Georgia Bulldogs: Running Game Propels Dawgs to 28-14 Victory Over Gamecocks

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Despite uncertainty concerning the time and location of the game, the Georgia Bulldogs performed efficiently on the road to defeat the South Carolina Gamecocks 28-14, largely due to the improvement of Georgia’s running game.

“We definitely made it more interesting than it needed to be,” said head coach Kirby Smart. The Georgia Bulldogs turned Sunday’s matchup against the South Carolina Gamecocks into more of a game than it should have been. Though the Bulldogs passing game was non-existent, with just 29 yards, it was the work of three Georgia running backs: Nick Chubb, Sony Michel and Brian Herrien, that proved to be the difference in this matchup for the Dawgs.

Georgia’s star running back Nick Chubb returned full force against South Carolina after sustaining a minor ankle injury against Ole Miss. On Sunday, he was back in his original form, with 121 yards on 16 carries and two touchdowns. It’s safe to say his ankle has recovered nicely. However, Sony Michel led the Dawgs with 133 yards on 21 carries. Additionally, freshman Brian Herrien had 82 yards on 9 carries.

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Georgia Seals the Deal, Still Plenty of Room for Improvement

With 1:40 left in the game, South Carolina’s Rico Dowdle scored from one yard out to make it a seven-point game. The ensuing onside kick was fielded by Georgia’s Terry Godwin and returned 43 yards for a touchdown to seal the game for the Georgia Bulldogs.

It was a difficult day for freshman quarterback Jacob Eason, who never seemed to get on track. As he has in previous games, Eason continued to overthrow deep, missing open receivers several times. The Bulldogs sustained their lowest team passing total since 1990 on Sunday under Eason, who finished 5-of-17 for 29 yards with one touchdown and one interception.

Going forward, the composure and accuracy of Eason will continue to be a major focus for the Bulldogs. The good news is considering he is in fact a true freshman, he will certainly improve. He has already made that very apparent since his performances against Nicholls and Missouri….but now, add South Carolina to the list of games in which Eason has underperformed.

Next: Atlanta Falcons: Falcons Upset Denver Broncos in Statement Win

Next Saturday, the Georgia Bulldogs return home to Sanford Stadium where they will take on the Vanderbilt Commodores. Catch the game at 12 PM ET on the SEC Network.