Georgia Has Winning Hand With Greene

David Greene delivered one last time for No. 8-ranked Georgia in a 24-21 victory over No. 16 Wisconsin Saturday in the Outback Bowl.

The senior from Snellville, Ga., passed for 264 yards and two touchdowns in his final collegiate game, adding victory No. 42 to his record as the winningest quarterback in NCAA history.

Greene said he wanted to be known “not for being the best quarterback” but for “one who found a way.”

As usual, he got help. Georgia’s Thomas Brown rushed for 111 yards and one touchdown, and Fred Gibson and Jeremy Thomas each caught a touchdown pass. Lombardi Award winner David Pollack did his part too, forcing a fumble with one of his three sacks and earning the Outback Bowl’s award for most valuable player.

The Bulldogs (10-2) improved to 42-10 in four years under Coach Mark Richt.

“This has been the best four years of my life,” Pollack said. “Don’t cry because it’s over. Smile.”

Greene has started every game since Richt took over in 2001. He surpassed Peyton Manning’s Southeastern Conference and NCAA records for career wins (39) this season and finished 17-1 against nonconference opponents.

Greene completed 19 of 38 passes but had two intercepted, after throwing only two interceptions during the regular season. Wisconsin’s Andy Crooks returned the second interception 11 yards for a touchdown, and John Stocco’s two-point conversion pass to Jonathan Orr cut Georgia’s lead to three points with 4:13 to go.

The Bulldogs didn’t give the Badgers a chance to get closer, driving to the Wisconsin five before taking a knee on consecutive plays to run out the clock. Brown gained 49 of his 111 yards rushing on the final drive.

Wisconsin finished with a three-game losing streak after beginning the season 9-0.

“Quite frankly, I think we overachieved this season,” Coach Barry Alvarez said. “This is a football team that had a lot of adversity, had key players hurt.

“You always want to win, but I think you have to be realistic in the same respect. I do not consider it a disappointing year.”

Georgia pulled away early in the second half, scoring on Greene’s 24-yard pass to Thomas and Brown’s 29-yard run to extend the Bulldog lead to 24-6. Wisconsin cut the deficit to 11, at 24-13, but then squandered two opportunities to pull closer on a missed 37-yard field-goal attempt and a fumble on a first-and-goal play at the Georgia five.

“In hindsight, it might have been the difference in the ballgame,” Richt said of the fumble, forced by Pollack, with 5:38 left.