Georgia at South Carolina: Keys, predictions, and players to watch

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ATLANTA, GA – JANUARY 08: Mecole Hardman #4 of the Georgia Bulldogs carries the ball against the Alabama Crimson Tide in the CFP National Championship presented by AT&T at Mercedes-Benz Stadium on January 8, 2018 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Scott Cunningham/Getty Images) /

Georgia Keys to Victory

Protect the Offensive Line: The offensive line is typically the unit that does the protecting, however in this contest, they’re the ones who need protecting. Georgia starts a freshman, three sophomores and a senior on the offensive line. Those five weren’t tested against Austin Peay last week, but South Carolina will be more of a challenge. The Gamecocks return three starters on their four-man front and began the season with a three sack performance against Coastal Carolina. Georgia will need to establish the run game and throw short, quick passes to keep the chains moving.

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Pressure Jake Bentley: The battle in the trenches is critical in this game and this key occurs when the Georgia defense takes the field. In the opener against Austin Peay, Georgia failed to record a single sack. That needs to change as the Bulldogs can’t afford to give Jake Bentley all day in the pocket. The South Carolina receivers do a great job of creating separation, so defensive end Jonathan Ledbetter and outside linebacker D’Andre Walker must find a way to pressure the Gamecocks quarterback.

Win the Special Teams Battle: This is a battle Georgia should win, however there are new questions after the season opener. The kicking game was elite. True freshman punter Jake Camarda did his job, averaging 55 yards on three punts. Kicker Rodrigo Blankenship was his usual self, connecting on all seven of his kicks and forcing a touchback on all eight kickoffs. The question is in the return game, where the Bulldogs only managed 14 yards on four punt returns. With a punter in Joseph Charlton, South Carolina knows how to pin an opponent deep in their own territory. With an inexperienced offensive line, that’s the last thing Georgia wants. Whether it’s Mecole Hardman or Ahkil Crumpton, someone needs to come up with a decent return or two.

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