COLLEGE FOOTBALL: THE BOWL GAMES : Gator Bowl : Georgia Makes a Last Run for Dooley

Michigan State coach George Perles thinks tonight’s Gator Bowl game against Georgia will be 60 minutes of good, old-fashioned football.

“I think they’re going to try to come out and box our ears ad knock our block off,” Perles said Thursday. “We’re going to do the things we do best and if we can’t we’re going to find out why.”

Both clubs clearly prefer the run. Michigan State runs the ball four times as often as it passes, while Georgia runs three times for each time it throws.

“With all that running going on, this could be the fastest game in bowl history,” said Spartan safety John Miller.

Although similar in style, Georgia and Michigan State have never met previously on the football field.

The road to its first Gator Bowl was a long climb for Michigan State, which was winless through its first five games.

After a 0-4-1 start in the face of a tough early schedule that included Notre Dame, Florida State and Michigan, the Spartans rebounded with six straight victories to earn a postseason bid.

“Our slogan has been work hard and play hard,” Perles said after Thursday practice. “We’re about done working.”

He said his team enjoyed a good workout and that the Spartans will be at full strength for the game.

Georgia, which finished 8-3 in the regular season, has practiced under different conditions. Veteran Coach Vince Dooley will be coaching his final game at the school after 25 years, and speculation about a successor has engulfed the Bulldog camp.

At least two current Georgia assistants, George Haffner and Dale Strahm, are interested in the job, which has already been turned down by Georgia Southern’s Erk Russell and North Carolina State’s Dick Sheridan.

The two latest names to surface as candidates for the Georgia job are Ken Hatfield of Arkansas and Air Force coach Fisher DeBerry.

Dooley, 56, upon his arrival in Jacksonville earlier this week, said he would not discuss the coaching situation as he prepared for his final game. He also instructed players and assistants not to discuss the vacancy.

But away from the field, the Georgia players have been enjoying their visit.

“We’ve just been going out and partying,” said running back Tim Worley, who is adding to the intrigue around the Georgia camp. The junior is considering a professional career and may announce his intentions to enter the NFL draft after Sunday’s game.

Players visited the Jacksonville Zoo where they feasted on barbecue Thursday.

Gator Bowl officials said a crowd of 75,000 fans is expected for the game, which will not be televised locally because it is not a sellout.