As a Georgia fan, I now feel much better about our offense (South Carolina's defense is as good as advertised) and much worse about our defense (Georgia never should have given up that many points to the Palmetto State Poultry).
I hope this also gives Gamecock fans a little more perspective on Tyrone Nix. He may not be Ellis Johnson, but he's a good defensive coordinator.
I would quibble with a couple of C&F's points, however. How many years does Stephen Garcia have to have in the program before he ceases to be described as "a relatively green player just beginning to grasp his offense"? Through his own idiocy, he hasn't seen the field as much until this year, but he's been in the system for quite a while. His problem isn't inexperience, and it certainly isn't youth, it's the Steve Taneyhill mentality that could have cost South Carolina the game.
After a big play gave the Gamecocks a first and goal, Garcia was shown running down the sideline, jumping and gesticulating like an epileptic cheerleader or a fan who'd had way, way too much to drink before the game. It's one thing to do that when you've scored, but it was first and goal. There was football left to be played. Garcia's next three plays? Bad option pitch, sack, incomplete pass that hit an Ole Miss defender in the gut. Think about playing football before showing us your moronic dance moves, son.
The other quarrel I have is with the description of Georgia as "surprisingly good." The Bulldogs are ranked lower today than they were in the preseason polls and their defense is significantly worse than anticipated. Every problem the Red and Black had at the end of last season (penalties, turnovers, poor special teams play) persists this season and the offense is only just starting to find its feet after losing its top quarterback, running back, and wide receiver. In what sense is Georgia "surprisingly good"? I found that characterization absolutely baffling.
Was Ole Miss overrated? Clearly, and it seems all of us knew it going in; we all voted the Rebels in the top ten because we thought we were supposed to, but I never heard anyone defend that placement, and, when I picked South Carolina to beat Mississippi, I actually drew some criticism for making the "safe" pick. As I believe Team Speed Kills asked when everyone (correctly) expected Ole Miss to beat LSU last year, does it count as an upset if everyone predicts it?
Nevertheless, it counts as a signature win. Even though SEC teams should never be playing regular-season games on Thursday nights (unless it's Thanksgiving), it was on the national stage, and the Rebels were ranked where they were ranked. South Carolina proved that its defense is as good as it's usually been, if not better, and, for the first time in the Steve Spurrier era the last 20 years our lifetimes upon this planet forever, the Gamecocks appear to have something vaguely reminiscent of an offense, at least between the 20s.
Since we're the "1," I'm content to have them go 11-1.
Also, I prefer the "hot librarian" look on Erin Andrews. That is all.
Go 'Dawgs!
