Leg Up Saturday In SEC East

“It just means you’re a game up,” said the Head Ball Coach - Steve Spurrier.

By: BE Coleman

A theme South Carolina head coach Steve Spurrier would like to end this Saturday is being down a game in the SEC Eastern Division race to start the season.

While the Gamecocks are still chasing their first division crown since joining the conference 18 years ago, the battle with Georgia has been ongoing since 1894.

Looking back to 1992, South Carolina has won five contests in the last eighteen attempts that spans four coaching regimes against Georgia.

The question, can South Carolina chart a new course is to be answered this Saturday in Columbia. But it is not a make or break situation.

Spurrier noted in July that winning or losing this game generally does not dictate the division race. “It just means you’re a game up,” said the Head Ball Coach.

Downplaying the distinction is actually the safer bet for the former Gator alum and coach, with many unknowns at Florida this season, the division race is not a given.

If South Carolina is going to make the run, then a beat down of Georgia in week two would help add confident momentum for the 25th ranked Gamecocks.

Helping to fuel the drive in 2010 for South Carolina, is realizing this is actually the first squad Spurrier has fielded in Columbia after four long and hard years of recruiting, which can contend.

In past times, finding the depth of top talent that is now noted on the current Gamecock roster in Columbia had not been present. It does now.

Spurrier, a lifetime 12-5 coaching against Georgia is not used to losing to the Bulldogs as a coach or a player. In 1994-95 his teams posted 104 points on the scoreboard to 31 by Georgia.

We haven’t beaten Georgia enough, really, to call them a big rival,” said Spurrier this week. If he has his way, that will change at high noon on Saturday.

Getting a chicken leg, or a drumstick up in week two over division rivals would give South Carolina an edge that has never been experienced before as a contender.

Fun Fact: South Carolina started the 2010 season with a 535-535-44 all time record. Spurrier coached teams have outscored Georgia 511 to 301 since 1990.


Older Stories:
Predicting The Vols Odds 8.30.2010
Others Must Watch The SEC Dance 8.29.2010
Gamecocks Suspend Noted Tight End8.24.2010
Georgia Goes To Florida for AD 8.12.2010
NCAA Investigating Kiffin - Brown 8.11.2010
Volunteer Injuries Adding Up 8.10.2010
Vols Gerald Jones Poised To Run 8.5.2010
Brown Departs Knoxville Via Text 7.27.10
Johnson Loss Is Big For The SEC 7.18.2010
LSU Suspends Fullback 7.15.2010
Ole Miss Running Back Arrested 7.15.2010
Kentucky Hires TE – Special Teams Coach 7.14.2010
Dooley Working to Change UT Image 7.13.2010
SEC Coaches Dealing With Aftermath 7.13.2010
Two Georgia Players Are Charged 7.10.2010
Two Vols Now Charged In Melee 7.8.2010
Ole Miss Reports Secondary Infraction7.5.2010
Are TV Deals Hurting Ticket Sales 6.21.2010
Spurrier Donates $100K to Prep Facility 6.18.2010
A Calming Effect For College Football 6.15.2010
Kiffin's SC Entrance Toughens 6.11.2010
SEC Carves Out $209 Million 6.5.2010
Final Links To Neyland Are Fading 6.3.2010
Wildcat’s All Time Leading Tackler Honored 5.28.2010
Gamecocks Recruit Fails To Qualify 5.27.2010
Vandy Loses Top Offensive Lineman 5.26.2010
More Power To Kiffin, Time To Move On 5.19.10
Kentucky’s Burton Creates Scholarship 5.18.10
Bama QB Pondering Transfer 4.18.10
Crompton and Tebow Beat The Odds 4.25.2010
Wildcats QB Situation Still Muddy 4.25.2010
Georgia Boots Top Quarterback Mettenberger 4.18.2010
Volunteers Myles Arrested Sunday 4.18.2010
Vol Quarterbacks Showing Moxie 4.18.2010
SEC Extends Chick-fil-A Contract 4.15.2010
Vol QB Struggles In Second Scrimmage4.10.2010
Spurrier Halts Gamecocks Spring Game 4.10.2010
Vols Senior QB Leaves Program 4.08.2010
Florida And Its Two Quarterback Change-Up 4.06.2010
Wildcats Safety Has To Quit 4.06.2010
Coaching Outbursts Bringing Questions 4.02.2010
Vols and Dooley Ink Agreement 3.31.2010
LSU Finishes - Kentucky Begins Spring Work 3.28.2010
Third Player Leaves Tennessee 3.24.2010
Bryce Brown Is Down And Out 3.18.10
SEC Winter Roundup 3.10.10
Steele Is Staying A Clemson 1.19.10
Cutcliffe Reportedly Headed To Tennessee 1.14.10