Georgia Football: Taxslayer.com Gator Bowl Preview
By Danny Bishop
Georgia vs Nebraska
January 1st • 12 p.m. ET
Jacksonville, Florida • Everbank Field (67,164)
TV: ESPN2
(Mike Patrick, play-by-play; Ed Cunningham, analyst; Jeannine Edwards, sidelines)
Radio: SiriusXM: 91
Georgia Bulldogs (8-4, 5-3 SEC)
Head Coach: Mark Richt (Miami, 82)
Overall/Years: 126-44 (.741) / 13th Season
Georgia/Years: Same
In Bowl Games: 8-4 (.667)
National Rankings: BCS (22); Harris (23); USA Today (24); AP (23)
Georgia Bowl Appearances: 48 / Georgia Bowl Record: 27-18-3 (.594)
KEY PLAYERS
Tight End Arthur Lynch (6-5, 254, Senior, Dartmouth, Massachusetts)
A first-team All-SEC selection in 2013. Has appeared in 11 games, making 10 starts for Georgia. Averaging 35.5 receiving yards per game; fourth on Georgia’s team with five receiving touchdowns on the year. Part of a scoring offense that ranks among the top 20 in the nation at 38.2 points per game and a passing offense that ranks 16th nationally at 313.8 passing yards per game. Recorded a career-high 85 receiving yards vs. North Texas earlier this year.
Place Kicker Marshall Morgan (6-3, 200, Sophomore, Ft. Lauderdale, Florida.)
One of 20 semifinalists for the Lou Groza Award. A three-time SEC Special Teams Player of the Week. Ranks tied for eighth nationally in scoring at 10.0 points per game. Leads the SEC and is fifth nationally in field goals per game at 1.8. Is among the top 15 players in the nation with a 90 percent field goal percentage on the year. A Capital One Academic All-District selection. His career-long field goal of 56 yards came against Tennessee earlier this season.
Linebacker Ramik Wilson (6-2, 232, Junior, Tampa, Florida)
A first-team All-SEC selection in 2013. Leads the SEC and ranks 10th in the nation in total tackles per game at 10.7. Also leads the conference in solo tackles per game at 6.2. Has totaled 128 tackles on the year, including being tied for the team lead with 11.0 tackles for loss to go along with 4.0 sacks and three pass breakups on the year. Has recorded 10 or more tackles on six occasions in 2013.
Linebacker Jordan Jenkins (6-3, 246, Sophomore, Hamilton, Georgia)
A second-team All-SEC selection in 2013. Has started each of Georgia’s 12 games this season. Has notched 38 total tackles on the year and is tied for the team lead with 11.0 tackles for loss. Has charted four sacks and logged 21 quarterback hurries and two fumble recoveries. Has at least one tackle for loss in eight of Georgia’s 12 games this season, including 3 against Vanderbilt.
NEBRASKA CORNHUSKERS (8-4, 5-3 Big Ten)
Head Coach: Bo Pelini (Ohio State, ‘90)
Overall/Years: 57-24 (.704) / 6th Season
Nebraska/Years: Same
National Rankings: Not Ranked
Nebraska Bowl Appearances: 49 / Nebraska Bowl Record: 24-25 (.490)
Key Players
Running Back Ameer Abdullah (5-9, 190, Junior, Birmingham, Alabama)
A first-team All-Big 10 selection by both the media and the coaches in 2013. Leads the Big 10 and ranks ninth nationally in total rushing yards at 1,568, while also ranking seventh nationally in rushing yards per game at 130.7. Also has 26 receptions for 232 yards on the year. Has started all 12 games for Nebraska this season. Is averaging 154.9 all-purpose yards per game this season, including 59 yards coming on kick returns. Ranks 12th in the NCAA this season in all-purpose yards per game.
Wide Receiver Kenny Bell (6-1, 185, Junior, Boulder, Colorado)
Leads his team and ranks eighth in the Big 10 Conference with 4.3 receptions per game. Currently averaging 47.2 receiving yards per game with four touchdown receptions. Second on Nebraska’s team with 1,104 all-purpose yards on the year. Has a squad-best 537 kickoff return yards this season, leading the Big 10 and ranking eighth nationally in kickoff return yardage at 28.3.
DE Randy Gregory (6-6, 255, Sophomore, Fishers, Indiana)
A first-team All-Big 10 selection by both the media and the coaches in 2013. Ranks second in the Big 10 and 21st nationally in tackles for loss with 1.3 per game. Leads the Big Ten and ranks 18th nationally in sacks per game at 0.8. Third on his team with 61 total tackles, including 17 tackles for loss. Has 17 quarterback hurries on the year.
Cornerback Ciante Evans (5-11, 190, Senior, Arlington, Texas)
A first-team All-Big 10 selection by the coaches in 2013. Tied for third in the Big Ten and tied for 40th nationally in interceptions per game with 0.3. Has logged 44 total tackles in 2013, including 11 tackles for loss. Has posted three sacks, four interceptions and five pass breakups on the year.
SERIES/GAME NOTES
SERIES: The all-time series between Georgia and Nebraska is tied 1-1.
This marks the second consecutive year the two teams will meet in a bowl game, after the Bulldogs defeated the Huskers 45-31 in last year’s Capital One Bowl. In the only other meeting between the two teams, Nebraska defeated Georgia 45-6 in the 1969 Sun Bowl.
GAME NOTES:
Georgia and Nebraska have combined for 97 previous bowl appearances, as the two teams are among the top-six bowl appearance programs in college football history. The Bulldogs are 2-0-1 all-time at the Gator Bowl and are playing their first Gator Bowl since defeating Michigan State 34-27 on Jan. 1, 1989. Nebraska is making its 50th all-time bowl appearance and sixth consecutive. Georgia will be without quarterback Aaron Murray, who finished his career with SEC career records for completions, passing yards, touchdown passes and total offense.
2013 STATISTICAL COMPARISON ( ) – SEC Ranking; [ ] – NCAA Ranking
CATEGORY GEORGIA NEBRASKA
SCORING OFFENSE 38.2 (5) [20] 32.6 [45]
TOTAL OFFENSE 489.8 (4) [17] 421.2 [59]
RUSHING 176.1 (11) [57] 221.7 [19]
PASSING 313.8 (2) [16] 199.5 [93]
SCORING DEFENSE 29.4 (11) [81] 25.3 [54]
TOTAL DEFENSE 381.3 (8) [47] 367.0 [36]
RUSHING 148.5 (5) [42] 161.2 [61]
PASSING 232.8 (10) [67] 205.8 [22]
TURNOVER MARGIN -0.5 (13) [97] -1.0 [118]