By Mark Wangrin
Associated PressORLANDO, Fla. ó Matthew Stafford gave the type of performance in the Capital One Bowl that’d make a fitting finale to his excellent Georgia career.
Whether or not this was his last game with the Bulldogs, the junior quarterback hasn’t decided.
Stafford threw three touchdown passes in the final 18 minutes against No. 19 Michigan State, hitting Knowshon Moreno for the clinching score in the 16th-ranked Bulldogs’ 24-12 victory Thursday.
“My time at Georgia has been great, and the allure of coming back is something I’m considering,” said Stafford, the MVP. “I’m 50-50 right now, and I don’t know what I’m going to do. I’m going to take these next few days and figure it out.”Ranked No. 1 to start the season, the Bulldogs (10-3) gave coach Mark Richt his sixth bowl win in eight tries and put a happy ending on a season that didn’t live up to expectations.
The first half was ugly for Stafford, projected to be an early first-round NFL draft pick, and Georgia.
He was just 6-for-14 and an interception in the first half, and Michigan State (9-4) led 6-3. In the second half, he completed 14 of his final 17 throws, including three TD passes.
Stafford started the comeback by directing a 10-play, 96-yard drive midway through the third quarter. He went 6 of 6 for 92 yards and capped it with 35-yard touchdown toss to Michael Moore.
“The biggest thing was eliminating mistakes,” Stafford said. “The whole first half, first drive of the second half, we were making foolish mistakes ó me not hitting guys, us not picking up blitzes, not finishing off drives.”
Michigan State coach Mark Dantonio said Georgia made a very effective adjustment in the second half.
“We blitzed well in the first half, got after them,” he said. “They went to a more controlled passing game against our blitz package.”