Previewing Georgia-South Carolina

By Tim Tucker

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

3 story lines

Establishing an SEC East pecking order. True, it's only the first of eight conference games for both teams, but the winner can stake claim to the early role of prime challenger to Florida in the SEC East. The Bulldogs and Gamecocks were picked Nos. 2 and 3 in the division in the preseason SEC media poll, respectively, but only one point separated them.
The offense without A.J. Georgia's best player, star wide receiver A.J. Green, won't play because of the four-game ban handed down by the NCAA this week. That surely complicates things for Georgia's offense, which will need a strong running game and step-up performances from other receivers. The Bulldogs will have two key offensive players, running back Washaun Ealey and receiver Tavarres King, back on the field after they were suspended from last week's opener because of recent arrests.
Will the game be true to close, low-scoring form? Seven of the past nine Georgia-South Carolina games, including each of the past three, have been decided by seven points or fewer. And in five of the past six games, the winning team scored 20 points or fewer, with last year's shootout the notable exception.

A Georgia win would …

• Give the Bulldogs eight victories in 10 games against the Gamecocks under coach Mark Richt.

• Be the Bulldogs' fifth consecutive victory in Columbia.

A South Carolina win would …

• Bring the Gamecocks' all-time football record to .500 (536-536-44).

• Be Steve Spurrier's second victory in six games against Georgia as the Gamecocks' coach, compared to his 11-1 record vs. the Dogs as Florida coach.

Keep an eye on …

For Georgia: Aaron Murray, the Bulldogs' redshirt freshman quarterback, had a comfortable start to his college career in last week's home victory against Louisiana-Lafayette. Now he goes on the road against an SEC defense.
For South Carolina: Freshman Marcus Lattimore, the nation's No. 1 running back prospect last year, will play his second college game. He debuted with 52 yards and two touchdowns on 14 carries vs. Southern Mississippi last week. "He's a good back. Not a good one, he's a great one," Richt said.

The numbers game

7

Years since both Georgia and South Carolina entered the game ranked, as they do this time.

33-6

Georgia's record in an opponent's stadium under Richt, including 4-0 in South Carolina's Williams-Brice Stadium.

13-5

Georgia's record vs. South Carolina since the Gamecocks joined the SEC in 1992. (South Carolina has been the Bulldogs' opening SEC opponent each year since then.)

The history book

Series record: Georgia leads 46-14-2.
Last meeting: Georgia beat South Carolina 41-37 last year in Athens in the second-highest scoring game in the history of a series that dates to 1894. South Carolina reached the Georgia 7-yard line in the final minute before Bulldogs linebacker Rennie Curran broke up Stephen Garcia's fourth-down pass with 22 seconds left to clinch the game.

The bottom line

Every indicator portends another close game. Take this week's polls, for example: The AP poll ranks Georgia No. 22 and South Carolina No. 24; the coaches' poll has Georgia No. 19 and South Carolina No. 25. Factor in home-field advantage and Green's absence, and South Carolina is a 2 1/2-point favorite.