Five key plays: Georgia
Georgia dominated the third quarter to turn the game into a rout, but it was first half miscues by South Carolina that set the stage for Georgia. If these plays had gone the other way, South Carolina still would have had to withstand Georgia's second half onslaught, but it could have at least made it competitive.
Pick Six(-ish)
South Carolina had a plan. Spread Georgia out, using the tight end and running back as slot receivers to get Georgia into matchup problems and run up-tempo, tiring out Georgia's pass rush. The game plan had promise. The execution had problems. After a first down via penalty, Jake Bentley misfired to Bryan Edwards. On second down, running back Rico Dowdle was open on the left sideline for about five yards. Bentley found him, but Dowdle let the pass go through his hands and off his helmet and pads. The ricochet went high in the air and Deandre Baker grabbed the interception. He returned the ball to the one and dropped it, thinking he was in the end zone. He wasn't, but only Georgia's Juwan Taylor realized it, and Taylor picked up the ball for the touchdown. Regardless of the mistake, South Carolina was in an almost immediate 7-0 hole, not where you want to be trying to pull off an upset.
"It was a lack of focus," Dowdle said. "It's on me."
Dropped again
On the ensuing drive, the Gamecocks went three and out, but it was because of another dropped pass. On third and seven, Bentley had Dowdle open on a crossing route for the first down, but Dowdle dropped the ball. The Gamecocks went three and out, negating the attempt to wear down the Bulldog defense. Bentley took the blame for the poor start, but it wasn't all on him.
"I've got to put the ball in a better spot," Bentley said.
Four and out
South Carolina's strategy finally played off and it scored to cut the deficit to 14-7. On the next drive, Javon Kinlaw pressured Jake Fromm into a bad throw and Rashad Fenton grabbed the interception, giving South Carolina a short field at the Georgia 34 and all the momentum.
But South Carolina did nothing to capitalize. Three plays gained a total of one yard, and South Carolina went for it on fourth and 9, rather than try a 51-yard field goal. Bentley forced a throw to Deebo Samuel, who was well covered and short of the first down. Samuel couldn't make the catch anyway, and Georgia took over. Georgia kicked a field goal on the following drive, and South Carolina never got momentum back.
Look right!
The Gamecocks put together one more big drive in the second quarter, which turned out to be their last chance to make the game close. The game plan and play calls were perfect, as Bentley spread the ball around and Ty'Son Williams found holes against the confused defense. On second and 3 from the Georgia six, Bentley dropped back to pass. None of the Georgia defenders saw Williams leak out to the right flat. Unfortunately, Bentley didn't see him either. Bentley was locked on the left side of the field, where Samuel and Edwards were lined up in a bunch formation. They were well covered, and Bentley tucked the ball and tried to scramble. There was nobody within 10 yards of Williams, and all Bentley had to do was flip the ball over and the game would have been tied.
Shank
South Carolina got the ball back with 1:59 left in the first half, down seven. It picked up a couple of first downs, but then had to settle for a punt with less than a minute to play. Joseph Charlton, who is normally very reliable, picked a bad time for a shank. Punting from midfield, he tried to kick high and short instead of long, but the punt was too high and too short, and floated out of bounds at the Georgia 33, a dismal 18-yard kick. The short field, plus Groza Award finalist Rodrigo Blankenship kicking, led to a 44-yard field goal as time expired, and South Carolina never threatened again.
"That was a critical error on our part," Will Muschamp said. "We've got to be able to flip the field on the punt."