South Carolina vs. Georgia 2013 game recap: Bulldogs earn 41-30 victory
The Bulldogs kicked off SEC play with a 41-30 victory over South Carolina on Saturday.
Daniel Shirey-USA TODAY Sports
The No. 11 Georgia Bulldogs rebounded from their season-opening loss to beat the No. 6 South Carolina Gamecocks, 41-30, on Saturday afternoon. A team with national title aspirations, Georgia survived its first SEC matchup to avoid an 0-2 record in 2013.
After the Gamecocks ended Georgia's unbeaten bid a year ago with a 35-7 blowout, the Bulldogs leaned on their star players Saturday. Aaron Murray, Todd Gurley and Keith Marshall all played well, dazzling fans at Sanford Stadium with plays like this one from Marshall:
The sophomore ended up leaving the game with a left knee bruise after seven carries for 58 yards, but not before leaving his mark.
That may not have been the biggest injury in the game, too. After suffering a minor foot injury in practice this week, South Carolina star Jadeveon Clowney appeared to aggravate the issue in the second half Saturday. While he recorded a first-half sack on Murray, much of the contest lacked his typical game-changing performance.
With a limited Clowney hampering the defense, the Gamecocks needed to capitalize on every opportunity. That seemed possible after a score trimmed Georgia’s lead to 34-30 early in the fourth quarter, but the Bulldogs responded with a quick touchdown and a monster goal-line stand to help put away the game.
Box Score Hero: Without his star receiver, Murray was simply fantastic for Georgia. The senior quarterback finished 17-of-23 for 309 yards and four touchdowns Saturday, leading an offense that gained 496 yards with zero turnovers.
Rankings Ramifications: After dropping with the loss to Clemson last week, Georgia could get back into the top-10 with this win. The Gamecocks, meanwhile, will surely fall a number of spots after their first defeat in 2013.
But Did They Cover? The Bulldogs were 3.5-point favorites entering the game, so they covered easily.
For More On This Game:
For more on UGA football, visit Georgia community Dawg Sports, plus SEC community Team Speed Kills. For more on Cocks football, visit South Carolina community Garnet And Black Attack, plus SEC community Team Speed Kills.
Next Week’s Schedule:
Georgia: Off
South Carolina: vs. Vanderbilt
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