Head Coach: Jim Donnan
Final Record: Overall:9-3; SEC: 6-2
Team Captains:
Champ Bailey
Matt Stinchcomb
Olandis Gary
Chris Terry
Paul Snellings
Kirby Smart

Dogs Compile Consecutive Top 15 Finishes

With a 35-33 come-from-behind victory over Virginia in the Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl, Georgia finished the season with nine wins and a national ranking of 14th. Combined with 1997's 10th place finish, it marked the first time Georgia has put together back-to-back top 15 national finishes since 1987-88 (13th and 15th).

Along the way, Georgia upset then sixth-ranked LSU in Baton Rouge, 28-27; knocked off rival Auburn for the second time in three years; and upset 12th-ranked Virginia in the Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl after being down 21-0.

The '98 Dogs had their veteran stars and exciting newcomers. CB/WR Champ Bailey made every All-America team and won the Bronko Nagurski Award as the nation's outstanding defensive player. Senior OT Matt Stinchcomb was also a consensus All-American, a finalist for the Lombardi Award, and was voted the nation's outstanding offensive lineman by the nation's coaches in the award sponsored by the TD Club of Columbus, Ohio. Stinchcomb also became perhaps Georgia's most decorated academic performer ever.

Freshman QB Quincy Carter provided the excitement of a newcomer being named SEC Freshman of the Year for his record-settting performance in 1998.

Honors

  • First Team All-America: OT Matt Stinchcomb, CB/WR Champ Bailey
  • Bronko Nagurski Award: CB/WR Champ Bailey
  • First Team All-SEC: OT Matt Stinchcomb, CB Champ Bailey, OT Chris Terry, SS Kirby Smart
  • Second Team All-SEC: TE Larry Brown, LB Orantes Grant, QB Quincy Carter
  • Academic All-America: OT Matt Stinchcomb
  • Academic All-SEC: Ronnie Bradley, Adrian Goodman, Brett Hansen, Doug Hene, Steve Herndon, Chad Holleman, Jeremy Lewis, Dustin Luckie, Miles Luckie, Robert Matthews, Brett Millican, Brent Parks, Brady Pate, Brad Register, Bruce Sills, Kirby Smart, Matt Stinchcomb, Mike Usry
  • All-SEC Freshman Team: QB Quincy Carter
  • SEC Freshman of the Year: QB Quincy Carter
  • 1998 Senior Bowl: OT Chris Terry, TE Larry Brown
  • 1998 East-West Shrine Game: DE Antonio Cochran, RB Olandis Gary, NG Emarlos Leroy
  • AFCA Good Works Team: OT Matt Stinchcomb
  • SEC Good Works Team: RB Brett Millican

Bulldogs Rally back from 21-Point Deficit To Defeat UVA in Peach Bowl

Atlanta, Ga. -- No. 19 Georgia rallied from a 21-0 second quarter deficit and held off a late Virginia surge to win its second consecutive bowl game in thrilling 35-33 win over the 12th-ranked Cavaliers in front of a Peach Bowl record crowd of 72,876 in Atlanta, Dec. 31, 1998.

Virginia capitalized on three second quarter interceptions by Georgia freshman Quincy Carter, turning each of them into a touchdown to build a 21-0 lead with just under six minutes remaining in the half.

Georgia got on the scoreboard when Carter connected with senior Tony Small on an 11-yard score with 1:15 left in the second quarter. The Bulldogs didn't let up after halftime, scoring on their first two possessions thanks to a 14-yard TD from Carter to junior Champ Bailey and a 15-yard run by senior Olandis Gary to tie the game with 5:50 left in the third.

Virginia regained the lead on their next possession when quarterback Aaron Brooks hit Terrence Wilkins for a 67-yard TD. The PAT, however was missed by Cavaliers' kicker Todd Braverman giving Virginia a 27-21 lead.

Georgia got their first lead of the night when Gary capped a 67 yard drive with a 2-yard run on the Dogs' first possession of the fourth quarter.

The Bulldogs then built an 8-point lead when Carter called his own number on a quarterback sneak from the one-yard-line with 7:01 remaining.

Virginia kept the pressure on Georgia late in the game and when Brooks scrambled for a 30-yard TD with 1:34 left, the Cavs were within two points. The conversion attempt, however was broken up by junior Jeff Harris as Georgia held onto the lead.

The game was far from over as Virginia recovered the on-side kick. The Cavs moved to the Georgia 27 yard line before the Bulldog defense forced consecutive lost yardage plays. After an incomplete pass, Braverman was called upon for a 48-yard FG attempt, but his kick sailed wide right with 0:19 remaining.

Worthing Noting...

  • The Bulldogs' comeback was the largest in Georgia bowl history as they rallied back from 21 points. The previous high was a 10-point deficit in th 1987 Liberty Bowl when Georgia came back from 17-7 to win 20-17 over Arkansas.
  • Olandis Gary, senior RB, was Georgia's offensive bowl MVP. He rushed for 110 yards on 19 carries and two TDs. Champ Bailey, who was the Bulldogs's defensive MVP saw action on 113 plays (42 offense, 60 defense and 11 special teams).
  • Georgia's win over No. 12 Virginia was the highest ranked team Georgia has beaten in a bowl game since upsetting No. 2 Texas in the 1984 Cotton Bowl. That year, No. 7 Georgia beat Texas 10-9.
  • Senior TE Larry Brown started 45 of a possible 47 games in his career including a team-high 31 straight.

Georgia 0 7 14 14 35
Virginia 0 21 6 6 33

VA- Southern, 2-yard run (Braverman kick) 10:30, 2nd Q
VA- Wilkins, 43-yard pass from Brooks (Braverman kick) 7:57, 2nd Q
VA- Jones, 24-yard pass from Brooks (Braverman kick) 5:36, 2nd Q
GA- Small, 11-yard pass from Carter (Hines kick) 1:15, 2nd Q
GA- Bailey, 14-yard pass from Carter (Hines kick) 11:18, 3rd Q
GA- Gary, 15-yard run (Hines kick) 5:50, 3rd Q
VA- Wilkins, 67-yard pass from Brooks (kick failed) 3:29, 3rd Q
GA- Gary, 2-yard run (Hines kick) 12:52, 4th Q
GA- Carter, 1-yard run (Hines kick) 7:01, 4th Q
VA- Brooks, 30-yard run (pass failed) 1:34, 4th Q