South Carolina football: three keys to victory versus Georgia
By Jacob Elsey
South Carolina football looks to pull upset over Georgia.
The South Carolina football team welcomes SEC East rival Georgia to Williams-Brice Stadium Saturday night, looking to pull the upset over the ninth-ranked Bulldogs. What do the Gamecocks need to do to leave with a win?
South Carolina will likely be playing a freshman quarterback in his first career start against maybe the SEC’s top defensive unit. Leading receiver Shi Smith is out due to a concussion suffered in last week’s loss to Missouri. The Gamecocks are shorthanded on defense, with interim coach Mike Bobo stating that at least 16 scholarship players on that side of the ball have missed time this week.
A lot needs to go right for the Gamecocks to leave Columbia with a win, but stranger things have happened. Here are three keys to victory in the matchup with the Bulldogs.
PRODUCTION IN THE RUN GAME
The Gamecocks struggled last week against Missouri, as the Tigers stacked the box and forced South Carolina quarterbacks to make plays with their arms. Leading rusher Kevin Harris couldn’t get much going, being held to his third-lowest rushing output of the season.
Things seemed to change when Luke Doty was inserted into the lineup, with the rookie running for 59 second half yards, but the team will need to improve against the Bulldogs.
If the Gamecocks can keep the chains moving on the ground, it could allow South Carolina to control the clock and turn the game into a low-scoring slugfest. If not, they’ll need to rely on a passing game that’s been downright bad over the last half of the season.
The Gamecocks can’t afford to get into a shootout. They’ll need to keep the Bulldog offense on the sidelines and shorten the game as much as possible.
WIN THE TURNOVER BATTLE
Turnovers played a huge role in South Carolina’s upset last season, with three big interceptions helping the Gamecocks escape Sanford Stadium with a double overtime win. Another opportunistic defensive performance would go a long way towards a victory this year, too.
The Gamecocks are even in the turnover differential so far this season, have 10 giveaways and 10 takeaways. Georgia’s margin is -2 on the year, with Bulldog quarterbacks throwing nine picks to date, the third worst mark in the SEC.
If the team can find a way to force Georgia signal caller JT Daniels into some mistakes, it could give the Gamecocks a chance.
KEEP IT SIMPLE FOR LUKE DOTY
Luke Doty is the most athletic player in the South Carolina quarterback room, but he’s also the most inexperienced. Coach Bobo was complimentary of Doty’s performance last weekend, but stated that much of his play looked like “backyard football.”
The Gamecocks should keep things simple for the freshman, giving quick, easy reads that allow him to think less and rely more on instinct. His ability to scramble and extend plays could go a long way in keeping the South Carolina offense on the field.
In short, don’t ask too much of the youngster. Allow him to play loose, pressure-free football in his first collegiate start.