WHEN: 4:30 p.m., Saturday
RECORD: 0-1
RANKING: No. 5
SERIES: Georgia leads 46-17-2
LAST YEAR: The Gamecocks won their third straight against the Bulldogs with a convincing 35-7 victory at Williams-Brice Stadium. USC jumped out to a 21-0 lead in the first quarter, capped by Ace Sanders’ 70-yard punt return for a touchdown. The defense held a high-powered Georgia offense to 224 total yards.
COACH: Mark Richt. In his 13th season coaching the Bulldogs, Richt led his team to its fifth SEC title game last season, where it narrowly lost to eventual national champion Alabama. His record of 118-41 gives him the fourth-best winning percentage in the nation among active coaches. He has taken the Bulldogs to bowl games in all of the previous 12 seasons. He has posted a 7-5 record against South Carolina.
QUICK TAKE: The Gamecocks cruised to a 27-10 win against North Carolina in their opener, while the Bulldogs dropped a tough 38-35 decision on the road to No. 8 Clemson. ... This is the first SEC game of the season for both teams, and it could go a long way toward deciding the Eastern Division. After losing three consecutive contests in a rivalry it has traditionally dominated, Georgia is looking to get a little revenge against a USC program on the rise under Steve Spurrier, who is 15-5 against the Bulldogs over his 20 seasons at Florida and South Carolina.
BULLDOG BITES: Georgia has won 10 or more games eight times since 2001. Since 1992, the Bulldogs have opened their SEC schedule against South Carolina in every season but one — last year. Georgia averaged 38 points per game last season and brought back 10 starters on offense, but standout receiver Malcolm Mitchell was lost to an ACL injury in the Clemson game. Senior quarterback Aaron Murray has started 42 straight games in his career. The Bulldogs lost a school-record eight players to the NFL in the 2013 draft, which helped the Tigers to roll up 467 yards Saturday.
BULLDOGS TO WATCH
QB AARON MURRAY: The senior holds the school record for career touchdown passes, single-season touchdown passes and single-season passing yards. He passed for 323 yards against Clemson but threw no touchdowns.
TB TODD GURLEY: The sophomore rushed for 1,385 yards last season, the second-highest total for a freshman at Georgia after Herschel Walker. He piled up 154 more yards against Clemson and scored twice.
LB JORDAN JENKINS: The sophomore had an impressive first season with 31 tackles and five sacks. He had 4.5 against Clemson.
LB AMARLO HERRERA: The junior piled up 70 tackles last season and had a team-high eight against Clemson.
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