NO. 2 GEORGIA (8-0, 5-0 SEC) VS. SOUTH CAROLINA (6-2, 4-2)
3:30 p.m. › Sanford Stadium in Athens, Ga. CBS & 102.3 FM
THE MATCHUP
South Carolina will have to be better than last year at defending the run against the Bulldogs, who lambasted the Gamecocks for 326 yards on 50 carries (6.5 per carry). Nick Chubb and Sony Michel combined for 254 of those yards, and they’re back with plenty of support from dynamic freshman D’Andre Swift and eager sophomores Brian Herrien and Elijah Holyfield. “They’ve got a stable of backs that are all explosive guys and have run the ball extremely well this year,” South Carolina coach Will Muschamp said. “You look at their offense, and where they’ve improved most from year one to year two is in their offensive line. They’re blocking extremely well up front and getting a hat on a hat. They don’t give up any negative plays or sacks. It’s a football team that’s been very efficient offensively.” The Gamecocks have allowed an average of 137.6 rushing yards per game, which ranks 40th nationally and sixth in the Southeastern Conference.
ONE TO WATCH
After Georgia’s 28-14 win in Columbia last season, the Gamecocks were 2-4 with an open date and turned to freshman quarterback Jake Bentley, who guided them to four wins in their final six regular-season games and a berth in the Birmingham Bowl. Bentley is now a seasoned sophomore at age 19, having completed 148 of 241 passes (61.4 percent) for 1,759 yards with 13 touchdowns and just four interceptions this season. “The guy knows where to go with the ball,” Georgia coach Kirby Smart said. “He understands the offense. He does what they ask him to do really well. He is really athletic. He was a good athlete in high school.” Bentley’s career completion clip of 63.3 percent ranks second in school history. He will have to play his best career game this afternoon, because the Chubb-Michel tandem hasn’t been taking any Saturdays off.
IN THE END
The Bulldogs and Gamecocks are meeting in November for the first time since 1980, which was the season Georgia won its lone Associated Press national championship. Georgia is playing for the first time as the No. 1 team in the College Football Playoff rankings, which were released Tuesday night, so this afternoon could be just as much about the Bulldogs controlling outside excitement as it is about them controlling the Gamecocks. “It’s really nothing more than a distraction more than anything, and our kids realize that, and they acknowledge that,” Smart said. “They understand that’s the way of the world and the system we live in, and it’s really built to generate ratings and generate publicity for our sport, but our focus and attention is on South Carolina.” This could be defined as a trap game for Georgia given last week’s resounding rout of Florida and next week’s trip to Auburn, which is 14th in the CFP rankings, but the Bulldogs have been business-like all season.