2012 Outback Bowl

In their fifth season under head coach Mark Dantonio, Michigan State lost to Wisconsin in the inaugural Big Ten Championship Game. The Spartans were making the school’s 22nd bowl appearance and its first trip to the Outback Bowl. Georgia had posted a ten game winning streak during the season under head coach Mark Richt, who was in his eleventh season at the helm for the Bulldogs. Georgia was making the school’s 46th bowl appearance and became the first school with five trips to the Outback Bowl. Georgia was a three point favorite.

The game started out as a defensive affair with Brandon Boykin tackling receiver Keshawn Martin in the end zone for a safety and a 2-0 Georgia lead after the first quarter. Aaron Murray hooked up with Tavarres King on an 80 yard TD pass and it was 9-0. King set an Outback Bowl record with 205 receiving yards. A 92 yard punt return by Boykin stretched the lead to 16-0 at the half.

Michigan State got on the board in the third quarter on the first of two scoring runs by Le’Veon Bell. Darqueze Dennard returned a pick of Aaron Murray 38 yards for a TD and it was 16-14 heading to the fourth quarter. Georgia added a field goal, then Kevin Cousins (27 of 50 for 300 yards with 3 INTs) tossed a TD pass for Michigan State. Brandon Boykin caught a TD pass from Murray (20 of 32 for 288 yards with 2 INTs) and the second Bell TD run tied it up for the Spartans with 14 seconds left.

The first overtime was scoreless and the second saw the teams exchange field goals. In third overtime, after Dan Conroy made a field goal, nose tackle Anthony Rashad White blocked a kick by Blair Walsh to give Michigan State a dramatic 33-30 victory.

In a losing effort, Brandon Boykin, who scored on defense, offensive and special teams, was named the game’s MVP.

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