The Georgia Bulldogs have made three Sugar Bowl trips, two Capital One Bowl journeys and one Outback Bowl venture under football coach Mark Richt, leaving each contest with at least 10 victories.
To reach 10 wins this season, Georgia would have to defeat No. 25 Central Florida four times in the Liberty Bowl on New Year’s Eve.
Saddled with a 1-4 record in early October, the Bulldogs recovered just enough to reach 6-6 and earn a 14th consecutive bowl appearance. This year’s invitation to Memphis comes with the advantage of additional practices and the motivation of another winning year, but Richt believes there is a more pressing reason for the trek.
“I’m most concerned about how our seniors feel in that locker room after the last game,” Richt said. “There is going to be that scene when you’re in there and you’re saying good bye to these guys and you’re thanking them for everything that they did. You want to thank them during a time when you’re celebrating and not when you’re licking your wounds. I want a great memory for those guys, because I have a great respect for our seniors and what they’ve done for us over their entire careers, not only this season.
“Can it springboard you in the future? I guess it can, but I’m most concerned about winning for the sake of winning and for these seniors.”
This is the 46th bowl game in Georgia history, which tops every program nationally except Alabama, Texas, Southern Cal, Tennessee and Nebraska. Yet it’s the first time the Bulldogs have earned an invite with six losses.
The Bulldogs certainly have some company, as there are 13 teams in bowls that finished 6-6 this season, including Kentucky and Tennessee from the Southeastern Conference.
Georgia practiced 90 minutes in full pads for the Conference USA champion Knights on Saturday morning, its first workout since defeating Georgia Tech 42-34 on Nov. 27. The two-week break gave Bulldogs seniors ample time to reflect some on their careers and look ahead to their finale.
“Hopefully it will be a good feeling in that locker room, because that would be a tough one to swallow if we didn’t win,” receiver Kris Durham said. “A bowl game is always an opportunity to get out there and have fun and play a team that you normally wouldn’t ever play. We’re playing a conference champion and a top 25 team, so I think it’s a good opportunity.”
Said outside linebacker Darryl Gamble: “I want to continue the streak. Since we’ve been here, we’ve been 4-0 in bowl games. I want to get to 5-0.”
Georgia never has won five consecutive bowls.
Richt said all the preparation will be built on trying to win the game, with the exception of next week’s graduation ceremony, which is the lone day coaches will spend working with younger players. The Bulldogs ended the regular season scoring 30 or more points a record seven straight times, so that streak could be extended as well.
“We get a conference champion, and we get a top 25 team, so we can still prove to the country that we’re a pretty darn good football team,” Richt said. “Their guys believe in themselves, and we’re going to have all we can handle, I promise you. I hope they’ve got respect for us with the record we have.”
Bulldogs recognized
Junior receiver A.J. Green was named Vince Dooley MVP during Georgia’s annual gala Saturday night in Athens. Redshirt freshman quarterback Aaron Murray was named offensive MVP, junior outside linebacker Justin Houston defensive MVP and junior kicker Blair Walsh and junior punter Drew Butler were special teams MVPs.
The 2010 permanent captains also were named, with senior fullback Shaun Chapas the overall captain, senior guard Clint Boling the offensive captain, senior inside linebacker Akeem Dent the defensive captain and Butler the special teams captain.
Odds and ends
The Bulldogs will not practice again until Wednesday evening, when final exams are complete. … Green told reporters following Saturday’s workout that the potential NFL lockout will not play a part in his impending decision.
Contact David Paschall at dpaschall@timesfreepress.com or 423-757-6524.