South Carolina vs Georgia Preview: No. 1 Bulldogs Breezing Along

On Saturday, the South Carolina Gamecocks visit the No. 1 Georgia Bulldogs in a Southeastern Conference contest. The Gamecocks are 1-1 on the season and 1-1 against the spread, while the Bulldogs are 2-0 straight-up and 0-1-1 against the spread. Georgia is favored by 27.5 half points, which is the smallest favorite it’s been this season. The total on the game is 54. The South Carolina vs Georgia preview notes the Bulldogs are 7-0 straight-up and 5-2 ATS against South Carolina since 2015.

South Carolina Solid When Passing the Ball

Nearly all of South Carolina’s offensive success this season has come when throwing the ball. The Gamecocks have thrown for 816 yards with five touchdowns and no interceptions. Spencer Rattler has done most of the damage, throwing for 698 yards and is completing 83.3% of his passes.

But the less said about the running game, the better. South Carolina’s rushing game has been putrid, gaining 106 yards on 70 carries, an average of 1.5 yards per carry. Granted, some of those rushing attempts are sacks, as the Gamecocks have been thrown for a loss on 23 plays this season. That’s the second most in the nation.

In the season opener against North Carolina, the Gamecocks had 31 carries for (-2) yards. Rattler threw for 353 yards but no touchdowns, and not surprisingly, UNC won and covered the spread. The Gamecocks easily covered the 17.5-point line against Furman in a 47-21 win. But the Gamecocks had 39 rushes for 108 yards.

South Carolina hasn’t been great defensively, allowing 380 yards per game. North Carolina is a decent offensive team, but the Gamecocks should have done a little more against Furman. But they’ll have to do a lot more against Georgia.

Top-Ranked Bulldogs Cruise to 2-0 Start

Georgia has barely broken a sweat through its first two games of the season. The Bulldogs beat UT Martin 48-7 in a non-covering effort and pushed against the point spread last week. Georgia was favored by 42 points and defeated Ball State 45-3.

The Bulldogs led 45-0 after three quarters and could have won by more. It’s rare to see a team win by 41 and 42 points and still be looking for its first cover against the NCAA football odds. Georgia did push last week to the chagrin of anybody who wagered on the Bulldogs.

But for Georgia, the tune-up games on the college football schedule are over with. It’s time for the Bulldogs to get serious about their NCAAF games. Carson Beck is off to a good start at quarterback and the Bulldogs are running the ball reasonably well. Georgia could be doing a little better, considering the level of the competition they faced.

The defense hasn’t been challenged yet, although the Gamecocks have some talent. The Bulldogs have four interceptions through the first two games.

What to Expect

The first thing to expect is a little more intensity out of the Bulldogs. Georgia pretty much went through the motions at times against UT Martin and Ball State. You can’t blame them. There was no way the Bulldogs were going to lose to either squad.

For South Carolina, there are going to be plenty of pass attempts. If the offensive line doesn’t do a better job, there are also going to be plenty of sacks. If you give Rattler time, he’s as solid as they come. Georgia knows this and will do all it can to put pressure on and not let him get comfortable in the pocket. Either way, South Carolina will hit a couple of big plays during the game. It’s what the Gamecocks do on the others that will help settle the final score here.

The South Carolina vs Georgia preview notes the Bulldogs have allowed 211 rushing yards, which is more than expected considering the competition. But if Ball State wants to run while down 30 points in the third quarter, the Bulldogs were happy to let them. Georgia can stop the run a little better than they’ve shown so far.

Who to Bet On?

The South Carolina vs Georgia preview believes the best value in this game is going to be on the over 54. South Carolina’s running woes could be a plus to over bettors. The Gamecocks should throw often, which will prolong the game and stop the clock. Georgia’s defense is good, but you have to expect the Gamecocks to put some points on the board.

Georgia should come to life offensively a little bit now that the conference games are here. The Bulldogs won’t ease up at the end of third quarter in this one and will play hard 60 minutes.

For NCAAF news, betting odds, analysis and more, visit Point Spreads Sports Magazine.

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