Georgia vs. Michigan State

Bulldogs -7 1/2 vs. Spartans

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Lofty expectations can be a tough thing at times and for the Georgia Bulldogs, it may have ruined their season. So much was expected of Georgia that they were ranked first in the preseason poll for the first time in school history. Instead the Bulldogs (9-3) lost three games, missed out on the SEC title, a BSC bowl game and the National Championship that many predicted.

The Capital One Bowl will feature Georgia taking on the Spartans (9-3) in Orlando on New Years Day. Perhaps the Bulldogs can take heart in the fact that perhaps the Capital One Bowl is traditionally the best non-BCS game as it usually gets the plum placement as the warm up to the Rose Bowl each January 1.

The Bulldogs won their first straight, but lost a marquee showdown to Alabama on September 27. In the game, Georgia saw Alabama get out to a 30-0 halftime lead, before hanging on for the humiliating loss at the Georgia Dome. Later on, they lost another huge game, this time to Florida 49-10, once again in a home game. Their season was capped with a loss to Georgia Tech 45-42.

Georgia may not be happy to be here but Michigan State sure must be. The Spartans finished with their most wins since 1999, when they beat the Florida Gators in this same bowl game, then called the Citrus Bowl. That season, Michigan State achieved 10 victories that season and will attempt to do the same with a victory over Georgia. It could have been much more for the Spartans, if they could have beaten Penn State in the final game of the season. They did not, losing 49-18 and also losing any stake to the Big Ten title and the right to go to the Rose Bowl for the first time since 1988.

The game will feature a matchup of two of the best backs in the nation with Georgias Knowshon Moreno and Michigan States Javon Ringer. The two backs finished second and third respectively for the Doak Walker Award, which was awarded to Iowas Shonn Greene. Moreno was tops in the SEC with 1338 yards while Ringer ranked third nationally with 132.5 yards per game and second with 21 rushing touchdowns.

The Michigan State Spartans were able to ride the senior running back to many of their victories this season, but in their losses to California, Ohio State and Penn State, they had to rely on quarterback Brian Hoyer because they fell behind so far. Hoyer did not have a successful senior year, throwing for no scores and four picks in the last three games this season.

The teams have met once before, also in a bowl game, the 1989 Gator Bowl with Georgia coming out on top.

This will be the Spartans 19th bowl game. They have gone 7-11 in the previous 18 and have not won since New Years Eve 2001 over Fresno State in the Silicon Valley Football Classic. Georgia is 24-16-3 in previous bowl games and have won two straight, including last seasons Sugar Bowl, 41-10 over Hawaii.

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