Georgia: Bulldogs end with win 10

ORLANDO, Fla. — Georgia had a decisive second half in Thursday’s 24-12 win over Michigan State in the Capital One Bowl.

Following the win, Bulldogs junior quarterback Matthew Stafford and redshirt sophomore tailback Moreno were less decisive regarding their futures. Each must choose in the next two weeks whether to return to Georgia or leave early for the NFL.

“It’s going to be an extremely hard decision for me,” Stafford said after throwing for three touchdowns and earning game MVP honors. “My time at Georgia has been great, and it’s something I’m contemplating continuing. Obviously there is the lure of the NFL. To tell you the truth, I’m 50-50 right now and really don’t know what I want to do.”

Stafford had touchdown tosses to Michael Moore and tight end Aron White in the third quarter as the No. 16 Bulldogs took a 17-6 lead. The No. 19 Spartans pulled within 17-12 with 8:50 remaining, but Stafford’s 21-yard touchdown throw to Moreno with 3:43 left not only sealed the game but was his program-record 25th touchdown of the season.

Moreno, who had 62 rushing yards and 63 receiving yards, is going home to New Jersey today to discuss his impending decision with his family.

“This win really meant a lot, but you’ve really got to do what’s best for you,” he said after winding up with 1,400 rushing yards for the season. “That’s why I’m going to go home.”

Georgia finished with a 10-3 record and its sixth 10-win season of the past seven years and took some of the sting out of a year in which lofty preseason hopes went unfulfilled. The Bulldogs improved to 10-2 in bowls during the past 12 seasons and are 7-0 all-time in bowls against Big Ten teams.

Big Ten members had won four consecutive Capital One games before Thursday, but Georgia’s win helped the Southeastern Conference gain a 9-8 record since the two leagues starting meeting annually in Orlando.

“I’m glad we got 10 wins for our program and for our seniors, and I’m glad our seniors got that 40th victory in their four-year span,” coach Mark Richt said. “I’m glad the Southeastern Conference won. There are a lot of good things that happened today.

“It was a tough year, no doubt, but we can hold our heads up high.”

The Bulldogs trailed 6-3 after a half in which Stafford went 6-of-14 for 71 yards with an interception. He was especially off-target just before halftime, overthrowing Kenneth Harris, Moore and A.J. Green on consecutive plays.

“Sometimes he tends to put a little bit too much pressure on himself to be perfect and make every throw instead of playing within himself,” offensive coordinator Mike Bobo said. “The kid has been under a lot of pressure ever since he’s been here with all the hype and this year because of the national championship talk and No. 1 pick. He’s been a tremendous leader, and I’m proud of the way he came back and played the second half.”

Stafford roared back, completing 14 of 17 second-half passes for 179 yards and three touchdowns. He had six consecutive completions in Georgia’s second possession of the second half, leading a 96-yard drive that Richt called “the turning point of the game.”

Georgia’s previous record of 24 touchdown passes in a season was shared by D.J. Shockley (2005) and Eric Zeier (1993-94).

“Personally, I think Matthew would get better by staying another year,” Bobo said. “He’s gotten better every year he’s been here, and I think he’ll be better next year, but that’s a decision he’ll have to make. If the projections are correct and he’s a top-five pick, that’s tough to tell somebody to turn down.”