Murray, Georgia get season started with rout of Louisiana
NCAA Football Betting Lines
09/04/2010 -
Athens, GA (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Aaron Murray threw for three touchdowns and ran
for another, as the 23rd-ranked Georgia Bulldogs trounced the Louisiana Ragin
Cajuns', 55-7, at Sanford Stadium.
Murray, a redshirt freshman making his first collegiate start, completed 17-
of-26 tosses for 160 yards with one pick. He also added 42 rushing yards for
Georgia (1-0), which finished 8-5 last season, the program's lowest win total
under head coach Mark Richt since he debuted in 2001. Kris Durham benefited
from Murray's big day, catching five passes for 83 yards and a touchdown.
The Bulldogs played the game shorthanded, as their top receiver and rusher
from a year ago in A.J. Green and Washaun Ealey were missing from the lineup.
Green, the team's leading receiver with 53 catches and 808 receiving yards,
was held out as the NCAA investigates his alleged improper interaction with an
agent. Ealey, meanwhile, paced the squad with 717 rushing yards, but was
suspended after being charged in late August with hit and run and driving on a
suspended license.
Chris Masson started the game at quarterback for Louisiana (0-1) and threw for
77 yards with one touchdown and an interception for the Cajuns (0-1), who were
coming off a 6-6 finish for the second straight season. Ladarius Green was his
main target, pulling in four balls for 87 yards and a score.
The Bulldogs started off the scoring with three minutes left in the opening
quarter, as Caleb King's 20-yard touchdown run on third-and-short capped an
11-play, 76-yard drive.
Georgia's defense made its impact felt on the ensuing possession, with corner
Brandon Boykin picking off a Masson pass at Louisiana's 28-yard line. The
Bulldogs capitalized on the turnover with a three-yard touchdown pass from
Murray to Durham just seconds into the second quarter.
A 52-yard field goal by Blair Walsh a few minutes later extended Georgia's
advantage to 17-0.
Late in the first half, the Bulldogs added to their lead with an 11-yard
scoring strike from Murray to Shaun Chapas.
The Cajuns, though, showed some life with under two minutes remaining. On the
very next play following an interception, Masson hit a wide open Green on a
60-yard touchdown pass to put the Cajuns on the board. Louisiana had just six
yards of total offense prior to the play.
Unfortunately, Louisiana's defense let down and Georgia took advantage with a
16-yard touchdown run by Murray as time expired. Murray, who snuck the ball
just across the goalline as he went out of bounds, was given a second chance
after Louisiana's Lance Kelly dropped a sure interception in the back of the
end zone a couple players earlier.
The Bulldogs picked up right where they left off after the break, as Walsh
connected on a 48-yard field goal just minutes into the second half for a 34-7
Georgia advantage.
The onslaught continued when a one-yard touchdown pass from Murray to a wide
open Fred Munzenmaier completed a 10-play, 53-yard drive with 4:25 left in the
third.
Hutson Mason then replaced Murray under center and the true freshman threw a
26-yard touchdown pass to Logan Gray on his very first collegiate snap.
Things only got worse for the Cajuns, as backup quarterback Blaine Gautier was
intercepted early in the fourth quarter by Jakar Hamilton, who returned the
pick 17 yards for a score and a 55-7 advantage.
Game Notes
The Bulldogs have won 13 of their last 14 season openers, including a 9-1 mark
under Richt...Georgia is 39-4 versus non-conference opponents under
Richt...The 55 points was the most for Georgia since a 62-17 win over Kentucky
in 2004...The Bulldogs outgained the Cajuns 377-128 and were 8-of-17 on third
downs compared to a 3-of-16 showing by Louisiana...This was the first-ever
meeting between Georgia and Louisiana on the gridiron...The Cajuns have
dropped 13 straight games to ranked opponents since defeating Texas A&M in
1996.
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NCAA Football Betting
Many fans thought it was the best side in the nation by the end of last season. This year, the polls have built on Georgia's momentum and granted it the No. 1 preseason ranking, followed by Ohio State and USC. (The Associated Press has the Buckeyes at No. 2; USA Today took the Trojans.)
"To have people believing we have one of the best teams in the nation going into this thing, it's exciting for us," Bulldogs coach Mark Richt told the AP. "I don't think anything is guaranteed, but we certainly have put ourselves in position where at least the college football world thinks we're pretty good."
Georgia Bulldogs - 9.5 wins
There's no question they're good, but the Bulldogs have one of the toughest 12-game schedules in the nation, mostly because they play in the powerhouse Southeastern Conference. Away games at No. 15 Arizona State, No. 7 LSU and No. 10 Auburn loom large, with contests between the hedges versus No. 24 Alabama and No. 18 Tennessee as well as the World's Largest Cocktail Party in Jacksonville versus No.5 Florida.
Ohio State Buckeyes - 10 wins
Like the Bulldogs, the Buckeyes also have a number of tough road contests in 2008. After two scrimmages dressed up as real games versus Youngstown State and Ohio, it's off to face USC. Other tough away games include No.13 Wisconsin in October and No. 20 Illinois in November. Granted, it should be pretty easy sledding at the Horseshoe. In fact, the only ranked team that travels to Columbus is No. 22 Penn State, in October.
USC Trojans - 10.5 wins
A similarly light schedule awaits the Trojans of Southern California, which is why the oddsmakers' total is one win more and the over is currently commanding -150 odds. Pete Carroll's troops only play three ranked teams in 2008, and all of those games are at home. After what should be an easy trip to Virginia to start things off on Aug. 30, the Trojans get two weeks to prepare for Ohio State in Los Angeles. Their two other ranked opponents, No. 21 Oregon and No. 15 Arizona State, visit in consecutive weeks to start the month of October. After that, the competition eases up. Of course, this is the same highly-touted school that lost to Stanford in 2007 and Oregon State in 2006. And don't discount the fact that USC plays its biggest rivals, Notre Dame and UCLA, back-to-back to close out the regular season. On paper, the Trojans are far superior, but motivation will be high for the Irish and Bruins, especially if their historic foes are in national-title contention.
Odds to Win the Heisman Trophy
Tim Tebow, Florida - 7/2
He won it last year, so it's no surprise he's the favorite to do it again, making him just the second player to go back-to-back. Ohio State's Archie Griffin turned the trick in 1974 and 1975, and Tebow's coach, Urban Meyer, is pretty sure his star quarterback can match the Buckeyes legend.
"There has never been anyone quite like him," Meyer told the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. "I am very lucky to be his coach."
Chris Wells, Ohio State - 5/1
The man they call "Beanie" was a star recruit out of high school, so it's not like nobody knew who the star tailback was before he rushed for 576 yards as a freshman in 2006 and 1,609 as a sophomore. But perhaps his finest moment came last year versus Michigan when he rumbled for 222 yards and two touchdowns in the Buckeyes' 14-3 victory over the hated Wolverines.
Knowshon Moreno, Georgia - 8/1
If the Bulldogs are to live up to expectations, they'll need a huge effort from their sophomore running back. This might be the last year of college ball for Moreno, who rushed for 1,334 yards and for 14 touchdowns as a freshman, while adding 253 receiving yards on 20 receptions, so expect big things for the man from Belford, N.J.
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