GAME 2: #11/12 Georgia (1-0) vs. South Carolina (1-0)

September 9, 2006, 7:45 p.m., at Williams-Brice Stadium in Columbia, S.C. (80,250)
Radio: Georgia Bulldog Radio Network
National TV: ESPN
TV Replay: CSS Tuesday at 7:00 p.m., Internet Broadcast: GXtra on GeorgiaDogs.com

Again It’s Bulldogs-Gamecocks in an SEC Opener

South Carolina has been Georgia’s first conference opponent of the season since the Gamecocks joined the SEC in 1992. The Bulldogs are 10-4 in these games.

In the five years Mark Richt has been at the helm of the Bulldog program, four times Georgia has opened the SEC season with a win over South Carolina. That has led to three appearances in the SEC Championship game. Following South Carolina’s win over Georgia in 2001, the Gamecocks finished with a 9-3 record including a win over Ohio State in the Outback Bowl.

UGA-USC Series History

The Bulldogs own a 43-13-2 edge in the series history, winning 17-15 last year in Athens. Georgia overcame a 9-7 halftime deficit for the win. Thomas Brown finished with a career-high 144 yards on 20 carries and a TD, while LB Jarvis Jackson led the defense with 10 tackles.

Four of the five games between the two teams in the Mark Richt era have been decided by six points or less, with Georgia winning each of the last four games in the series. The only blowout was a 31-7 Georgia win in Athens in 2003.

South Carolina handed Richt his first loss as the Bulldogs’ coach, falling 14-9 in 2001.

Georgia’s last two trips to Columbia were slim victories (13-7 in 2002; 20-16 in 2004). The Bulldogs did not have an offensive TD in the 2002 win.

The teams first met in 1894, a 40-0 Bulldog win in Columbia, which still ranks as the largest margin of victory in the series.

Aiming for Another Top 10 Finish

Georgia is seeking its record fifth straight top 10 finish in the final rankings. Twice in school history, Georgia has enjoyed a four-year stretch where it was a fixture in the final top 10 rankings: 1980-83 and 2002-05.

Freshmen Seeing Early PT for Dogs

A total of seven true freshmen made their Bulldog debut against Western Kentucky: Asher Allen (SCB), Kris Durham (SE), Prince Miller (DB), Darius Dewberry (LB), Tripp Taylor (FB), Geno Atkins (DT) and Matthew Stafford (QB).

The most true freshman to see action in a season opener under Richt has been nine in 2002.

Also, senior Michael Turner, junior Charles Johnson, sophomore Jeff Owens, redshirt freshman Kade Weston and sophomore Ramarcus Brown all made their first-career starts.

How ’Bout An SEC Title

When Mark Richt arrived at Georgia in 2001, the Bulldogs hadn’t won an SEC title since 1982. Now, Richt is one of only five coaches in SEC history to win two league championships within their first five seasons.

The others were Alabama’s Frank Thomas (1933-34), Georgia’s Vince Dooley (1966, ‘68), Florida’s Steve Spurrier (1991, ‘93), LSU’s Bernie Moore (1935-36) and Nick Saban (2001, ‘03). The latest title for the Bulldogs was their 12th in school history.

Bulldog All-Stars Off to Strong Start

Brandon Coutu (PK), Gordon Ely-Kelso (P) and Quentin Moses (DE) all have a chance to rank among the top Bulldogs of all-time at their respective positions. Coutu is one of the league’s top scorers, Ely-Kelso is climbing the UGA record book for punting and Moses for sacks.

Only Georgia’s Billy Bennett (2002-03) and Ole Miss’ Jonathan Nichols (2003) scored more points kicking in a season than Coutu in 2005 (114). Coutu was a perfect 2-for-2 in FGs last week against Western Kentucky.

Ely-Kelso’s 7,260 yards ranks 4th best in school history while the 179 punts is also 4th. The record holder is Spike Jones with 194 punts for 8,043 yards from 1967-69.

With a sack in the season opener, Moses has 21.5 for his career, which ranks sixth all time. Former three-time All-America defensive end David Pollack holds the mark with 36 while Richard “Le Sack” Tardits is second with 29.

Bulldogs from the Palmetto State

Georgia has four players on its 2006 roster who are South Carolina natives: sophomore CJ Byrd (DB, North Augusta), redshirt freshman Antavious Coates (DB, Greenwood), junior Marcus Howard (DE, Huger) and freshman Prince Miller (DB, Duncan). Coates is out for the rest of the year with a knee injury.