UGA, Central Florida meet at end of very different seasons

By Tim Tucker

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

MEMPHIS -- On his way out of a hotel ballroom here Thursday, Georgia coach Mark Richt spotted the Liberty Bowl trophy -- an impressive piece of hardware that is a one-quarter sized replica of the Liberty Bell, complete with the famous bell's famous crack.

"That is a heck of a trophy," said Richt, who couldn't resist ringing the bell. Loudly. Twice. Then Richt said he should show the trophy to his players as motivation to win the game.

Georgia plays Central Florida in the Liberty Bowl at 3:30 p.m. Friday, and the teams' sources of motivation -- aside from the black bronze trophy -- might be quite different.

The up-and-coming Central Florida program is seeking to cap a special season with a signature victory. Cornerback Josh Robinson said the Knights would "make history" by beating an SEC opponent and winning a bowl game for the first time in school history.

Georgia, on the other hand, is seeking to salvage a winning record from a tumultuous and largely disappointing season. The Bulldogs (6-6) haven't had a losing record since 1996, "and we'd rather keep it that way if we can," Richt said.

Georgia is in a bowl for the 46th time, including each of the past 14 seasons, and Central Florida for the fourth time, all since George O'Leary -- the former Georgia Tech coach -- took over the program in 2004. Central Florida moved up from Division I-AA (now FCS) in 1996.

Georgia is a 6 1/2-point favorite over the Knights, who are ranked No. 24 in the latest coaches' poll. The Bulldogs are unranked.

"I think it should be a whale of a ballgame," O'Leary said Thursday, "between two very competitive teams and two teams that have a lot of athletes."

Weather could affect the game. The forecast calls for a windy afternoon with an 80 percent chance of thunderstorms and a high temperature of 69.

Led by dual-threat freshman quarterback Jeff Godfrey, Central Florida (10-3) won the Conference USA championship this season. The Knights view a nationally televised (ESPN) New Year's Eve game against an SEC opponent as an opportunity to accelerate the program's progress. Never mind that Georgia comes into the game as a .500 team.

"We're playing a team with a lot of history. It's a marquee program," Knights defensive coordinator Dave Huxtable said. "Where our program has come from, getting our first bowl win against a team like the University of Georgia would just be huge for our players, for our football program, for the school, for our fan base and community."

Said Central Florida defensive end Bruce Miller, who grew up as a UGA fan and attended Woodstock High School: "Our program is headed in the right direction, and this is the next step we need to take. Not just beating Georgia, but winning a bowl game, playing top competition."

Although winless in bowls, Central Florida lost narrowly, 10-3, to an SEC team, Mississippi State, in the 2007 Liberty Bowl. Georgia players insist they are not taking lightly their opponent from a non-automatic qualifier league.

In fact, they debate which team has more to prove Friday -- the Conference USA team facing a member of college football's most celebrated league, or the SEC team still trying to redeem itself for a 1-4 start to the season.

"I feel like we still have a lot to prove," UGA linebacker Akeem Dent said. "That team went 10-3. We're 6-6.

"Most people might look at the different conferences -- the SEC, Conference USA -- and maybe think it's a mismatch," Dent said. "But if you sit down and really watch the film on these guys, they have a real good football team."

Said defensive end Demarcus Dobbs: "We haven't underestimated them one bit. We have treated them like we're playing Florida, Georgia Tech, any other team."

After all, there's a winning -- or losing -- record at stake. And a trophy.