Liberty Bowl
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Central Florida Knights vs. Georgia Bulldogs
Friday, December 31, 2010 at 3:30 pm on ESPN
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The Liberty Bowl is an annual game, which has been sponsored since 2004 by AutoZone. The game matches the Conference USA champion with a team from the SEC and it has been played every year since 1959 except for 2008.
Georgia has appeared three times and carries a 1-1 record. The Bulldogs have appeared in 40 bowls in team history winning 26 times, with an impressive streak of four straight wins in their most recent bowl appearances. Last year they beat Texas A&M 44-20 in the Independence Bowl.
UCF is 0-3 in bowl appearances, last losing to Mississippi State in 2007, 10-3.
UCF will represent C-USA after a 10-3 record, 8-1 in conference. Head coach George O’Leary is in his seventh season with the team, and for the first time in school history the Knights were nationally ranked after beating Houston back in November. In a burst of offense, the Knights totaled over 1,000 yards led by true freshman QB Jeff Godfrey, who was 15-for-19 for 294 yards and two touchdowns while rushing for over 100 yards. The performance earned Godfrey Conference USA offensive player of the week honors, while LB Josh Linam took defensive player of the week honors.
For the season, the team rallied off a five game win streak and a three game streak, losing only to NC State, Kansas State, and Southern Miss. It was their third conference crown in six years.
UCF is potent from both sides of the ball; the passing attack ranked 84th by totaling 191.8 yards a game and scored 33.8 per contest to rank 24th. Godfrey is a budding superstar, and a dual threat one at that. He threw for 13 touchdowns on 2,042 yards, and ran for nine more touchdowns on 546 yards. He could almost pass to himself he is that quick.
Ronnie Weaver is a capable handoff receiver, rushing for 890 yards and 11 touchdowns. Newsome and Watters combined for just short of 1,200 yards on 75 receptions, with five touchdowns.
It’s a team who can beat you in the air, or on the ground as evidenced by a season total of 192.5 rushing yards a game, which ranked 25th.
The Knights can defend as well, limiting opponents to 18 points a game, which was 12th in the nation.
There are good defensive teams this bowl season, but few who match UCF’s offensive capabilities. Their three losses were by totals of 7, 4, and 10 points.
AS for Georgia, it will represent the SEC after a 6-6 season, 3-5 in conference. Head coach Mark Richt saw a downward slide from his squad after an 8-5 record in 2009. The season started with a win against Louisiana- Lafayette 55-7, followed by four straight losses to South Carolina, Arkansas, Mississippi State, and Colorado. Tennessee righted the ship with a 41-14 Bulldog win, and the team had an even 4-4 record following a 44-31 win against Kentucky. In Georgia’s defense, many of those losses were close. Four were by 12 points or less, three by nine or less, and a pair by three points or less. The quick culprit is the defense, since the Bulldogs scored 30 points or more eight times.
The Bulldogs are strong offensively, scoring 34.3 a game (22nd), and passing for 246.1 a game (38th). Aaron Murray isn’t a true dual threat QB, but did pass for 24 touchdowns on 2,851 yards. On the ground, Georgia is capable, averaging 147.7 per contest (72nd), with Ealey leading the attack. He scored 11 times on 751 yards. AJ Green is the go to receiver, scoring nine times on 771 yards.
Defensively, the Bulldogs allow 23.1 per game (46th), and I mentioned how close some of those contests have been. The defense as a whole seems to feed off what the offense is doing that day- rising to the challenge.
This will be an awesome game to watch, with the chance of a big points showing, or less likely, a close squeaker led by the defense. Georgia has the slightest edge offensively, but lacks the talent that UCF fields, namely Godfrey. UCF also has more options to work with. If Georgia is strong on pass breakups, Godfrey can simply run. It’s hard to bet against UCF and the season they have had, I sure won’t.
The odds makers have the Georgia Bulldogs as a -7 point favorite with an over/under of 53.
Matt’s Free Prediction: Georgia 27 – Central Florida 21.
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Team records:
- Central Florida: 10-3 SU, 9-3 ATS
- Georgia: 6-6 SU, 4-7 ATS
Central Florida Knights most recently:
- When playing in December are 2-4
- When playing on turf are 7-3
- After being outgained are 6-4
- When playing outside the conference are 4-6
Georgia Bulldogs most recently:
- When playing in December are 7-3
- When playing on turf are 7-3
- After being outgained are 5-5
- When playing outside the conference are 8-2
A few betting trends to consider:
- Central Florida is 8-1 SU in its last 9 games
- The total has gone OVER in 6 of Central Florida’s last 9 games
- Georgia is 5-2 SU in its last 7 games
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