TUESDAY
Georgia (11-2) vs. Nebraska (10-3), 1 p.m. EST (ABC)
Line: Georgia by 9
Series Record: Nebraska leads 1-0.
WHAT'S AT STAKE
The Bulldogs came up just a few yards short of capturing the SEC crown and trip the BCS national championship game, when they fell to defending BCS champion Alabama, 32-28. They acknowledged this week that wound hasn't fully healed, but want this bowl game to be the first step. The Cornhuskers are looking to erase the memories of their lopsided 70-31 loss to Wisconsin in the Big Ten title game, which cost them a trip to the Rose Bowl. Nebraska had won six in a row before its championship game loss.
KEY MATCHUP
Georgia thrived this season offensively behind Tampa, Fla. native Aaron Murray. He led the nation in yards per passing attempt (7.8), while throwing for 31 touchdowns. He will be opposite a Nebraska defense that allowed 148.2 yards per game passing this season, ranking No. 1 in the nation.
PLAYERS TO WATCH
Georgia: LB Jarvis Jones, who could be playing his final collegiate game with a jump to the NFL very possible. Jones has been a staple of Georgia's defense this season. The SEC's defensive player of the year, led the team with 12.5 sacks and 22 tackles for a loss. Offensively, Georgia will need a big effort from freshman Todd Gurley, who rushed for 1,260 yards.
Nebraska: Junior OG Spencer Long garnered first team All-Big Ten honors this season for an offense that led the conference in both rushing (254.5 yards per game) and total yards (462.2 yards per game). He will be needed to open up holes for junior QB Taylor Martinez, who threw for 21 touchdowns this season and rushed for 10 more. He is Nebraska's career leader in total offense with more than 9,000 yards.
FACTS & FIGURES
Nebraska is 12-6 all-time against the SEC in bowl games, but has lost its last three bowl games against teams from the conference. ...The Cornhuskers own a 3-2 bowl record under coach Bo Pelini. ...Nebraska owns an 11-21 record against top-10 opponents in bowl games, with 17 of those losses coming to top-five foes. ...The Bulldogs are playing in their 16th consecutive bowl game and 48th appearance in a bowl game. They enter with a 26-18-3 record overall. ... Georgia is 3-1-1 in previous trips to Orlando for a bowl game, having defeated Michigan State most recently in the 2009 Capital One Bowl. ...Georgia will be facing a member of the Pelini family for the second time this season, having beaten Florida Atlantic and coach Carl Pelini, who is Bo Pelini's brother.
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Comments » 1
CCLC writes:
Dawgs 42
Corncobs 28
Great way to start the 2013 season and a wonderful recruiting class. "Ain't nothing better than being a Dawg on Saturday night."
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