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Inside the Numbers: Georgia running game among tops in the nation
By Jordan Cox
Published:
No. 6 Georgia (1-0) opens its SEC schedule at 3:30 p.m. EST Saturday afternoon with an SEC showdown against No. 24 South Carolina (1-1) in Columbia. Let’s take a look inside some of the numbers.
The Good
328: rushing yards Todd Gurley and the stable of Georgia backs amassed against Clemson in the Bulldogs’ season-opener. South Carolina has struggled to tackle thus far through the first two games, not a good sign going against the likes of Gurley and Nick Chubb, both of whom had big games against the Tigers.
8.0: Yards per carry averaged by the Georgia running backs. The ‘Dawgs have also averaged the fourth-most yards per play (7.5) on first down in the FBS since the start of 2012, not a good stat for the aforementioned Gamecocks defense yet to show they can tackle.
1: Touchdown on special teams. Gurley took a kickoff to the house against Clemson, which proved to be the turning point in the game. If the ‘Dawgs can get another special teams score, it could prove costly for South Carolina.
The Bad
38: The percentage Georgia is converting on 3rd downs. This could be a big key to the game Saturday; the Gamecocks have had trouble getting off the field on 3rd downs and if Georgia has any shot to win, they’ll need to extend drives by moving the chains.
30.5: The number of points per game South Carolina’s averaging through its first two games. The Bulldogs put up 45 against Clemson, but this their first road test and have recently had trouble scoring points at Williams-Brice Stadium. You figure the South Carolina offense won’t stay quiet for long and that Georgia will need to score at least 30 points to have a chance to win the game.
67: Percent Georgia’s opponents are converting in the red zone. If the Gamecocks are able to get inside the Georgia 20, it could prove to be a long day for Jeremy Pruitt’s defense.
After living in Birmingham, Ala., Jordan left the ground zero of SEC Nation to head south to Florida to tell the unique stories of the renowned tradition of SEC football. In his free time, his mission is to find the best locales around.
