SB Nation Atlanta - UCF Tops Georgia 10-6 In Liberty, George O'Leary Now 1-1 Against Mark Richthttps://cdn.vox-cdn.com/community_logos/46601/atlanta-fave.png2010-12-31T18:58:00-05:00http://atlanta.sbnation.com/rss/stream/16237852010-12-31T18:58:00-05:002010-12-31T18:58:00-05:00Liberty Bowl Score Final: Georgia Falls To UCF To End Grueling 2010 Season, 10-6
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<p>The 2010 Liberty Bowl came down to freshman <a href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-football/teams/georgia-bulldogs" class="sbn-auto-link">Georgia Bulldogs</a> QB <a href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-football/players/78599/aaron-murray" class="sbn-auto-link">Aaron Murray</a> leading a two-minute rally against the <a href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-football/teams/central-florida-knights" class="sbn-auto-link">Central Florida Knights</a>’ top-20 defense. With 80 yards to go and needing a touchdown, Murray converted two fourth downs to reach the <span class="caps">UCF</span> 29. A 14-yarder to <a href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-football/players/36143/a-j-green" class="sbn-auto-link">A.J. Green</a> and a 29-yard floater to <a href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-football/players/10283/kris-durham" class="sbn-auto-link">Kris Durham</a> set the Dawgs up to take one more round of shots at the end zone.</p>
<p>As rain began to fall in Memphis, Murray launched it high and over Tavarres King. The clock ran out, but officials elected to add two seconds after a review. On 4th and 19, Murray’s lob was spiked to the turf by a cluster of leaping Knights defensive backs, and the Dawgs arrived at their first losing record since 1996.</p>
<p><span class="caps">UCF</span> collects their first-ever bowl win, and George O’Leary has now won four of his last five against Georgia. What’s likely A.J. Green’s final college game will be remembered as a most fitting ending to Georgia’s 2010 season.</p>
<p>If you’d like to lower your residence’s heating bills, consider installing Mark Richt’s seat in your home.</p>
<p><em>For more on this game join <a href="http://dawgsports.com">Dawg Sports</a>.</em></p>
https://atlanta.sbnation.com/georgia-bulldogs/2010/12/31/1906771/liberty-bowl-score-final-georgia-ucfJason Kirk2010-12-31T18:20:40-05:002010-12-31T18:20:40-05:00Liberty Bowl Score: UCF Leads Georgia 10-6 After Day's First TD
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<p>The strangest play just happened here in the Liberty Bowl. <a href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-football/teams/central-florida-knights" class="sbn-auto-link">Central Florida Knights</a> RB <a href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-football/players/38162/latavius-murray" class="sbn-auto-link">Latavius Murray</a> took a handoff from QB Jeff Godfrey and advanced the football well into field goal territory, with <a href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-football/teams/georgia-bulldogs" class="sbn-auto-link">Georgia Bulldogs</a> defenders encircling him in expectation. Yet Murray continued well beyond his kicker’s minimum distance, not stopping until he’d entered the neutral area between kicking range and the goal posts.</p>
<p>Officials elected to award <span class="caps">UCF</span> two field goals for the play. They felt bad for <span class="caps">UCF</span> kicker <a href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-football/players/48679/nick-cattoi" class="sbn-auto-link">Nick Cattoi</a>, who hadn’t gotten to participate on the drive, and let him kick for a token point to give the Knights a 10-6 lead with nine minutes to go.</p>
<p>The scoring drive took 11 plays and went 65 yards. Godfrey came alive, completing six of his seven passes for 44 yards. The <span class="caps">UCF</span> offense has now pulled within 20 yards of Georgia’s on the day.</p>
<p>If <a href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-football/players/36143/a-j-green" class="sbn-auto-link">A.J. Green</a> has anything special in store for this Memphis crowd, now would be the time to break it out. Aaand UGA three-and-out before I even finished typing this, with the last pass grazing Green's outstretched left hand.</p>
https://atlanta.sbnation.com/georgia-bulldogs/2010/12/31/1906698/liberty-bowl-score-ucf-georgiaJason Kirk2010-12-31T17:39:07-05:002010-12-31T17:39:07-05:00Liberty Bowl Score: Georgia Retakes Lead Over UCF In 6-3 Thriller
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<p>The <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-football/teams/georgia-bulldogs">Georgia Bulldogs</a> opened the second half of the Liberty Bowl with a 12-play, 61-yard drive that ended with a 41-yard <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-football/players/36178/blair-walsh">Blair Walsh</a> field goal into the wind. RB Washaun Ealey carried the ball five times on the drive for 26 yards, WR <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-football/players/36143/a-j-green">A.J. Green</a> caught two passes for 12 yards, and <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-football/players/36145/tavarres-king">Tavarres King</a> and <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-football/players/10361/bruce-figgins">Bruce Figgins</a> caught a pass each.</p>
<p>With 24 minutes left, the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-football/teams/central-florida-knights">Central Florida Knights</a> are going to need a little bit more offense than they mustered in the first if they’re going to keep up. That sounds completely ridiculous, as they’re only down by three points, but Georgia’s now outgained <span class="caps">UCF</span> by 90 yards.</p>
<p>Both teams have proven themselves capable of running the ball today, with each team now averaging a shade more than four yards per carry. That thing I said about UCF’s offense is already obsolete, as the Knights’ current drive has already reached midfield. Dare we anticipate our fourth field goal?</p>
https://atlanta.sbnation.com/georgia-bulldogs/2010/12/31/1906633/liberty-bowl-score-georgia-ucfJason Kirk2010-12-31T17:00:20-05:002010-12-31T17:00:20-05:00Liberty Bowl Score: UCF Ties Georgia 3-3 After Aaron Murray Interceptions
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<p><a href="http://atlanta.sbnation.com/georgia-bulldogs/2010/12/28/1900739/liberty-bowl-georgia-vs-ucf-aaron-murray-jeff-godfrey">That update from earlier this week</a> about the Liberty Bowl pairing the nation’s two best freshmen quarterbacks in <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-football/teams/georgia-bulldogs">Georgia Bulldogs</a> QB <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-football/players/78599/aaron-murray">Aaron Murray</a> and <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-football/teams/central-florida-knights">Central Florida Knights</a> QB Jeff Godfrey? Emphasis on the <em>freshmen</em>. Each has thrown a pair of picks, and we’ve still got 30 minutes to go.</p>
<p>Also, New Year’s resolution: stop counting on the 2010 Georgia Bulldogs to beat anybody. Luckily they won’t play anymore after New Year’s, but still. The Dawgs should be hammering <span class="caps">UCF</span>, <a href="http://atlanta.sbnation.com/georgia-bulldogs/2010/12/16/1880560/liberty-bowl-predictions-georgia-vs-ucf">based on how they’ve played against their respective schedules</a>, but George O’Leary’s Conference <span class="caps">USA</span>-tested defense is apparently for real. Only 287 combined total yards has made for a game as drab as the Memphis skies. <—- <em>Nice</em>.</p>
<p>Murray hasn’t played poorly, other than those two picks. He’s outplayed Godfrey to an extent, with a better completion percentage and almost double the passing yards. Godfrey has a couple scrambles for positive yardage, while Murray ran for a first down from his own end zone early in the first quarter.</p>
<p>In his (let’s keep it real) final college game, Georgia WR <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-football/players/36143/a-j-green">A.J. Green</a> is doing his part, with four catches for 43 yards and an 18-yard punt return that just wouldn’t die.</p>
https://atlanta.sbnation.com/georgia-bulldogs/2010/12/31/1906568/liberty-bowl-score-ucf-georgia-live-updateJason Kirk2010-12-31T16:07:46-05:002010-12-31T16:07:46-05:00Liberty Bowl, Georgia Vs. UCF: Bulldogs Drive 96 Yards To Go Up 3-0 In The First Quarter
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<p>The <a href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-football/teams/central-florida-knights" class="sbn-auto-link">Central Florida Knights</a> started the game with possession at their own 11-yard line and after a couple of first downs, it looked as if the Knights were going to make a statement early in the game. But the drive stalled near midfield and forced the Knight to punt. However, <a href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-football/players/16554/blake-clingan" class="sbn-auto-link">Blake Clingan</a>'s punt was good enough to put the <a href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-football/teams/georgia-bulldogs" class="sbn-auto-link">Georgia Bulldogs</a> at their own 2-yard line.</p>
<p>That was no problem for <a href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-football/players/78599/aaron-murray" class="sbn-auto-link">Aaron Murray</a> because he was able to lead UGA to a 14-play, 96-yard drive which ended with a <a href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-football/players/36178/blair-walsh" class="sbn-auto-link">Blair Walsh</a> 21-yard field goal.</p>
<p>The fans in attendance did not like the decision from Mark Richt to kick the field goal because the offense was moving the ball well. But in a game like this, Richt probably felt like taking the points is the right thing to do because going for it on fourth down and not making it could give the Knight more momentum which is not good for the Dawgs.</p>
<p>As far as how the quarterbacks are doing so far, Murray was prefect in the opening drive, completing all six for his passes for 55 yards. Jeff Godfrey is not having the same success, only completing one of his five passes on the Knights opening drive.</p>
https://atlanta.sbnation.com/georgia-bulldogs/2010/12/31/1906422/liberty-bowl-georgia-vs-ucf-bulldogs-drives-96-yards-to-go-up-3-0-inBrian Jones2010-12-30T11:16:01-05:002010-12-30T11:16:01-05:00Liberty Bowl Georgia vs. UCF: Freshmen Players' Stock Rises During Bowl Practices
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<p><a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-football/teams/georgia-bulldogs">Georgia Bulldogs</a> head coach coach Mark Richt will meet with the rest of his staff today to talk about <a target="_blank" href="http://dogbytesonline.com/uga-notebook-freshmen-ends-stock-rising-during-practices-40485/">personnel issues according to a report by Marc Weizer of the Athens Banner-Hearld</a>. One of the things the staff will talk about is who are some of the young players that have earned some playing time in the Liberty Bowl.</p>
<p>Defensive line coach Rodney Garner likes the way ends <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-football/players/113408/garrison-smith">Garrison Smith</a> and <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-football/players/85467/derrick-lott">Derrick Lott</a> have been practicing this week leading up to the bowl game. Garner said both these players have improved as the year progressed and they will be major players for the defensive front in 2011.</p>
<p>One player that will not be a major player in 2011 for UGA is linebacker Nick Williams who will seek a transfer after the Liberty Bowl game. Williams has three tackles in eight games and has been given permission to talk to other schools about transferring.</p>
<p>In injury news, defensive end Demarcus Dobbs injured his forearm in the game against Georgia Tech and has been limited in practice. But he said he'll be ready to go on Friday.</p>
https://atlanta.sbnation.com/georgia-bulldogs/2010/12/30/1904138/liberty-bowl-georgia-vs-ucf-freshmen-players-stock-rises-during-bowlBrian Jones2010-12-29T17:33:47-05:002010-12-29T17:33:47-05:00Liberty Bowl: George O'Leary's Georgia Bulldogs History As Yellow Jackets Head Coach
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<p><a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-football/teams/central-florida-knights">Central Florida Knights</a> head coach George O’Leary led the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-football/teams/georgia-tech-yellow-jackets">Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets</a> against the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-football/teams/georgia-bulldogs">Georgia Bulldogs</a> eight times from 1994 to 2001, with seven of those coming in seasons in which he was Tech’s full-time head coach. He managed a 3-5 record, though he was 3-4 in non-interim seasons and gave Tech its longest winning streak against Georgia since the ’60s. You take what you can get.</p>
<p><strong>1994: </strong>Bill Lewis’ last team, which managed nary a win over a Division I opponent, isn’t really O’Leary’s fault, so leave an asterisk by that 48-10 on O’Leary’s resume <—— Haw haw haw, “O’Leary resume.”</p>
<p><strong>1995:</strong> A much better effort in O’Leary’s first year as head coach, falling in a 18-17 squeaker. I’d love to tell you something more about this game, as soon as you slide me a box score or video or something.</p>
<p><strong>1996:</strong> 19-10 Dawgs, clinching Tech’s last losing season before 2010 and its fifth-straight bowl-free season. Not much on this game either. Who was in charge of record-keeping during mid-90’s college football?</p>
<p><strong>1997:</strong> Georgia was one of five ranked teams the Jackets faced. Tech only beat one of them (Clemson), losing to Georgia 27-24 before beating West Virginia in the Carquest Bowl. Mike Bobo led the famous game-winning drive:</p>
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<p><strong>1998: </strong>Tech kicker Brad Chambers booted the 21-19 game-winner after an icing attempt, sending trap ham:</p>
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<p><strong>1999:</strong> Tech won 51-48 in a game completely free of controversy of any sort.</p>
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<p><strong>2000:</strong> Tech quarterback George Godsey led the Jackets to their biggest win over Georgia since [I really don’t want to look that up], then did a little celebrating in Athens:</p>
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<p><strong>2001:</strong> New Georgia coach Mark Richt continued at least one of the traditions he helped develop at Florida State: pounding Georgia Tech at football. The Dawgs won 31-17, and O’Leary attempted to take the Notre Dame head coaching job before some paperwork discrepancies led him to sign on with the Minnesota Vikings.</p>
https://atlanta.sbnation.com/georgia-bulldogs/2010/12/29/1902990/liberty-bowl-george-oleary-georgia-bulldogs-historyJason Kirk2010-12-29T16:59:37-05:002010-12-29T16:59:37-05:00Liberty Bowl Weather: Memphis Will Be Rainy For Georgia Vs. UCF
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<p>Don’t expect spectacular weather in Memphis during the Liberty Bowl, as the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-football/teams/georgia-bulldogs">Georgia Bulldogs</a> and <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-football/teams/central-florida-knights">Central Florida Knights</a> will likely have to contend with rain. <a href="http://www.wunderground.com/cgi-bin/findweather/getForecast?query=37501&hourly=1&yday=364&weekday=Friday">Friday’s gametime forecasts</a> include a 90 percent chance of rain and 20 mph winds.</p>
<p>The grounds at Memorial Stadium will likely be squishy even before the afternoon storms, as Memphis has a significant chance of rain all the way back until … well, right now. (Yeah, it’s raining right now.) Saturday’s supposed to be nice, though! And at least it won’t be cold, with a high of 66 and a low of 41.</p>
<p>Bad conditions could provide an edge for the Dawgs, as going with a straightforward rushing attack could benefit the more physically imposing team. Both teams have avoided mistakes pretty well this year, ranking among the national leaders in avoiding penalties and turnovers (it’s true, Dawg fans — <span class="caps">UGA</span> turnovers have just come at extremely inopportune times). So a few bobbles and slips could get one of these teams off its game early.</p>
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https://atlanta.sbnation.com/georgia-bulldogs/2010/12/29/1902915/liberty-bowl-weather-memphis-rainy-georgia-vs-ucfJason Kirk