Georgia Bulldogs head coach Kirby Smart is fired up as the Bulldogs head into their SEC opener against the South Carolina Gamecocks.
Georgia is 2-0 after defeating UT Martin and Ball State at home during the first two weeks of the season. South Carolina is 1-1. The Gamecocks lost to North Carolina in Week 1, but bounced back to defeat Furman in Week 2.
Buy Bulldogs TicketsGeorgia has won three straight games against South Carolina. However, the Gamecocks were the last college football team to win in Sanford Stadium.
The Georgia-South Carolina game will be televised on CBS on Sept. 16. Kickoff is slated for 3:30 p.m. ET.
Kirby Smart provided a few injury updates and noted how much he respects the Gamecocks ahead of the SEC opener.
Safety Javon Bullard
Georgia All-SEC safety Javon Bullard missed much of the Ball State game after suffering an ankle injury. He was seen in a walking boot during the second half.
Kirby Smart updated Bullard’s game status ahead of South Carolina.
He will not practice today. I do know that. But as far as where he is, probably won’t know until Wednesday’s practice whether he’s going to be able to go or not. We’ve had guys in that position with that similar injury being able to play. But I really have no clue until we approach the week.
Georgia is expecting big things out of Bullard in 2023. The Dawgs don’t need to rush him back. However, Georgia fans should expect quite a few Bulldogs to be playing through some pain in the SEC opener.
Running back Daijun Edwards
Running back Daijun Edwards is Georgia’s leading returning rusher. Edwards is recovering from a knee injury, but is expected to have a key role for the Dawgs after fellow running Branson Robinson suffered a season-ending injury.
Yeah, we expect Daijun to go. Like I said, he could have gone last week, the week before that. We’re just trying to go from 80 to 90 to 100. We think he’s going to be closer to that. I can’t say what he’s at. But he certainly felt good enough to go Saturday.
Defensive lineman Christen Miller
Georgia defensive lineman Christen Miller has worked his way into the Dawgs’ defensive rotation. He should be able to play against South Carolina.
I think it was a cervical strain. He’s fine. He should be ready to go.
Wide receiver Ladd McConkey
McConkey has missed Georgia’s first two games due to a back injury. Kirby Smart does not sound as optimistic about McConkey.
Ladd, day by day. We’re trying everything we can to get him back. He’s trying everything he can to get him back. I don’t really know how to answer other than I don’t know any more than I knew Saturday.
Fortunately, Georgia is very deep at wide receiver this season and can overcome Ladd McConkey’s absence against most opponents.
Smart on how he evaluates South Carolina
South Carolina’s offensive had a horrendous performance in Week 1 against North Carolina. The Gamecocks will face a massive challenge on the road at Georgia.
South Carolina finished the 2022 college football season as one of the hottest teams in the country.
I look at last year’s game. They got players from last year that are explosive. They’ve got good football players across the board. And they play really hard. I think when you look at the end of the year schedule last year with what they did with Tennessee and Clemson, it speaks for itself.
Georgia will be hyped up to play against its first SEC opponent in 2023.
Smart thinks South Carolina has an elite special teams unit
Kirby Smart believes South Carolina had the SEC’s top special teams unit a year ago. The Bulldogs need to win in all three phases against the Gamecocks.
Yeah, they (South Carolina) were tops in the conference last year in the composite thing we do in terms of looking at all of them and ranking all of the special teams units and taking a composite of that.
Smart concerned to face South Carolina's passing game
Georgia will look to get pressure on South Carolina quarterback Spencer Rattler. Rattler played well despite taking a ton of sacks in the season opener against North Carolina.
It’s not just Rattler, it’s all they guys around him. An elite group of wide receivers and tight-ends that they use. And he makes a lot of plays. And they’ve got a lot of guys that can play the ball down the field.
Georgia held Rattler to 118 passing yards and forced two interceptions against him a year ago.
On South Carolina quarterback Spencer Rattler
Rattler is one of the better quarterbacks in the SEC and one of the better quarterbacks Georgia will face during the regular season.
He’s got elite arm talent. I can tell you that. The throws he makes, deep, vertical, back-shoulder throws. He’s thrown a couple field outs. He had a throw against Clemson last year on third and 10, it was a rope. So he’s very elusive, very accurate with the ball. Hard to finish on. There’s a lot of people that miss tackles on him.
