Look at that spot. Game on the line, a gutsy fourth down call from South Carolina and the chain stretched to reveal less than an inch between victory and defeat.
It may as well be an indicator of the SEC East Division race. We’re less than a month into the season, and already there’s all kinds of turmoil at the top.
And we’re nowhere close to this race shaking out.
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South Carolina beat Georgia 38-35 on Saturday, throwing the division into a what in the world is going on scenario — not even a month into the season.
Let’s get beyond Georgia’s mind-boggling decision to not put the ball in the hands of the best player on the field (tailback Todd Gurley) with a first and goal at the South Carolina 4 with five minutes to play and trailing by three. Georgia has all but ignored Gurley in big moments for three seasons now, why change?
But that’s another argument for another time. The more important takeaway is this: you say Georgia or South Carolina in the East? I say don’t forget Missouri.
The team everyone ignored in the offseason got another strong performance this weekend, whipping UCF — and the Knights’ strong defense — behind an impressive performance from quarterback Maty Mauk.
The division’s favorites, meanwhile, have endured a humiliating blowout at home (Texas A&M over South Carolina), and yet another loss to a rival (Georgia has lost four of last five to South Carolina) — and neither looks like it has anything figured out on defense.
All Georgia needed, after a missed field goal that would have tied the game, was a stop of South Carolina in the final 4:24. The Gamecocks then ran the ball six straight times for two first downs to run out the clock and end the game. That’s right, the Dawgs knew what South Carolina was going to do and couldn’t get a stop it to give its offense one more chance.
Want to know how disappointing these defenses played? South Carolina coach Steve Spurrier decided to go for a fourth down conversion at midfield instead of punting and allowing his defense to win the game.
Spurrier put the ball in the hands of his best player (QB Dylan Thompson) and he got the critical inches to seal the victory; Georgia coach Mark Richt didn’t a series earlier inside the South Carolina five (see: Gurley).
Meanwhile, Missouri will show up in South Carolina in two weeks with a chance to make an early statement in the East Division race.
Maybe then we’ll see some defense in that stadium.