Gamecock Defense Worn Down By Bulldog Ground Attack, Loses 24-14

South Carolina's Football team brought the fight to the No. 1 Georgia Bulldogs, but ran out of gas in the second half in a 24-14 loss in Athens.

In the first half, it was the South Carolina Gamecocks that were throwing haymakers and dodging Georgia's counters, and it led to a 14-3 halftime advantage. In the second half, the script was completely flipped on the Gamecocks, as the defense couldn't find ways to get off the field and the offense was unable to stay on the field, leading to the Bulldogs not just taking the lead, but pulling away late, as Carolina lost their SEC opener 24-14.

Offensively, the Gamecocks were able to keep the Bulldogs pass rush at bay in the first half, which allowed for Rattler to extend plays, make big time throws and create tons of momentum on South Carolina's sideline. In the second half, however, Georgia upped their frequency of blitzes and pressures up front, and Carolina never seemly found that comfort that they lived in for the first 30 minutes. This lead to Rattler running for his life in a way that was similar to what occurred in week one versus North Carolina.

Defensively, this unit managed to hold Georgia to three points over the first 30 minutes, which admittedly was stunning considering the amount of first downs the Bulldogs had racked up in that stretch. That trend caught up with the Gamecocks in the second half, as the Bulldogs attacked the perimeter and leaned on their renowned power-run game to the tune of 115+ yards on the ground.

Overall, the fight from this team was there, but the gap in competitive depth in key areas caught up them as the game progressed. Shane Beamer and his staff should be proud of their players for the effort they exuded today, and although it's not the result they wanted, they have some positives to build on as they come back to Columbia to take on the Mississippi State Bulldogs.

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