The last two times Georgia and South Carolina have met, neither game has been all that competitive. The Bulldogs won 40-13 in 2021 and then stomped the Gamecocks 48-7 last season in Columbia, S.C.
The two SEC East foes meet early in the 2023 season, as the two sides are set to play on Sept. 16. That will be Georgia’s SEC opener. And according to Alex Scarborough, the Gamecocks are much better positioned to push Georgia this season than they have been in the past.
“This will be Georgia’s first real test of the 2023 season,” Scarborough said. “The Bulldogs, fresh off back-to-back national championships, have some questions to answer. Chief among them: Who will start at quarterback now that Stetson Bennett is gone? Will it be Carson Beck or Brock Vandagriff? Neither has much experience. And what about the defense now that Jalen Carter, Chris Smith and Kelee Ringo have left? This team has recruited at an elite level since Kirby Smart arrived in 2015, but don’t lose sight of those 25 NFL draft picks over the past two seasons. That’s a lot of talent to replace.”
It was announced this week that Georgia-South Carolina would occupy the 3:30 p.m. ET kickoff slot on CBS. Traditionally, that has been reserved for the Tennessee-Florida game. That Georgia-South Carolina was given the spot speaks to the level of interest in both sides.
Georgia did have another 10 players taken in the 2023 NFL Draft, which was tied with Alabama for the most from any one school. South Carolina will bring back quarterback Spencer Rattler and the Gamecocks pulled late-season upsets over Tennessee and Clemson. South Carolina finished with an 8-5 record last year. Shane Beamer, a former Georgia assistant under Kirby Smart, is entering his third season in the program.
At this point in time, Beck is expected to be the starting quarterback for Georgia. Kirby Smart has not publicly named a starter but Beck shined in Georgia’s spring game.
Whoever starts at quarterback will be surrounded by a wealth of talent. All-world tight end Brock Bowers is back for Georgia and he had a monster game against the Gamecocks last season. He caught 5 passes for 121 yards and two touchdowns while adding a 5-yard rushing touchdown as well. Bowers won the Mackey Award as the nation’s top tight end.
Georgia will have to wait to take on South Carolina, as it will be the third game of the season for the Bulldogs. Georgia will take on UT-Martin in the first game of the season and then host Ball State on Sept. 9. Game times for both of those games were announced this week, with the UT-Martin game starting at 6 p.m. ET and the contest against Ball State starting at 12 p.m. ET.
More Georgia football stories from around DawgNation
- SEC appears headed for temporary 8-game scheduling model, could affect Georgia-Auburn rivalry
- Examining the state of the Georgia football-Auburn rivalry as SEC schedule change looms
- WATCH: Georgia football helps move Troy Bowles, other 2023 signees into dorms
- Georgia football game times, TV networks announced for UT-Martin, Ball State games
- Lane Kiffin unplugged at SEC Spring Meetings, serious takes on NIL challenges
- Kirby Smart explains how NIL has ‘put a premium’ on a specific type of recruit for Georgia
- Jaylen Heyward: Longtime Georgia football commit details why he’s still solid even with Miami lurking
- Hugh Freeze instructs staff at rebuilding Auburn to stay above board, no tampering
