Defending SEC champ Georgia football hits the road in Week 2 to start league play. Here is how to watch the game between the Bulldogs and South Carolina on Saturday.
The Saturday showdown between No. 3 Georgia and No. 2South Carolina is one of just two contests where both teams are ranked in the AP Top 25. The Bulldogs head north to Columbia for the annual divisional battle with the Gamecocks.
Against FCS opponent Austin Peay, the Bulldogs allowed only 152 yards of offense to their opponent in a 45-0 shutout win. Jake Fromm threw for 157 yards and two scores, Justin Fields added another passing touchdown, and Georgia finished the day with 284 rushing yards and three touchdowns on the ground as a team.
South Carolina took on one of the newest FBS programs, Coastal Carolina, in their season opener with similar results. The Gamecocks failed to secure a shutout, giving up three field goals and a touchdown in the second half. But Jake Bentley threw for 250 yards and four touchdowns, Rico Dowdle rushed for 105 yards and a score, and South Carolina emerged a 49-15 victor on its home turf.
South Carolina hasn’t won the SEC East since 2010, and if they hope to do so this year they must start by securing a key victory at home over the defending division champions. Will Muschamp will try to make Georgia beat the Gamecocks through the air, so we will see whether Fromm can keep the Bulldogs on a winning path.
Georgia has won each of the past three contests between these two programs. Can they make it four in a row this weekend? Here’s how you can watch the Saturday game between Georgia and South Carolina:
Date: Saturday, Sept. 8
Time: 3:30 p.m. ET
Location: Columbia, S.C.
Venue: Williams-Brice Stadium
TV: CBS
Live Stream: CBS Sports Live | FuboTV
Keys to Victory
For Georgia, they will need to control the clock and maximize their time with the football. Against the Governors in Week 1, the Bulldogs were in a six-minute deficit in terms of time of possession. That was fine against an FCS opponent, but in what looks to be a defensive battle the Bulldogs cannot afford to have too many throwaway possessions.
South Carolina, meanwhile, needs to cut down on the penalties. In the win over Coastal Carolina, the Gamecocks saw nine yellow flags and lost 99 yards in the bargain. Giving up that much yardage came with few costs against a Sun Belt opponent. If South Carolina concedes that much space to the Gamecocks, their divisional rival will take full advantage.
Betting Odds
Odds courtesy of oddsshark.com
Point Spread: Georgia -10
Over/Under: 57
Prediction
This will be a knock-’em-down, drag-it-out affair as both teams take advantage of strong defenses to stymie their opponent’s attacks. We could see a scoreless first quarter as the two teams take their time ramping up the pace. In the end, Georgia will pull away for victory thanks to a late insurance touchdown on a Gamecocks turnover.
Final Score: Georgia 28, South Carolina 17