It’s the Little Things
The task of defeating the, two-time defending national champion, Georgia Bulldogs is difficult for anyone. For the Gamecocks, it will require near perfection and some help from Georgia. South Carolina running back, Dakereon Joyner, played quarterback the last time the Gamecocks beat Georgia in Athens. During media availability on Tuesday, Joyner pointed to the details as the key to victory.
The Matchups
To put it bluntly, Georgia has better football players than South Carolina at almost every position. The Bulldogs are elite on defense. Stopping the run and shutting down opposing offenses is the pedigree of head coach Kirby Smart. Additionally, former South Carolina head coach, Will Muschamp, is in his third season on the Georgia staff. Muschamp is in the position he has excelled most in over the course of his career as the (co)defensive coordinator. Georgia’s defensive starters are better than the starters at almost every other school in the country across positions.
Offensively, Georgia is still breaking in new starting quarterback Carson Beck. He spent time sitting behind the previous starter, Stetson Bennett. Now, he looks to lead the boys from Athens to a third straight national championship. No team has won three national championships in a row since Minnesota did it from 1934-1936. Beck could be spectacular, but that remains to be seen. Georgia opened the season with games against UT Martin and Ball State. Respectfully, neither of these teams had a remote chance against Georgia. It’s likely that Mike Bobo, in his second stint as the Bulldog’s offensive coordinator, showed very little in these first two outings. The Gamecocks can expect a heavy dose of multiple running backs with play-action deep shots. That is Bobo’s background and he won’t likely depart from what has worked for him.
On the Ground
South Carolina will be outmatched when trying to block the Georgia defensive front. There has been little push from the offensive line in the run game over two games. Against an elite front, they cannot be expected to suddenly get it together and open huge holes for Joyner and other backs. Mario Anderson is a transfer from Division II Newberry College. Anderson is an accomplished back who understands the game and averaged over seven yards per carry before transferring to South Carolina. Look for the Gamecocks to utilize him more as he continues to adjust to the speed of Division I. Carolina’s rushing attack will do best to utilize four backs as the season moves forward. A committee approach presents the best option to gain yards on the ground. 100 yards rushing is the magic number for Gamecocks teams under Shane Beamer to win games.
Gamecock defensive tackle, Alex “Boogie” Huntley, rallied the troops last Saturday night after Furman scored twice early in the game. He will need to find that motivational speech again this week. While the linebackers have been improved this season for South Carolina, the defensive line actually seems to have regressed. Tackles Tonka Hemingway, who has been in the headlines thanks to Smart, and Huntley has shown the ability to play better in the past. Backup tackles TJ Sanders and Nick Barrett have also shown more potential than they have played up to this season. That group will need to hold the line against Georgia’s offensive line push to keep the game competitive.
Through the Air
Quarterback and wide receiver are the two positions, (in addition to punter, where South Carolina is second to none), where the Gamecocks stack up with Georgia. Georgia acquired two top SEC receivers in Dominic Lovett (Missouri) and, former Gamecock commit, RaRa Thomas (Mississippi State) in the portal. However, if Juice Wells returns to form this week and joins the leading receiver in the Power 5, Xavier Legette, the Gamecocks weapons are just as formidable on the outside. Spencer Rattler is playing like the best quarterback in the SEC. He gives the Gamecocks a fighting chance on every play, but he will need some help from his playmakers and definitely his offensive line.
Beamer on Tree Babalade and Trovon Baugh: “The DLine they will face this week will be better than (Furman).”
Does this indicate the freshmen offensive linemen will get significant snaps against Georgia?
— Rob Williams (@RobWilliamsGCP) September 13, 2023
Freshmen offensive linemen for South Carolina are the most talented in the O-line room. Lack of experience could make it dangerous to give them the lion’s share of snaps this week against an elite front. While it is important for the Gamecocks to compete in this one, getting out of the game with a healthy Rattler is more important in terms of season-long goals. The Gamecocks will need to use 12 personnel to put two tight ends and a running back in positions to block, at least chip, against the Georgia pass rush. The Carolina offense will have a chance to make plays if Rattler has a clean pocket, even for three seconds. Look for the fifth-year quarterback to get the ball out quickly and attempt to move methodically down the field.
South Carolina’s young defensive backs and improved linebackers will need to cover pass catchers well as the young quarterback, Beck, looks to make big plays downfield. Both Marcellas Dial and O’Donnell Fortune will look to hold their own on the outside against receivers Lovett, Thomas, and, pre-season All-SEC selection, Ladd McConkey. Freshman safety Jalon Kilgore will be tested if Nick Emmanwori cannot return to his starting spot. Nickelback, Keenan Nelson Jr. will also have his hands full in a matchup with one of college football’s most dynamic playmakers in, tight end, Brock Bowers.
X-Factors
There is no doubt that Georgia will look to exploit matchups with Bowers who can win one on one with any defensive back. Finding ways to neutralize this threat by bracketing Bowers could open up opportunities for guys like Lovett to make big plays in one-on-one matchups. Limiting Bowers will require South Carolina defensive backs to key in on details that could give them an advantage. Focusing on their own discipline and technique could give the Gamecocks a chance to minimize damage in this matchup.
The biggest opportunity for both teams will be in the early going. Unfortunately for both sides, this is where both teams have struggled so far this season. Georgia’s offense has scored just 7 points in the first quarter all season as opposed to 86 across all other quarters. South Carolina’s teams, under, defensive coordinator, Clayton White have historically performed better in the second half of games. White makes quality adjustments, but his players seem to have trouble making stops at the beginning of games. Whichever team breaks this trend will be able to grab early momentum. Huntley commented on his rallying speech during his media availability on Tuesday. He said it was really all about “locking in” and it was more of a “mentality” than a technical change for anyone. Locking in mentally could give the Gamecocks the punching power they will need in the first quarter in Athens.
What to Expect
The Gamecocks are a proud group who will look to compete early in this game. There are no moral victories. But after losing to Georgia 48-7 in 2022, South Carolina needs to be competitive to keep momentum in 2023. No one outside of South Carolina expects the Gamecocks to pull off the upset. There is confidence within the building, but a blowout may cause panic within the fanbase. If the Gamecocks can simply make this a game in the fourth quarter, it will go a long way.
While the Gamecocks may be able to stay within striking distance through most of the first half, superior strength and athleticism will be too much to overcome. Rattler, Legette, and company will look to keep it close in spite of trouble at the line of scrimmage. The Bulldogs will get their running game going to average over five yards per carry as they pull away.
Final Score: Georgia 38 South Carolina 17
Photo courtesy: Jeff Blake-USA TODAY Sports
