OPPONENT: Georgia Bulldogs

WHEN: September 8, 2018 at 3:30

WHERE: Williams Brice Stadium (Columbia, SC)

ALL-TIME SERIES RECORD: Georgia leads 50-18-2

LAST MEETING: Georgia beat South Carolina 24-10 on November 4, 2017 in Athens

2017 RECORD: Georgia finished last year 13-2 and 7-1 in the SEC.

Head Coach…

Thank you Dawg Nation !! pic.twitter.com/wVRMTmXoPt

— Coach Kirby Smart (@KirbySmartUGA) April 22, 2018

Kirby Smart is entering his third year and has an overall record of 17-5.

Returning Starters…

Georgia is returning 13 starters, with eight on offense and five on defense.

How did they fare in 2017?

#UGA’s Rose Bowl win was the 6th-most watched cable telecast of all time. The 2018 #CFB National Championship between Georgia and Alabama had the 2nd largest cable audience ever, with 29.9 million viewers. pic.twitter.com/yPWXlrGMot

— UGA Football Live (@UGAfootballLive) May 17, 2018

In their 2017 campaign, Georgia had one of the best years in their program. In his second year, Kirby Smart led Georgia to a 13-2 record, which resulted from a division and conference win. Georgia also secured the two seed in the playoff where they defeated Oklahoma in a Rose Bowl thriller. They went on to lose against Alabama in the National Championship.

Best Returning Player…

QB Jake Fromm, Sophomore

When it's the fourth quarter but your clients are calling about their insurance #GoDawgs pic.twitter.com/kmskBBHg0Y

— JakefromStateFromm (@FrommJake) September 29, 2017

As a freshman, Fromm took the starting job from Jacob Eason and led the Bulldogs to the National Championship. In 2017, Fromm threw for 2,615 yards, 24 touchdowns, and seven interceptions. There’s a lot of speculation that incoming freshman Justin Fields will take the starting job, but it’s hard to imagine Fromm will lose his starting role.

Overall Outlook…

This game will have a huge impact on who wins the SEC East because this is the toughest conference game for South Carolina. Besides Georgia and Clemson, South Carolina’s schedule is favorable. If Deebo Samuel manages to stay healthy, the Gamecocks can surprise the college football world. A big home win against the national runner-ups for the Gamecocks early on will send shock-waves through the nation. If Georgia wins, they have a clear path back to the playoff. The ESPN FPI currently gives Georgia a 79.1 percent chance to beat South Carolina.