| 01 January 2012
G’day mates! The Outback Bowl is a matchup of two 10-3 teams from power conferences. Michigan State finished the season ranked 17th in the BCS standings and will go up against the 16th-ranked Georgia Bulldogs.
Michigan State made it to the inaugural Big 10 championship game but lost a thrilling rematch with Wisconsin 42-39. While the Spartans are disappointed not to be playing in the Rose Bowl, they will be ready to play as they look to atone for the beatdown they received at the hands of another SEC team, Alabama, in last year’s bowl game. The Spartans will also be looking to reverse a five-game bowl losing streak and win their first bowl since 2001. Senior quarterback Kirk Cousins, the school’s all-time leader in wins, and senior receiver B.J. Cunningham, the school’s leader in receiving yards, lead a capable Spartan offense while the Spartan defense is a nasty unit led by All-American lineman Jerel Worthy that’s among the best in the country.
People were clamoring for Mark Richt’s job after the Bulldogs started the season 0-2 after finishing 2010 with a sub-.500 record, but those calls quieted down after Georgia rattled off a 10-game winning streak and made it to the SEC championship game. Aaron Murray may be the best quarterback in the SEC and threw 33 touchdown passes this year. Like Michigan State, Georgia also features a rugged defense. The Bulldogs allowed only 268.5 yards a game which was good for third-best in football.
Key matchup: Aaron Murray & the Georgia offense vs. the Michigan State defense
Georgia QB Aaron Murray (L) faces a tough test against Jerel Worthy (R, green) and the MSU defense
In their last game against LSU, the Bulldogs were held to season lows in points, rushing yards, and total yards, and Aaron Murray was a dismal 16 of 40 for 163 yards with a touchdown and two interceptions. In the season opener against Boise State, the Bulldog offense was stymied until the game was out of hand, and Boise State defenders harassed Murray all game. The Georgia offense will have to play much better against a Michigan State defense that is tough, nasty, and fifth in the nation in total yards, yielding only 272.7 yards a game. For their part, the Spartans will have to contend with the speed and athleticism of Georgia. In last year’s Capital One Bowl against another SEC team, Alabama, the Spartans were overwhelmed 49-7. Georgia has the kind of athletes that can give the Spartans problems, so if Michigan State can’t handle their speed, it’ll be in for another long day.
Why you should watch: This is one of the better matchups in all the bowls. Two 10-3 teams that went 7-1 in their respective conferences and lost their conference championship games face off against one another. Both teams are balanced with quality offenses and top-notch defenses. On paper, it figures to be a hard-hitting, entertaining matchup.
Why you shouldn’t watch: See Capital One Bowl, 2010. A one-loss Michigan State team went up against an SEC power and was annihilated. The SEC has owned the Big 10 in recent years. If Michigan State can’t handle the SEC speed and athleticism that Georgia brings to the table, this could get out of hand just like last year. Georgia struggled against the last dominant defense it faced and will be going up against another tough unit. If Aaron Murray & Co. can’t get it going on offense, Michigan State could run away with it. If neither offense can do much, this could turn into another boring 10-7 punt-fest.
Prediction: Michigan State will be looking to redeem themselves after last year’s poor showing against an SEC team in a bowl game. Both teams have faced tough competition, but Michigan State has better results: wins against Michigan and Wisconsin, and a close-loss to those same Badgers in the Big 10 title game. Georgia lost to Boise State, South Carolina, and LSU. Michigan State is the pick here.
