ll be ready for it. We won 10 games for a reason. It’s not easy winning ten. We’ve got a tremendous challenge ahead of us to try to get 11.”
GEORGIA COACH MARK RICHT
Opening statement:
“It’s good to be here in Orlando. We’re very thankful to have the opportunity to play in the Capital One Bowl. I think going into the SEC Championship game I know I wasn’t thinking about plan B, but if your plan B lands you in Orlando and lands you at the Capital One Bowl then it’s a great thing for your program. We’ve been here before. It’s as good, if not the very best, bowl experience we’ve had as a team. Our fans love the opportunity to come to Orlando. I think our players will enjoy everything. I know our players enjoyed it back in 2008 after that season. I know the coaches’ wives and children enjoy it as well. We’re glad to be here. We know we have a tremendous challenge in playing the University of Nebraska headed up by coach Bo Pelini and his staff. They have some very dynamic players. Martinez is a great quarterback and they have a couple I-backs that are rushing for more than 200 yards a game and we’ve had some trouble with the rushing game lately so we need to make sure we can handle that.”
On the Bulldogs’ season goals:
“I don’t look at the bowl as a plan B, but plan A was to win (the SEC Championship) and play in the national championship. I think our guys like football. I think they like to play the game. I think they enjoy winning and I think they enjoy practicing. We have a lot of veterans on this team that came back for a special and to some degree it is a special year. We didn’t quite get to the mountain top like we wanted to, but these guys still have a lot of pride and they want to go out here and leave our program on a high note and in a first-class manner.”
On Nebraska coach Bo Pelini:
“He always has great defensive football teams. He was a defensive coordinator obviously. Just tough, hard-nosed football. That’s what it’s all about.”
On his Nebraska ties:
“I grew up a Nebraska fan. My mom and dad were born in Omaha, born in the same neighborhood, and grew up together as kids. They started dating and got married in their teens. Most all of their family still lives in Nebraska. Even when we moved to Colorado we were still big-time Nebraska fans. It’s very meaningful to play the University of Nebraska to me on a personal note. Because I’m at Georgia a lot of my cousins are Georgia fans as well and they call themselves ‘Corn-Dawgs.’”
On recruiting in Florida:
“Hopefully there are some young players in the area that watch the game and maybe get to come to the game in person to see us play and like what they see and get excited about Georgia.”
On the bowl time activities:
“I like for our players to enjoy the bowl experience. I want to win and we’re going to have our meetings and our practices set up to where we’re going to get the work done that we need to get done. We try to get it done early enough in the day that they have the majority of the day to go enjoy the events. I don’t mind them going out and having fun; I don’t even look at it as a distraction. I look at it as a reward.”
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249 comments Add your comment
Buckeye
December 8th, 2012
7:56 am
FREE KEN SUGIURA!
G
December 8th, 2012
8:37 am
This bowl game is worthless and a waste of time.
1969 Graduate
December 8th, 2012
9:14 am
Anybody think GTBob attended college?
As much as I badmouth the Trade School it is a “good trade school.” I doubt Bob qualified for admission. Most Trade School guys are at least able to understand that it’s not easier for any team to win their games, or harder, regardless of whether the school is Nebraska, Georgia, or Tech. Bob seems to think 10 games is a given for Nebraska, and for Georgia, but would be a miracle for Tech.
On second thought – I agree with Bob. It would be a miracle for Tech to win 10 games. He’s like a broken clock which is correct twice a day.
Can anyone think of a Tech vs ____ bowl game that would be worth watching?
How ’bout a Tech vs MTSU rematch?
Sorry, everyone, for wasting time on GTBob. I won’t mention him again.
Go, Dawgs!
Alphare
December 8th, 2012
10:22 am
Can you imagine UGA loses this bowl game?
But better than last year’s 3-loss season.
Erin "spike the ball" Murray
December 8th, 2012
10:29 am
It’s the LOSER BOWL !!!!!!
dmr
December 8th, 2012
10:30 am
In the era of the BCS, this bowl game is meaningless in the small picture. In the BIG PICTURE, it gives our seniors a last chance to play as Bulldogs, it gives our players a well deserved reward for a great season, it gives the coaches and their families a well earned vacation, it provides a great deal of extra practice time, and it will give HOPEFULLY us a chance to play a lot of young players on both sides of the ball. The WINNING OR LOSING in this game means very little to me personally. I would like to see Grantham play a number of young and future starters as this team will be replacing almost an entire defense next season. Time to see what the young mutts can do while keeping safe the careers of those leaving the program.
dg58
December 8th, 2012
10:36 am
Forget gtboobie—-He is saying whatever he can truth or lie just to get pub–I reckon the loser is getting it! The rambling wreck is just that—in the toilet—–Ok now for the truth——–Georgia is 11-2 going to a good bowl——–tech is 6-7-tech is a losing team that had to get a waver to even get to a lower bowl—-gtboobie is in denial————-Why doesn’t he spend his time and effort trying to point out flaws with his own team. Tech is Ga’s little brother! The last several years have shown that.-Enough said!
Ramon
December 8th, 2012
10:59 am
there are some great tickets and travel options still available at http://www.realfanstravel.com …i got my SEC Championship game tickets from there and I got my bowl tickets and hotel there as well..well worth a look if you are considering going to support the Dawgs!!
Hairy Dawg
December 8th, 2012
11:54 am
I so mad after leaving Dome last week that I couldnt post for week. With a bunch of loud mouth Bammer rolling turd fans sitting near me I wanted to pop them in nose for all there Krystal Balls comments. Then I get home and watch video where they cheat shots Aaron Murray. That why they won cause refs let them cheats us. But we still almost won despite al the Saban cheating goning on.
We still own East and we fix that Bammer next year. Now we take out punishsment on Corn Pone Husks and Bop Ellini. They getting an embarrassing beating two games in row after giving 70 points to Whiskey. But we got better team than Whiskey and ready to unload whooping can on Bop Elleni and Corn Husk that normally get thrown in compost or refuse after good corn shucked. Corn Husks unlucky to face POed Dawgs that goning makes some pay for Bammers cheating.
GTBob
December 8th, 2012
12:07 pm
Most Trade School guys are at least able to understand that it’s not easier for any team to win their games, or harder, regardless of whether the school is Nebraska, Georgia, or Tech.
So it is just as hard to win 10 games at Kentucky as it is at Alabama? Yeah, that sounds logical. Some schools have natural advantages when it comes to recruiting. Every team in the FBS isn’t on an equal playing field like you seem to think.
GTBob
December 8th, 2012
12:10 pm
I’m surprised the players go as hard for Johnson as they do the way he gets in their faces when things go wrong.
What should he do? Sit them down, give them some tea with a little bit of honey, maybe give them a neck massage, politely tell them what went wrong for the 100th time in a row and then ask them to please play better? Yeah, that sounds like my kind of coach.
GIGO
December 8th, 2012
12:32 pm
This is such a disappointing matchup, but the consequence of losing the SEC championship game. Richt says the right things, but I would imagine that it would be hard to get excited for this game…I find myself completely uninterested in this meaningless exhibition game. Only college football plays meaningless games at the end of the season…what a joke. Too bad we can’t have bowls to start the season and a playoff at the end…Never going to happen…money rules college football, nothing else.
1969 Graduate
December 8th, 2012
12:43 pm
I’ve decided to no longer read posts by GTBob, or posts which seem to be responsive to his posts.
I apologize if that means I miss a meaningful comment by someone responding to trolls, but, as far as I’m concerned, Bob is banned.
I hope intelligent, informed, civil, respectful posters from Georgia Tech, and similar fans of Georgia Tech continue to contribute here. For the most part it’s fine with me to banter about, and engage in the intrastate rivalry with some old fashioned good clean hate.
Go, Dawgs!
DawgNole
December 8th, 2012
12:47 pm
Alphare
December 8th, 2012
10:22 am
Can you imagine UGA loses this bowl game?
But better than last year’s 3-loss season.
______________________
Last year’s UGA season didn’t result in 3 losses.
DawgNole
December 8th, 2012
12:52 pm
1969 Graduate
December 8th, 2012
12:43 pm
I’ve decided to no longer read posts by GTBob, or posts which seem to be responsive to his posts.
I apologize if that means I miss a meaningful comment by someone responding to trolls, but, as far as I’m concerned, Bob is banned.
__________________
I’m sure he’s bitterly disappointed.
Dum-Bass
December 8th, 2012
1:40 pm
The “CAPITAL NONE BOWL” and it means absolutely nothing. They should even call it the “IRRELEVANT BOWL”. As soon as I find out the game time I will schedule my daily nap for that time. ZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZ
DawgNole
December 8th, 2012
3:05 pm
Vinson Laine
December 8th, 2012
1:21 pm
“… as far as I’m concerned, Bob is banned.”
__________________________________________
Apparently DwagNole is under the illusion that he can ban someone. Or that anyone else cares what he thinks.
________________
Apparently Vinson is under the illusion that DawgNole made that comment about banning someone. Better go back and take another look, Vinson, and polish up those reading comprehension skills. The comment was made by “1969 Graduate.” Duh.
In any event, I’m glad you care so deeply about what I think.
kybodawg
December 8th, 2012
3:51 pm
hey gtboob cant get a date can you.
Game Changer
December 8th, 2012
4:27 pm
Alabama vs Notre Dame
No other bowl game matters
Dumbest post I have ever read
December 8th, 2012
6:37 pm
SEC CG AND the school’s prettiest girl
December 7th, 2012
3:52 pm
UGA fought to win the SEC CG and to go and play for the MNC. We lost. That is exactly like the guy in high school, who dated the prettiest girl once or twice and she moved on. It was not to be. UGA had our shot.
My point? Some schools NEVER! EVER have a slight flicker of hope for going to the MNC. UGA had that chance and now, wait till next year.
I Will list some schools that in the last few years have had no shot:
FSU, SC, Southern Cal, California, Washington, Washington State U, North Carolina, Clemson, Va Tech, Miami U, Syracuse, Michigan, Ohio State, Wisconsin, Iowa, Georgia Tech, Texas, Texas Tech, Oklahoma State, Missouri, Texas A&M, Pitt, Notre Dame, Michigan State, Boise State, Colorado, and many, many, many others.
——-
USC, OSU, Miami and Texas have all won MNC’s in this millenium and ND is playing for one this year.
SEC Headlines 12/8/2012 – South Carolina – Gamecock News
December 8th, 2012
9:11 pm
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December 8th, 2012
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JBulldog
December 8th, 2012
10:15 pm
UGA will blow these boys out. I expect 42-10. Just like tech.
Otismyman
December 9th, 2012
1:41 am
My Dawgs gave it all!!! Came up a few yards short. Roll the Huskers and get ready for next year!
LBS
December 9th, 2012
3:53 am
Instead of saying anything against Tech (since I honestly don’t want Tech to be a horrible team every year), I’d like to address issues I have with GTBob and other trolls who spend their time reading blogs for other schools teams. I honestly can’t ever remember reading a blog about who GT is playing in a bowl game,,,, much less comment on it,,,, much less comment hundreds of times on it. I’m not sure what your motivation is. Maybe you are trying to say we have an underachieving team? Maybe you are trying to say that we have a poor fan base? What I do hear you communicating loud and clear is that you are a loser and a poor example of why anyone would want to become a Georgia Tech fan.
GoDAWgs
December 9th, 2012
9:18 am
As a dawgs fan, I’m very proud of their effort this year. We started a tad slow with all the suspensions, but to come back from that dreadful loss against South Carolina and beat the undefeated Gators was a huge accomplishment. The SEC title game was epic, the teams were about as even as you can get. No shame at all. As for Nebraska, I think they are a solid, well coached team. I fully expect them to bounce back from their loss and play UGA tough. My guess is that Georgia will pull through in a hard nose battle.
And GTbob can go fck himself.
MT
December 9th, 2012
9:19 am
With 5 star players at every position, and a coach making millions that is quite an accomplishment.
GTBob,
How come Tech doesn’t have 5 star players at every position and a coach as good as Richt.
Confused at the Georgia Insitute of Insanity
December 9th, 2012
9:25 am
Is Nebraska better than Georgia Tech? I mean Tech is in a bowl right?
MT
December 9th, 2012
9:28 am
Alabama vs Notre Dame
No other bowl game matters
Real National Championship was played last Saturday in Atlanta,GA.
wastedyears
December 9th, 2012
11:23 am
win or lose it doesnt matter ga already let the big game get by them…..yawn
Benny Hodges
December 9th, 2012
11:25 am
To me, this game is about next year; not a conclusion on this year ; that happened in Atlanta. So why not play the team that will be playing in 2013? In this way, maybe we wont be embarrased by South Carolina again.
Sugar bowl
December 9th, 2012
12:09 pm
The capital one bowl is okay. Its a respectable bowl. But it aint the Sugar Bowl.
TDAWG
December 9th, 2012
2:36 pm
You have to win this game. You don’t want to end the season with 2 losses which will put a damper on a good season. We fell 5 or 6 yards short from being a great season but we have to move on. This will set the tone for next year so go down to Orlando and show the nation what SEC football is all about
LogicalUS
December 9th, 2012
6:10 pm
“Got shafted in BCS”
Geez, this is as bad as the loser dawgs crying all summer about “giving 4 TDs to SC”.
UGA didn’t get shafted by the BCS because they did NOT have the resume for a BCS bowl…
Only 7 major conference teams had a lower ranked schedule than UGA at 87th. UF (8), TxAM(10), LSU(13), and SC (18) all had much better resumes than a 2-loss Georgia team.
The harsh reality is that the SEC office can buttercup UGA into the SECCG with every possible schedule advantage but you can NOT pull a Richt and blow it because then that patty cake schedule doesn’t impress anyone nationally. UGA blew their jerry-rigged oppourtunity so not just be glad that the CapOne didn’t want a Neb-SC rematch or you would be in ATL against an ACC patsy.
Taxi Smith
December 9th, 2012
6:10 pm
Nothing against Nebraska, but this is a second rate bowl. Georgia deserves better.
Dr. Husker
December 10th, 2012
12:06 pm
I am an alumnus from Nebraska, but been in SEC country for the past 20 yrs..LOVE college football in general & lots of great, close DAWG fans…while both NEB & UGA lost their last games, and I do think the BCS has been ineffective over the yrs, I think UGA will more than be ready to win a 12th game this season..it’s very very hard in any season to win 11 or 12 games for anyone in reality…Husker fans are unique in that while we expect more than most seasons allow for, we respect our opponents, and in this case, Coach Richt being a Nebraska born guy should explain his humility & softspoken attitude. As for Coach Bo, there’s legitimate concern for those of us tied to NEB football as to his overall abilities as a HC; even with the mid-season blow-out by Ohio St going in to the Big 10 CG NEB was overall 19th rated on defense nationally; what happened in the Wisconsin game was a total SHOCK to HuskerNation..unlike anything I’ve seen for a good team (not great team) in my 50 yrs of supporting NEB. We seem to self-destruct at a crucial time: ex..being last yr’s bowl game vs Spurrier’s So. Carolina team…no excuses for showing up so flat & self-destructing in a CG like we did. The ONE thing about this yr’s Huskers, is they do have ‘fight’ in them..and after the blow-out loss at Ohio St, over-achieved for 6 straight weeks…this yr’s Huskers honestly are not that good defensively yet have their moments…I expect the DAWGS to win this game (I’m a realistic true fan) tho the one thing we have going in our favor is that Aaron Murray seems to have lots of problems beating marquee teams; Not sure we qualify as marquee this yr but anything can happen in one game! Good luck to u DAWGS!
CornhuskerChief
December 10th, 2012
12:31 pm
Nebraska had some bad moments this year…. loss at UCLA was the beginning, exposing the lackluster, and weakness of the Defense, which is a suprise, knowing the Blackshirts historically are tough, even under coach Callihan, The Blackshirts were dominant, this may be the weakest Defense Nebraska has had in 30+ years. the blowout at OHIO and Wisconsin further proved that the Defense has fallen way below the mark.
with that said, Nebraska also has had its high points. Never giving up when being down 2 touchdowns, and its Fast pace Offense with quick scoring under the leadership of T-Martinez and a running back corp of Burkhead, abdullah and Heard. I hope for a good game, Nebraska VS Georgia sounds like a good ol Dirty smash mouth Game. GO BIG RED!
as far as Georgia being shoved aside and snubbed for a BCS game… I dont know about that.. it would be hard to put a 2 loss team ahead of a 1 loss team.. especially with a schedule like this:
vs Buffalo W45-23 1-0 (0-0)
@ Missouri W41-20 2-0 (1-0)
vs Florida Atl W56-20 3-0 (1-0)
vs Vanderbilt W48-3 4-0 (2-0)
vs Tennessee W51-44 5-0 (3-0)
@ South Carolina L35-7 5-1 (3-1)
@ Kentucky W29-24 6-1 (4-1)
vs #2 Florida* W17-9 7-1 (5-1)
vs Ole Miss W37-10 8-1 (6-1)
@ Auburn W38-0 9-1 (7-1)
vs Georgia South W45-14 10-1 (7-1)
vs Georgia Tech W42-10 11-1 (7-1)
vs #2 Alabama*
But Georgia did have a Quality wins.. At Florida, but 2 major losses at SC and Bama. The schedule just isnt worthy of saying that they got snubbed.. they should be happy playing New Years Day Against Nebraska.
OMG
December 10th, 2012
3:00 pm
I watched the SEC game and I wished we had replacement refs officiating the game.
Season Ticket Holder since 1986
December 10th, 2012
3:07 pm
Top Five Teams to Appear in Bowl Games
Alabama
Texas
Tennessee
Southern Cal
T5 GEORGIA
T5Nebraska
GwinnettHusker
December 10th, 2012
5:20 pm
Should be a fun game, go Huskers!
CleahHath
December 11th, 2012
2:33 am
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dawgs01
December 12th, 2012
9:58 am
i get so tired of hearing tech fans say it is the academics cause that is bs. Stanford has three starters on their team from the atlanta area that tech was after vandy has 25 from georgia and tech was in the running from them notre dame has 3 starters from georgia and tech was after them. come up with a different excuse and i came name plenty more and the fans know but they say that to people who follow recruiting to closely and they agree with them. i see who tech goes after or who they choose not to go after. they were trying to get vaughters (middle backer at stanford) and tuitt (dt at notre dame) so hard and loss them and those two right there make your run defense immediately better and there are ton of others.
evansdawg
December 12th, 2012
10:03 am
Absolutely love the 2012 Dawgs! Very proud of them as a team, and the season will be one to be remembered. GATA!
flatsdawg1
December 12th, 2012
11:12 am
I mean, it should be a good game, with both teams looking for respect in the polls and some redemption and sending their seniors off with a win. I for one can’t wait for the playoff system, is it next year or the year after it starts? The Dawgs earned respect in that game, and Alabama is still breathing a sigh of relief we didn’t have one or two more plays in that game. By the way I’m predicting an upset by Notre Dame in the BCS game, two things lead me to make this bold statement, Notre Dame will be much tougher against the run than anybody they have played,especially near the goal line, and Alabama will have trouble defending those little fast Notre Dame receivers+ Tyler Eiffert. Everett Golson. will run too.Should be a hell of a game.Also Dawgs by 13 over Huskers when its all said and done.
BMOC
December 12th, 2012
11:56 am
LMAO
I was scrolling through the posts & keep seeing this GT guy post on our blog. After getting smacked down 42-10 with our 1st team-ers out mid 3rd quarter, you would THINK that they would be on their own blog taking about getting a real coach..lol. But NO, he’s on the UGA blog showing just how stupid he really is. lol
BMOC
December 12th, 2012
11:58 am
4-team playoff starts in 2014 season (yr after next).
Why they are waiting just shows their stupidity.
1776
December 12th, 2012
1:15 pm
I tell y’all what. The Dawgs defense had best be fully prepared for Martinez and Burkhead. Both are better ball runners than any players UGA has faced this season. Bama had a better OL, but Burkhead’s the best RB they’ve faced. Also, Martinez is the fast QB. They’d best come to play or Nebraska will shred them for 300+ yards rushing.
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