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
Brewmaster
January 1st, 2013
8:55 pm
Moist, you talk about name calling and then use such mature words as ” sissy” and “ninny.” I just looked up the definition of loser rednedck on webster’s and it said, ” See Moist Turd.” If you know so much about coaching, then why aren’t you a coach ? Why don’t you go run some steps and get your lazy, complaining, lard a$$ off this blog !
Moist Dawg
January 1st, 2013
8:55 pm
Head knocker, you are a moron. If UGA goes undefeated then it doesn’t matter what the other sec teams do. Then you don’t have to shamefully throw your UGA shirt in the corner and do the gator chomp like some classless prostitute.
Larry Munson would roll over in his grave if he read your post. I should turn you over my knee.
sflanagan21
January 1st, 2013
8:56 pm
I watched 2 of AM’s HS games at Plant and I can’t remember who they played but both teams were solid and AM looked like a surgeon. I recall in one of the games he threw 9-13 with 3 TD’s and 2 of his passes were lazers that were dropped. I’ve watched a lot of good HS QB’s and now living in Cali I get to see some good one’s but AM was the best I ever watched in HS.
dawglova
January 1st, 2013
8:56 pm
Anybody wants to see a example of a poor qb turn on ESPN and watch #3 in Garnett and gold. N. Illinois actually has a really good one. This crappy bowl may be closer than one would think it should be
L.A. BULLDAWG
January 1st, 2013
9:10 pm
12-2, BABY!!!! EVEN IF MURRAY LEAVES, WE HAVE THE ENTIRE O-LINE, PLUS RB’S, AND WR’S IN CONLEY, MITCHELL, AND MICHAEL BENNETT COMING BACK! MASON, WILL LEAD US! WE DON’T REBUILD, WE RELOAD!!! BRING ON CLEMSON!!!!
GA Sandlapper
January 1st, 2013
9:16 pm
Good game today!
HeadKnocker
January 1st, 2013
9:17 pm
I never throw my UGA shirt in the corner. Fact is, UGA hasn’t gone undefeated since ‘80, the year before my freshman year. I’ve been waiting a damn long time to see it happen again. If the SEC doesn’t perform, then Dawgs could go 12-0 and still not be ranked high enough to make the NC. Ask Boise State. The SEC is the best conference in the nation and I want the voters up north and out west to know it. That is why I will hold my nose and pull for Alabama in the NC. Partly maybe because ND is perhaps the most over-rated team in the country.
Kim Bassinger
January 1st, 2013
9:17 pm
@dawglova
Mark my words. Murray took 3 years to get to this point and he struggles. I hope he is the next Aaron Rogers but I doubt it will last more than 2 seasons in the NFL. Stafford is struggling with a bad team. He’s a coach killer on a bad team. On great team he is a ok.
Moist Dawg
January 1st, 2013
9:21 pm
Head knocker, you keep telling yourself that if it allows you to look in the mirror and not see a prostitute.
My inside sources say that Murray will be coming back and one other big surprise player will be coming back too. If Murray can get his Tony Romo side out of him before next year we should really have a chance to win it all.
hind tit
January 1st, 2013
9:30 pm
If AM played for the cocks they wouldn’t have played today. They would be playing in THE game. I bit ole ball coach would agree.
Kim Bassinger
January 1st, 2013
9:34 pm
@Rick James
Thank the good Lord I already made that and more. So I have the authority to say my piece. Look at Eric and the lot. Even with their signing bonuses they still have to go get jobs or want to at that age. NOW… after tit for tat… I have made my money and have no disrespect for what I said and it mean no Ill will towards their afterlife other than stating the point that if they go to a bad team even their great talents won’t help the team and then it is hard to get traded to a good team where they can shine. If AM gets on a half way decent team he will be one of the best in the NFL but I think he is doomed. Take the money and go represent AFLAC.
HeadKnocker
January 1st, 2013
9:36 pm
Sorry, In my view the whores are the rednecks who will pull for Florida State over Florida or ND in the NC because they hate Alabama. I hate Alabama, I wouldn’t piss on them if the whole team was on fire. But I will still pull for them against ND. It’s just principle. UGA’s best chance to win it all was this year. Except for the SC game and the third quarter of the SEC championship game, they played well. With Clemson, SC, and LSU in the first 4 games next year, it will be tough to be 4-0, if they are they should beat UF and be in the SEC championship. If they win that they will play for the NC. That’s a lot of “ifs”.
dawglova
January 1st, 2013
9:38 pm
Kim B,
Your comments are moronic. Coach killer is literally the worst thing you can say about a player in any sport. I have evaluated qbs for almost a decade and Murray can make it in the NFL. Stafford struggles because Detroit can’t do anything other than pass to Megatron. It didn’t take Murray 3 yes. Like most good qbs he has gotten progressively better every year. Your an idiot. Watch his draft grade moron. Stick to what you know whatever that is.
Kim Bassinger
January 1st, 2013
9:46 pm
@dawglova
First of all you keep saying you have evaluated QB’s? Who are they? Where are they ? Where are they Now? What success have they had?? What the??? 10 years is what our local high school/middle school coaches have on you… I mean Elementary and Viking Foot ball..FOR GOD SAKES MAN quit embarrasing yourself.
You have no authority to be speaking as you are. Make general comments and be on with it.
dawglova
January 1st, 2013
9:50 pm
Manning passing camp the last two years. I coach qbs fool. What do you mean what have they done. They have played football. And I have been invited to coach and assist for the past two years at the manning camp. Have you ever even played football moron
dawglova
January 1st, 2013
9:55 pm
One played for Arkansas one plays db at uga. I have had 17 kids in 10 years get d1 scholarships and 13 more get a scholarship to a d2 or lower. And I played qb for 4 years at Louisiana Monroe University and finished my degree at Maryland university. I coach kids and am damn good at it.
dawglova
January 1st, 2013
9:57 pm
Your a washed up actress and married Commy Alec Baldwin ….enough said
Kim Bassinger
January 1st, 2013
10:05 pm
@dawglova
That is very impressive… I apologize for any previous comments. I do think AM will go high in the draft I am just worried he gets on a bad team and can’t shine. All we have is Hutson, Lamay and Brice and I think one other kid so no tenure…Murray needs to go get his high draft even tho I would welcome him back…it was your comment first on about this isnt Lassiter.. you didn’t need to say that.
skjohn
January 1st, 2013
10:06 pm
#22 for NE ran all over GA. Why can’t they stop the run? NE defense can’t seem to stop anyone. Their DBs were awful. Yet still….NE was tied 31-31 in the 4th. Go figure.
HPDawg
January 1st, 2013
10:09 pm
stay put AM, you will be glad u did
dawg52
January 1st, 2013
10:10 pm
hey bobdog…..you’ll see Neb’s running back on Sundays next yr. Dawgs did a pretty good job containing him, and Martinez……folks, we beat a pretty damn good team tday……remember ’bout this time last year…..we were wondering how we lost to an inferior team vs what we were up against tday….quit bellyaching, and enjoy the win…….
dawglova
January 1st, 2013
10:12 pm
Point being that this isn’t high school. I DO the difference between his and CFB. I have had kids who thought that they would just go into a program and light it up because they had his success. It just doesn’t work that way. Its a different level. Like your comment about Greene. Great CFB qb but didn’t have the tools at the next level to even be a backup. From the little I have seen mason and what the coaches say he could be a good one. Just don’t know until they get in there. People that think mason will be great and want Murray to leave don’t know what they are wishing for. Murray is a proven commodity.
dawglova
January 1st, 2013
10:13 pm
DO know the difference. Damn auto correct
Red Neckerson
January 1st, 2013
10:17 pm
Bravo, dawglova. Bravo. Put these ignorant bastards in their place. Thank you. Kim Bassinger, you have been served and I’d recommend you don’t respond. You’ve proven yourself to be an idiot and a true professional has called you out. Go away now. Please, for your own good just go away. As should all of you so called Georgia fans who are posting negative crap after your team just finished a 12-2 season. Who the hell are you to argue with 12-2? Only morons argue with a 12 win season so for those of you posting negative crap YOU ARE A LOSER (and most of you need to work on your spelling as you make yourselves look even worse than your posts with your spelling issues. Total losers). Go (positive) Dawgs.
Kim Bassinger
January 1st, 2013
10:20 pm
@dawglova
Good words! I concur. When things start going south everyone wants the coaches and QB gone. It wasn’t long ago everyone screaming for Richt, Bobo, Grantham gone now all is ok. Even myself had questions but I think we are solid even if we have some down years. Richt is still young compared to the lot…I like the rest of the staff…HM is unproven and I know what the coaches say I hear it too but I know them and have seen the kid and I think he will be a stellar replacement when AM moves on .I hope AM stays but his draft status is at its highest right now especially after today.
Kim Bassinger
January 1st, 2013
10:23 pm
@Red Neckerson
You have no authorization to use this name you should take it down.
Your Momma would be ashamed! How terrible and disrespectful of you and your family.
dawglova
January 1st, 2013
10:24 pm
Red neckerson,
I will stick with the story that it is auto correct that is causing my poor spelling and punctuation. Embarrassing. I teach AP English for god sakes
older1
January 1st, 2013
10:34 pm
I don’t know about you guys ,but my eyes see one thing and my fingers hit the wrong keys and I B we B u B posted something like this MESS. It comes with age i believe. GO DAWGS and good win GA. TECH. FALCONS turn NOW.
Moist Dawg
January 1st, 2013
10:38 pm
Dawglova, if you think AM is an NFL qb than you have zero credibility and I suspect you are making all your credentials up.
Murray can become a good qb but he sure isn’t one yet. Have you even followed his career? Some of the ignorance here makes me want to vomit.
sflanagan21
January 2nd, 2013
12:16 am
dawglova,
Freshman HS year in Ga and then we moved to Cali and played my Soph, Junior and Senior year out here, my Dad is in the service. Played JC baseball out here and then moved back East to finish up school and then moved back to Cali. Bout ready to head back home though…
MVP Aaron Murray leads Georgia to 45-31 win over Nebraska in Capital One Bowl – Georgia – Dawg News
January 2nd, 2013
8:21 am
[...] link: MVP Aaron Murray leads Georgia to 45-31 win over Nebraska in Capital One Bowl ← Back to Home Tags: bowl, bulldogs, champions, dawgs, fla, game, georgia, georgia [...]
RedandBlackDAWG
January 2nd, 2013
8:27 am
90% of the comments on this blog contain negative statements, when fans of UGA should be congratulating them for a good game, win and quit complaining like a bunch of jerks. It is worth noting that a few times, even the announcers noted that UGA fans were very demanding and quick to complain, and it seems they are spot on, with that observation. UGA goes into the off season with a good win, against a fairly good Nebraska team, and most likely a top 5 finish for the season.
I am proud of these young men, and the coaches as well. Celebrate the win and the season. Everyone associated with the DAWGS did a good job, and yes, it hurts a little to fall just a little short of playing for the NC, but these DAWGS represented the university and the state of Georgia proudly, and I for one an darn proud of them.
bubba4dawgs
January 2nd, 2013
9:21 am
They play for keeps in the NFL. They don’t simply knock you down, they pulverize you! I don’t think Murray will fair too well trying to see over those NFL linemen who are faster and more lethal than college. Frankly, I think Murray should stay for his own good and enjoy next year before going pro. There is a huge difference between the two and he can really have a blast next year. Somehow, I believe he’s going though. His value will increase next year though.
South Carolina UGA Alum
January 2nd, 2013
9:25 am
Reading these blogs is like watching Georgia’s basketball team play. Painful! Why do the editors not just post cogent, intelligent posts that are relevant to the actual football game? This has become a venue for uneducated football fans,and disgruntled fans from other schools to have their pathethic 10 seconds of dysfunctional fame. Either you are a Dog fan or not. If you are not a Dog fan, you are a total joke for even caring what real Dog fans post on these blogs. Come on AJC writers, get some class and keep half these posts off the internet. You are only encouraging moronic, backward people who cannot spell and who obviously never graduated from the University of Georgia. FYI, even Clemson fans who live around me do not think they have a chance to beat Georgia next year.
Statick
January 2nd, 2013
9:28 am
If Murray leaves, funnily enough, it wouldn’t be that big of a deal to me. The guy’s throws are still as wild as if he was a nervous rookie pitcher in the World Series. Until he tones that down, his NFL career will go the way of David Greene’s.
DIT
January 2nd, 2013
9:28 am
“90% of the comments on this blog contain negative statements, when fans of UGA should be congratulating them for a good game.”
_____________
Tell it like it is. Unbelievable! It was a great win, not pretty, but a win is a win! Murray is a stand up guy and if he leaves I wish him the best. If not, he has the potential to have even a better year next year with that offense!
Let’s just enjoy this year and start thinking about next season around July/August. Some of you act as if your life depends on how well a bunch of 18-22 year olds pplay a game. Go buy a life!
dawglova
January 2nd, 2013
9:52 am
Moist dawg,
I am just call in it like I see it. I DO think that Murray can be very successful. I used to be skeptical until I saw him make unbelievable throw after throw in person. He was the best college qb at that camp and made some throws that were better than some of the pro qbs. Cutler and a few others commented they didn’t know his arm was that good. I think that with his work ethic and footwork and mech. He has a good chance. The kid has been dominant at two levels so far. I know better than most that doesn’t mean he will do so in the league though. We will just have to see. But I don’t need to make up anything on my resume to impress you or anyone else. I was just trying to give an honest opinion on here when others were bashing the kid after a good win and very good season. I get sick of uga fans like you that know nothing but continue to spew your verbal diarrhea like you are the only one who gets it. A whole lot of coaches think very highly of coach richt coach Bob and A.Murray. I would tend to value their opinions way more than the opinion of someone who is always a negative jerk and has never played the game at any
level
dawglova
January 2nd, 2013
9:54 am
Bobo
trojan like
January 2nd, 2013
10:30 am
Murray will have a NFL career like a typical USC qb. Cassell, Sanchez or Lienart. He is inaccurate and has no arm strength.
This defense was a total undisciplined joke. Was that the UGA record for personal fouls?
ramguy68
January 2nd, 2013
10:44 am
I like the way some guy here stated that if you take away all the good plays and all the big plays Murray made then he wouldn’t have done so good….lol……The Dawgs were without 3 of their top 4 receivers out Murray Still threw for 5TD’s and over 400 yds against the top rated pass defense in the nation….this guy sounds like Skip Bayless saying “I would have never picked Nebraska if I had knownthat Murray was going have that kind of day so I really didn’t make a wrong pick”. ….lol
James in Amelia Island , Florida
January 2nd, 2013
10:47 am
Nice Win. Way to come back in the 2nd half and play well. 12 wins in any division is a great year. Give credit to the players who really put it on the line in the 2nd half. With our top receiver out nice to have young players step up and make some great catches and did you see Conley (87 yards) run. That kid is fast and can make some great catches. Looking forward to bringing in some new talent on defense who will play the run. Can’t understand why we have gaps in the middle so often. Bring in some guys who will hit.
Fast year in 2012 and already looking forward to 2013. Happy New Year Dawg Fans.
UGA best place on a Saturday afternoon in the fall.
Go Dawgs!
Techfan
January 2nd, 2013
11:58 am
Cannot believe people are ripping Murray. Wasn’t he the MVP? How many college QBs are better than Murray?
Not a UGA fan but they showed up and won in a game they hoped they would not have to play. Have to respect that. I remember Bama got smoked by an lesser team (Utah) when they lost SEC championship because even St. Nick could not motivate them.
Put in Timeout by Ken Suguira,Filtered by Mark Bradley, Banned by Bill King, Chip Towers & only slightly loved by Jeff Schultz.
January 2nd, 2013
12:26 pm
MVP PMS(pad my stats against crappy teams) Murray has started his assault on the the 2013 Heisman Trophy I guess.
drew
January 2nd, 2013
12:42 pm
what happened to malcolm mitchell????
bill arp
January 2nd, 2013
1:19 pm
Malcolm got a concussion on the kick-off return where he decided to run straight at the guy and head-butt him at about the 15 yard line. Not sure what he was thinking there. Maybe the concussion happened when he field the ball?!?
what of it?
January 2nd, 2013
2:00 pm
Does Aaron Murray realize he won’t amount to anything in the NFL?
must be nice to give up a pick-six and another interception and still be the MVP
Pitbull
January 2nd, 2013
2:27 pm
I am so prod of Aaron Murray and the rest of the Georgia team and coaching staff.
So, you Juniors this year. You’re going to be Seniors next year. Time to step up now and set the tone for success next year.
Set the bar high for the winter workouts, turn the team into a bunch of gym rats pumping iron and lets toughen up even more and take the SEC and the BCS in 2013.
Go Dogs. GATA.
Dawgs 32
January 2nd, 2013
4:41 pm
Hutson mason < Aaron murray
Put in Timeout by Ken Suguira,Filtered by Mark Bradley, Banned by Bill King, Chip Towers & only slightly loved by Jeff Schultz.
January 2nd, 2013
7:52 pm
Anybody doing a Live Blog for the Sugar Bowl? It will be funny to hear the dwags complain about Florida.
Rabbit
January 2nd, 2013
10:50 pm
Good dogs. Ready for next season and hope all the guys on the bubble make what turns out to be the right decision for them. They gave us a good season. Love it when I see a bulldog in the NFL.