No. 1 Georgia is attempting to win its third straight national championship this season, and that trip will begin on Saturday when the Bulldogs open SEC action at home against South Carolina. The Bulldogs haven’t been tested in their 2-0 start, winning their first two games by a total score of 93-10, but the dangerous Gamecocks proved they were capable of a massive upset over Clemson and Tennessee last year.
Georgia has lately had the upper hand in this series. The Bulldogs are 6-1 all-time versus the Gamecocks under coach Kirby Smart, including a 2-0 win against former Smart assistant Shane Beamer. Georgia has won 29 consecutive regular-season games (a streak that dates back to November 2020) and 19 consecutive games overall. While Georgia has streaks from previous years, the squad on the field in 2023 has been shaped mostly by newcomers.
Quarterback Carson Beck has been productive in his first starts, directing an offence that has scored early and established large enough leads to put the game to bed by the start of the fourth quarter. But it’s not just Beck. Georgia’s best rusher is true freshman Roderick Robinson II, while sophomore Mekhi Mews is one of the team’s top receivers despite only having two catches in four games last season.
On Saturday, that bunch will meet SEC competition for the first time, with the Gamecocks in town aiming to rebound from their season-opening defeat to North Carolina. South Carolina is currently 1-1 after defeating Furman, a top-10 FCS school, but confronts a new level of competition when it meets the defending champions.
Georgia vs. South Carolina: What You Should Know
Georgia is battling with important player injuries: Junior Ladd McConkey, the team’s best wide receiver option last season in terms of catches and receiving yards, has missed the first two games due to a back ailment. His availability for Saturday’s game is uncertain. Daijun Edwards, the running back, suited out for both games but did not participate due to an MCL strain sustained during autumn camp. And just when the defence was nearing full strength, starting safety Javon Bullard departed the Ball State game with an ankle injury. His availability for Saturday’s game is in question.
While there are quality players across the depth chart, the “next man up” mindset will put someone on the field who wasn’t as important to the 2021 and 2022 championship campaigns. If Bullard, the College Football Playoff Defensive MVP in both the Peach Bowl and the national championship last season, is unable to play against South Carolina, David Daniel-Sisavanh and Dan Jackson will share his responsibilities at safety.
The Gamecocks are struggling with their own injury problems: Antwane “Juice” Wells, the team’s star wide receiver, has been restricted to only one reception for 5 yards this season due to a lower body ailment. While the Rattlers’ best target from a year ago has moved on, senior wide receiver Xavier Legette has emerged as one of the SEC’s finest pass-catchers. Legette leads the SEC and is second nationally in receiving yards per game with 148, while also leading the league in all-purpose yards per game with 180 and receiving catches per game with 7.5. Ahmarean Brown, who was injured in the Furman game, lines up opposite Legette. Wide receiver isn’t the only position in the room that’s been shaken up by injuries. South Carolina cannot afford any more injuries as it prepares to face Georgia, Mississippi State, and Tennessee (at Knoxville) in quick succession.
Spencer Rattler will put Georgia’s retooled defence to the test: The Bulldogs’ defence has been superb and has maintained the programme standard, but those good figures will be put to the test against the Rattler. At 349 yards per game, the Gamecocks quarterback is third among FBS signal-callers, following only Colorado’s Shedeur Sanders and Washington’s Michael Penix Jr. He’s also completed 84.3% of his throws while scoring three touchdowns and throwing 0 interceptions. Rattler sees this as an opportunity to add another upset special to his résumé after defeating Tennessee and Clemson in 2022.
Predictions and choices for Georgia vs. South Carolina
SportsLine consensus odds
It will be tough for South Carolina to continue its offensive output against Georgia, particularly with the obvious edge in the trenches when the Gamecocks face the Bulldogs’ front. I believe Georgia’s weird sack drought breaks on Saturday, with the defence shining in a Bulldogs victory.
More in Sports: https://buzzing.today/sports/
Photo Credits: https://commons.wikimedia.org/