MEMPHIS -- This afternoon's Liberty Bowl between Georgia and Central Florida is way down the line when it comes to the most important postseason games in Bulldogs history, but it will yield a telling result.
A victory would give Georgia a 7-6 record. A loss would leave the Bulldogs 6-7, making this the first of Georgia's 46 bowl games in which a winning or losing season is at stake.
"Georgia has a history of winning and winning seasons," Bulldogs junior cornerback Brandon Boykin said. "We don't want to be that team known for having a losing season. We know what's at stake. It's our season and our reputation."
Today's game will pit Georgia against former Georgia Tech coach George O'Leary, who is 44-44 in seven seasons with the Knights and is 10-3 this year. O'Leary led the Yellow Jackets to three consecutive wins over the Bulldogs from 1998 to 2000, which was Tech's longest series streak since 1961-63, but he lost his one meeting against Mark Richt, 31-17, in 2001.
Also a focus of today's game are UCF quarterback Jeffrey Godfrey and Georgia counterpart Aaron Murray, the nation's top two freshmen in terms of passing efficiency. UCF is seeking its first bowl victory in its fourth opportunity, while Georgia is after its first five-game bowl winning streak.
"It would mean a lot to win this first bowl game and to beat an SEC team," Godfrey said.
Contact David Paschall at dpaschall@timesfreepress.com or 423-757-6524.