Bold Predictions: South Carolina vs. Georgia

Saturday's contest between South Carolina and Georgia is one of the bigger matchups of the day, and we have some bold predictions ahead of the action.

South Carolina will discover a lot about itself this weekend. They get to contend with a national juggernaut, play host to several top prospects, and have the entire nation watching their every move. This is what fans signed up for when head coach Shane Beamer accepted the job, and now those dreams and claims are coming to fruition.

The Gamecocks hope they can do the unimaginable and complete an upset reminiscent of their 2019 win over the Bulldogs; however, a more realistic wish would be for South Carolina to remain competitive. Trading blows with the top-ranked team in college would be an outstanding step for this program, one that one year ago was embarrassed in front of tens of thousands in Sanford Stadium.

They need to make this contest ugly to give themselves a chance, as Georgia doesn't have much experience playing in sloppy games. Here are three bold proclamations that could make things interesting on Saturday.

Spencer Rattler Shines

It doesn't take a rocket scientist to figure No. 7 will need to play the game of his life to ensure South Carolina remains remotely competitive. Georgia has dominated the run game for the past four years, mainly because head coach Kirby Smart is a founding father of the 4-2-5 mint front defense.

Rattler has all the arm talent and intelligence to compete with anyone; however, he chooses not to most of the time. He has bailed on clean pockets this year, specifically against Arkansas, when he should have remained committed to trusting his protection and reading progressions. 

If he performs like he is capable, then South Carolina can compete. Specifically, he needs to connect on explosives downfield. He is four of eleven on balls over twenty yards this year, averaging 34.1 air yards per target on those attempts. Trusting his feet and eyes will allow him to complete some of those balls and change the game's tone.

South Carolina Wins Time of Possession

At face value, this seems like a ludicrous statement. Georgia excels at running the ball from various looks, while South Carolina is a pass-first team hesitant to run the ball against poor fronts.

However, South Carolina knows they must keep the ball away from quarterback Stetson Bennett, a legitimate Heisman contender. The longer the Gamecocks are in possession, the less time the Bulldogs have to create explosives.

Head coach Shane Beamer and company should be game-planning ways to find extensions of the run game. Oregon found a few minor deficiencies schematically but couldn't compile long drives; the Gamecocks should fare better on Saturday at converting short-yardage situations.

Gamecocks Turn Over Stetson Bennett

Bennett is the unquestioned hottest quarterback in the country, the potential Heisman front-runner, and a legitimate football player. His arm talent and moxy are his strongest attributes, but Bennett is an incredibly cerebral football player.

He ensures his teammates are in the proper protection and have the right call in, rarely making mistakes from pre-snap to post-snap. Bennett hasn't committed a turnover on the young season, but we project the Gamecocks will change that.

South Carolina has a talented secondary featuring corner Cam Smith, corner Nick Emmanwori, and potentially RJ Roderick barring a return from injury. They will be able to make plays on the ball if the front-four can generate pass-rush, and it's a reasonable expectation that Beamer dials up simulated pressure to force Bennett into a quick decision or two.

You Might Also Like:

• South Carolina vs. Georgia: Series History
• Can South Carolina Recapture Their 2019 Magic?
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