THE CAPITAL ONE BOWL
MICHIGAN STATE SPARTANS VS. GEORGIA BULLDOGS
JANUARY 1, 2009 ORLANDO, FLORIDA
1:00 P.M.
Dating back to 1947, the Capital One Bowl currently features the first selection from both the SEC and Big Ten Conferences after the BCS bowl teams have been selected. At a payout of $8.5 million it is the richest non-BCS bowl game. Last year’s game trailed only the BCS National Championship Game and the Rose Bowl in attendance and television viewers. Michigan State comes to Orlando with a 9-3 record and an AP poll ranking of 19th. Georgia boasts an identical 9-3 record and a ranking of 16th. Both teams lost their final regular season game but moved up in the polls from the week before, due to the strength of their final opponents.
MICHIGAN STATE: UP: A win New Year’s Day will give the Spartans their first 10-win season since 1999. RB Javon Ringer rushed for 1,590 yards and 21 TDs. DE Trevor Anderson leads the defense with 8 sacks. He came to MSU from Cincinnati when Head Coach Mark Dantonio was hired. S Otis Wiley had four interceptions, one returned for a touchdown. He is a playmaker in the secondary and on special teams. Receiver Mark Dell should be healthy enough to play after missing two games late in the year.
DOWN: QB Brian Hoyer has just over 50% in pass completions and has been extremely ineffective at times. He had only 9 passes for touchdowns vs. 8 interceptions. The Spartan run defense is suspect, with 7 opposing backs running for more than 100 yards against them. They have allowed nearly 22 points per game overall and have choked against rated opponents, falling to Ohio State 45-7 and Penn State 49-18. Pre-season #1 Georgia is certainly a similar caliber team.
GEORGIA: UP: RB Knowshon Moreno was a runner-up for the Doak Walker award for the country’s best tailback, as was MSU’s Ringer. Moreno, only a sophomore, had 1338 yards rushing and 17 TDs. This could be his final collegiate game, as he is expected to declare himself eligible for the NFL draft. He was an AFCA All-American. QB Matthew Stafford, another NFL possibility, led the SEC in passing with 267+ per game and 22 TD passes vs. 9 interceptions. LB Rennie Curran ranks 2nd in the SEC with 109 tackles and 3 sacks. DOWN: WR A.J. Green led the SEC with 79 receiving yards per game and 8 TD catches, but he is nursing a groin injury. It is hoped he will be at full steam for the MSU game. The defense gives up over 150 yards on the ground per game, an ideal situation for Ringer. Georgia Tech ran for 409 yards against the Bulldogs in their last game.
KEYS TO THE GAME: In this battle between tailbacks the defensive lines will be key. Neither team’s line has been proficient at stopping opposing backs. MSU’s defensive backfield must keep containment on the Dawg’s receivers or Stafford will make them pay big time. Georgia must control the line defensively to keep Ringer off his game, which has happened in other big games this year.
BY THE NUMBERS: The Big Ten is trying for five in a row vs. the SEC in this game. The task is going to be difficult, as MSU comes in as 7 ½ point underdogs. The Spartans are 6-6 ATS and 6-5-1 O/U while the Bulldogs are 3-6-2 ATS and 6-5 O/U. As a favorite the Dawgs are 8-2 SU and 3-5 ATS. MSU is 0-3 SU and O/U as underdogs. All the signs seem to favor a victory for the Georgia Bulldogs, but, tell that to the Spartans.