UPDATED: MVP Aaron Murray leads Georgia to 45-31 win over Nebraska in Capital One Bowl
ORLANDO, Fla. – Aaron Murray would not say whether he had played his last game as a Georgia Bulldog – Alec Ogletree did, by the way – but whatever he decides he knows he’ll go into his next season off a win for a change.
Murray, a junior who is contemplating early entry into the NFL set a Georgia bowl record with five touchdown passes and threw for 427 yards overall to earn Capital One Bowl MVP honors and lead the No. 7 Bulldogs to a 45-31 come-from-behind victory over Nebraska Tuesday at Citrus Bowl Stadium. Murray was at the offensive controls as Georgia lost its previous two bowl games.
“It was an awesome game and I’m definitely very excited to get a win,” said Murray, who also set Georgia’s single-season passing record with 3,544 yards. “I don’t know what it feels like to go into an offseason with a win, so that in itself feels great. But it was great to get a win for these seniors and great to get 12 wins. As for the future, I don’t know what’s going to happen. I’m just enjoying the moment right now.”
Georgia offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach Mike Bobo said he’ll sit down with Murray to talk about his future on Monday. Meanwhile, Murray said he’d return home to Tampa to discuss his options with his parents. The underclassman deadline to declare for the draft is Jan. 15.
Ogletree, a junior linebacker who led the Bulldogs with 13 tackles on Tuesday, said after the game he is definitely going to make the jump to the pros. He and outside linebacker Jarvis Jones, also a junior, both project as first-rounders. Jones did not announce a decision on Tuesday, however.
The 2012 Bulldogs (12-2) become just the third team in UGA history to win 12 games in one season. They the 1980 national champions (12-0) and the 2002 SEC champions (13-1). Georgia has won 22 games over the last two seasons.
“Well, it’s more fun to win than to lose,” Georgia coach Mark Richt said. “We’d lost the last two (bowl games) and we were getting kind of tired of that. We’ve worked so hard to get better from that 6-7 year (in 2010). We didn’t win the SEC Championship but we certainly performed a lot better . . . and we wanted to win this bowl to prove – maybe to ourselves – that we were one of the best teams in the country. So I’m just thankful for the victory.”
It didn’t come easy. The Bulldogs, who had jumped out to a quick 9-0 lead on an early safety and touchdown, found themselves trailing 31-23 late in the third quarter. But Georgia’s defense limited Nebraska (10-4) to only one second-half score and Murray rallied the Bulldog’ offense.
Murray led them on a 79-yard scoring drive to tie the game. After three straight Todd Gurley runs – the freshman paced the Bulldogs’ with 125 yards rushing and a touchdown — Murray hit Tavarres King on an 11-yard completion for a third-down conversion. Georgia was 12-of-17 on third down for the game.
On the next play, Murray connected with a diving Chris Conley on a 49-yard touchdown pass to bring the Bulldogs within two with 7:26 to go in the third quarter. Georgia elected to go for the two-point conversion and Murray made good on it with laser pass to Rhett McGowan over the middle that tied the game at 31-all.
The game-winning play came with Murray scrambling toward the right sideline early in the fourth quarter. He directed a tightly-covered Keith Marshall to change his route and head toward the end zone down the sideline. He hit Marshall with a nifty back-shoulder throw that resulted in a 24-yard touchdown and a 38-31 Georgia lead with 14:52 to play.
The outcome still hung in the balance, however. Georgia’s defense stopped the Cornhuskers near midfield and forced them to punt. Taking over at their own 15, the Bulldogs faced third-and-12 from their own 13 when Nebraska sent a full-house blitz. But Georgia had a perfect call played – a tunnel screen to Conley, and Murray had the presence to withstand the pressure, avoid a deflection, and hit Conley in stride as he streaked across the middle of the field. Conley ramled 87 yards untouched a touchdown and a two-score lead.
“That was a designed play,” said Conley, who finished with 136 yards and two touchdowns on two catches. “Coach Bobo did a great job on the play-calling, recognizing the house blitz. Murray made that check at the line, made a great throw and all I had to do was catch and run.”
Murray wasn’t sharp early. He threw interceptions on two of Georgia’s first three possessions, including one that Nebraska linebacker Will Compton returned 24 yards for a touchdown. But he was extremely sharp when it mattered, completing 7-of-8 passes for two touchdowns as the Bulldogs’ turned a tie into a 14-point lead.
“It definitely was a tough start with a couple of picks early,” Murray said. “But they were early on and we knew there was a full game ahead of us and we were still in the game. It was great after that second pick to come out and have a nice (75-yard) touchdown to Tavarres.”
Murray’s 427 yards on 18-of-33 passing tied his career record as a Bulldog. The yards, the five touchdowns and the 87-yarder were all Georgia bowl records. He also set the school record for TDs in a season (36) and total offense (3,548 yards) and added to his record for career TD passes (now 95). He narrowly missed a sixth touchdown strike, which King couldn’t haul in in the end zone in the game’s final minutes.
Murray closes out his junior season with 3,893 yards on 249-of-388 passing and 36 TDs with 10 interceptions. After the game, Georgia fans chanted “one more year” to Murray as he accepted his MVP trophy in an on-field ceremony shortly after the game.
Murray wouldn’t say but did let it slip that he is “gonna miss the best fans in the country.”
Whether that’s now or a year from now will be determined later.
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304 comments Add your comment
Paddy
January 1st, 2013
6:40 pm
Jim……..we won you maroon
Kim Bassinger
January 1st, 2013
6:44 pm
@dawglova
Ok I concur about Lamay but I have been around UGA a long time, I played for Korky Kell went to UGA in the day of Herschel confer with my heavy UGA donors/supporters not that that means anything but what I see in Murray is a David Greene great College QB but probably won’t make it in the NFL. Now back to HM I may be totally wrong cause yaneverno but he is spot on accuracy long ball dont know on short and outs. Don’t get me wrong I love AM and hope he stays his seniority, maturity, professionalism and being an outstanding person would probably be best for UGA next year I just don’t see his worth going up in the draft next year he is a first rounder if he goes and that is huge dollars for he and his family. HM is unproven and if he staggers then everyone will start calling him out and want Brice in so it is a carousel ..go figure.
UGA89
January 1st, 2013
6:48 pm
It’s only been a few hours but I’m already missing UGA football. It’s a long 9 months until Sept. 2013.
Murray Please Come Back 2
January 1st, 2013
6:49 pm
Murray’s father is a doctor. It’s not about the money for everybody.
wreckmaniac
January 1st, 2013
6:51 pm
Grantham’s defense is ferocious as long as the offense scores 50.
Knute Rockne
January 1st, 2013
6:53 pm
Why is Mrs. Mason using the handle of 2013? I think her baby boy will be wearing a baseball cap and carrying the clipboard again next fall.
Kim Bassinger
January 1st, 2013
6:53 pm
Even a Doctor doesn’t get a 16 million dollar signing bonus. Depends on what kind of Doctor Family Med 100-150k/year surgeons 200-800k/year his first round would dwarf that. They would clean his house as a Maid.
wreckmaniac
January 1st, 2013
6:56 pm
Richt is getting balder and is gaining weight ? Wait until he is on the UGA sideline with no teeth.
He has this job for life dudes. I mean longer than Paterno at Penn State.
Thatt70sdawg
January 1st, 2013
6:57 pm
Glad for the win, but ready for competition at QB and Hutson has earned the chance. Good Luck Murray- we know you did your best, but tired of the sacks and interceptions in big games.
GwinnettDad
January 1st, 2013
6:58 pm
Easy to see MANY outpatients trying to rain on the UGA victory. 5 TD passes.. Record passing yardage. AM is this, but isn’t that. Yeah, right. DUH! Isn’t there simply a time to shut up, and not show what a fool, a sourpuss, and a poor sport, you actually are? Give us all a break and break you fingers rather than prove youself to be a low class slob.
GJ
January 1st, 2013
7:01 pm
Great job Dawgs, great win
Hairy Dawg
January 1st, 2013
7:03 pm
Murray’s never won a gigantic game, but he’s got as many SEC titles as Stafford. I can’t imagine a return to Athens helping Murray’s draft status. I think he will leave school. He already has his degree.
I’ve criticized him some over the years, but he’s still been a damn good QB for us. I wish him well whatever he ends up doing.
jack bull
January 1st, 2013
7:04 pm
A few observations…
-All of our Jr’s leave to go Pro
-CTG needs to throw out the page where we only have 2 down lineman and 2 rush ends. That alignment is guaranteed to give up 7-8 yards a pop..
-How we’re not recruiting another PK is beyond me!
-All we do under Bobo as OC is score 40+ pts a game.
Go DAWGS! Great season.
dawglova
January 1st, 2013
7:05 pm
Kim B.
I coach qbs and offense at a south metro high school and my comments about lemay were not meant to bash the kid. I met him and he seems to be a very polite and decent kid. I just know for qbs it sometimes takes longer to develop and he just hasn’t grasped it yet. With mason being the heir apparent I think lemay sees the writing on the wall and will transfer.Ramsay will need time so he is a non factor for the next year and a half. Murray will be a steal in the draft for a team like buffalo or kc probably 2nd to third round. With #1 picks being so valuable I think he will wait a while on draft day but folks cannot name 5 better qns in this draft. He will go because of this unless he just feels he has unfinished business at uga.
Smaarticus
January 1st, 2013
7:07 pm
I’d rather lose with Hutson Mason than win with Aaron Murray the techno numbers “it’s all about me” QB.
Smaarticus
January 1st, 2013
7:09 pm
Murray is nothing more than stats in games that don’t count.
dawglova
January 1st, 2013
7:09 pm
Murray is every bit the qb Russell Wilson is and look what he is doing. Murray just needs the right system but from watching him and seeing the recent success of rookie qbs in the league I honestly think he could start day one….again given the right situation.
Smaarticus
January 1st, 2013
7:10 pm
Murray is a friggin joke.
dawglova
January 1st, 2013
7:10 pm
Smarticus please go away. No one on this team could care less about numbers and more about wins than murray
dawglova
January 1st, 2013
7:11 pm
It is you that is the joke.
Brainiac (CMR/UGA Fan For Life)
January 1st, 2013
7:14 pm
@ Soft Coach Soft Schedule:
Just stick a sock in it Knucklehead. Dawg nation is going to enjoy this season for a long time regardles of what you and your fellow INBREDS say!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Soft Coach Soft Schedule = Soft Head = Soft Empty Head = Loser!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
poopdawg
January 1st, 2013
7:14 pm
Assaarticus, WHAT? Jealous?
headley lamar
January 1st, 2013
7:16 pm
It’s sad the way the Dawgs struggled against a team that let Wisconsin score 70 pts. on them.
Coffee Bluff DAWG
January 1st, 2013
7:16 pm
I think Murray probably goes to the NFL now. How could he improve his draft status by staying – he’s got all the tools to make it at the next level.
UGA will be fine with HM – 6′3”, big and accurate arm. UGA will still be a powerhouse on O next yr.
dawglova
January 1st, 2013
7:18 pm
Soft schedule…uga beat #16, #2, #19 and took #1 to the brink. Who else can claim that? And the dawgs can’t be responsible for their schedule. Ask Alabama kids and coaches who is the best team they have played in the last two years.
Kim Bassinger
January 1st, 2013
7:19 pm
@dawglova
I concur! Good wisdom. I wish all the Dawgs the best. I hope AM doesn’t end up like Greene he is such a good kid and he has taken the right steps to major in classes to overcome his psychological issues and it shows on the field. One day they will write a book about him overcoming this. I want him to go first round and get the money for the future however it turns out. I never thought Stafford was that good and was over rated. We all want the perfect elite QB and they are far and few in between. I think it’s time for AM to take his keep in the NFL and let’s go with HM and whatever else we can recruit.
Brainiac (CMR/UGA Fan For Life)
January 1st, 2013
7:19 pm
@ Kim Bassinger:
Now I am in a quandry over whether Murray is a NFL QB or not!!!!!!!!!!
Who should we believe??? You or Multi-Super Bowl winning coach Tony Dungee??????? Decisions, decisions!!!!!!!!!!!!!
dawglova
January 1st, 2013
7:20 pm
Coffee I totally agree. But Mason has an adequate arm. It is not as strong as murrays
Buzz-off
January 1st, 2013
7:21 pm
Hey clowns……that makes 2 ranked teams Murray smashed this year and one was the BCS #2 ranked team. Also both teams were ranked in the top 5 defensively and he set a bowl record against the #1 passing defense in the Nation. P.S. And he was without his 3 top receivers when he set the record today. anyone who bashes Murray automatically identifies yourself as a hopeless moron!!!
Fats G
January 1st, 2013
7:24 pm
Top 5 should be in order and congrats to a very very good year.
ben
January 1st, 2013
7:25 pm
Pitiful game…lackluster…UGA is a joke…they should’ve won by four touchdowns!!!!!!!!!!!!!
dawglova
January 1st, 2013
7:25 pm
Buzz off they already know they are morons. They just won’t admit it in public and wish that they could even properly hold a football. I think a few of em must have gotten girlfriends stolen in high school from qbs
dawglova
January 1st, 2013
7:28 pm
The SEC and UGA passing records speak for themselves. Imagine if the kid would have had gurley or Marshall and good line play for three years. If for some reason he does come back he will hold every passing record in the SEC and uga books.
Coffee Bluff DAWG
January 1st, 2013
7:28 pm
dawglova, HM cannot throw lasers like Murray but still pretty good arm strength and very accurate.
O will be hard for anyone to stop next yr, whether it’s Murray or HM with the running game and a great group of receivers.
Cats hav fleas 2
January 1st, 2013
7:29 pm
A smiley face on a turd. Congrats dwags….a win over a terrible Nebraska team in a worthless bowl after a miserable season….but next year will be better say the dwag fans year after year after year.
Kim Bassinger
January 1st, 2013
7:29 pm
All I can say is let’s see when AM plays in the NFL. I thought Dave Greene was going to light them up in the NFL and to this day I am still flabergasted as to why he was not the next best QB in the league.
Santana
January 1st, 2013
7:33 pm
Clemson should finish ahead of UGA in the final polls. They beat a better higher ranked team with a much better defense. Neb. gave up 70 points to Wis. and 63 to Ohio State. The UGA bowl game has a lesser meaning. If Northern Ill beats FSU they should finish higher than UGA in the final polls
Moist Dawg
January 1st, 2013
7:33 pm
I I was CMR I would have not even let them celebrate today. I would’ve turned on the stadium lights and made EVERYONE including the seniors practice.
As for Murray, hopefully he will go pro, and if not, he needs to realize that putting on that G helmet is the biggest honor for any person born in the south.
I’m glad that we won today but we should’ve won by 30 and that makes me sick
Smitty
January 1st, 2013
7:34 pm
Smaarticus….you are the joke…you know nothing about football….ever played….just what I thought..
CommonSense
January 1st, 2013
7:35 pm
Murray is smart enough to know life is more than about money. He should come back and re-write the UGA and SEC record books. He may also achieve a SEC or National championship in the process. He could become a beloved Dawg legend. Or he could go to a lower tier NFL team and get drilled for next year. He’ll still have the opportunity to do that in 2014.
dawglova
January 1st, 2013
7:36 pm
Kim . b
The reason David Greene did nothing in the NFL was due to poor arm strength, beyond slow feet and a very elongated delivery
Smitty
January 1st, 2013
7:37 pm
Santana ….who is your team? Must be a loser like you
Kim Bassinger
January 1st, 2013
7:38 pm
@Coffee
AM couldn’t throw lasers when started that just happened this year. It takes time with all these kids unless you have an exceptionable!!! He threw 2 interceptions in the first 2Q’s because he was nervousness cause his High School from Tampa and family/kin were there just like he used to do his first two years but hen I saw he overcame it and hunkered down and got his composure unlike his first two years. The Psychology Major is paying off he is so smart in going that route to overcome this. He is like a Veteran War Hero and has overcome it to become great!!!
zumadawg
January 1st, 2013
7:39 pm
I cannot belive all the negative comments being posted by the unwashed herd;the majority of which, would find fault with JESUS CHRIST..
Coffee Bluff DAWG
January 1st, 2013
7:40 pm
Moist Dawg,
Why sick, we won by 14 without our top 3 receivers and would have won by 21 if TK catches a ball Murray lays in his hands late in the 4th.
CommonSense
January 1st, 2013
7:42 pm
Murray’s second interception was because Marshall go tripped and the ball went to the defender. Geez how many of you that are commenting even watched the game?
sflanagan21
January 1st, 2013
7:43 pm
dawglova, I respect ya but AM is NO Russell Wilson my man… I too am a QB coach and I played/started QB for 3 years in HS and I also went to the Manning QB camp…
Not taking anything away from AM because he is an Elite QB but not a RW!!! In the right system AM will do just fine in the NFL but he HAS to be in the right system or else…
dawglova
January 1st, 2013
7:44 pm
Kim B,
Murray hasn’t overcome any mental anything, you make it sound like he is a head case. He made a bad throw on one pick and Marshall was supposed to screen on the other and wasn’t there. Went to the flat instead. Murray out of high school had plus arm strength and you thinkin Greene was gonna be a pro has me question your football knowledge like the rest of these morons. Come on man
Santana
January 1st, 2013
7:45 pm
South Carolina played a better team (more disciplined) than UGA. Wasn’t overly surprised at Tech’s win. USC lacked focus in games this year.
Smitty
January 1st, 2013
7:45 pm
Moist Dawg…again you proably never play a down of football in your life so you don’t know how emotions play….hey we won and that is good….right?