South Carolina @ Georgia preview

Last Meeting ( Sep 11, 2010 ) Georgia 6, South Carolina 17

THE STORY: After a wake-up call last week against East Carolina, the alarm sounds on No. 12 South Carolina's bid to repeat as SEC East champion when the Gamecocks open their league schedule at Georgia on Saturday. Both teams opened with non-conference games at neutral sites. South Carolina rallied from a 10-point halftime deficit to beat East Carolina, 56-37, in Charlotte. The Bulldogs dropped out of the top 25 after 35-21 loss to Boise State in Atlanta. Georgia leads the all-time series 46-15-2, including a 26-7 mark in Athens, Ga. The Gamecocks' last win in Athens was a 16-12 victory in 2007. South Carolina won last year, 17-6 in Columbia, S.C. The Gamecocks haven't beaten Georgia in back-to-back seasons since 2000-01.

TV: ESPN. LINE: South Carolina-3

ABOUT GEORGIA (0-1): Sophomore QB Aaron Murray began his second season as the Bulldogs' starter by throwing for 236 yards and two touchdowns on 16-of-29 passing. He also threw an interception. Murray is looking for new targets after the departure of top WRs A.J. Green and Kris Durham. TE Orson Charles was his top receiver against Boise State with six catches for a career-high 109 yards and a touchdown. CB/KR Brandon Boykin showed his versatility against Boise State. He scored on an 80-yard run on the first offensive play of his career, and he became the school's all-time leader in return yardage. Unfortunately for the Bulldogs, Boykin's one carry accounted for most of their 137 rushing yards.

ABOUT SOUTH CAROLINA (1-0): Sophomore RB Marcus Lattimore had a breakthrough game against Georgia last season, rushing for 182 yards and two touchdowns. Lattimore entered this season as a Heisman Trophy contender, and he started the season with 112 yards and three touchdowns on 23 carries against East Carolina. Senior QB Stephen Garcia is expected to start after having his string of 28 consecutive starts snapped last week. Sophomore Connor Shaw started, but he struggled while the Gamecocks fell behind 17-0, and Garcia led the rally with two rushing touchdowns and a scoring pass.

EXTRA POINTS

1. South Carolina coach Steve Spurrier is tied with Jim Carlen for second place on the school's all-time wins list with 45. Rex Enright holds the school record with 64 wins over 15 seasons.

2. The Gamecocks are 8-11 in league openers since joining the SEC before the 1992 season. Of those 19 previous SEC openers, 16 have come against Georgia.

3. The Bulldogs have opened SEC play against South Carolina every year since 1992, going 13-6 against the Gamecocks. That includes a 7-3 mark under Mark Richt.

PREDICTION: South Carolina 27, Georgia 21 — Spurrier's team won't sleepwalk through the first half like it did last week, and the Gamecocks are more talented on both sides of the ball.