Huge Win for South Carolina

When the South Carolina Gamecocks defeated the Georgia Bulldogs on Saturday night in Athens, it was a big deal. South Carolina won without being close to putting together a complete game. Yet, the Gamecocks were the team with the most talent this time around, and able to be on the other side of what had become familiar to Carolina fans for too long. The Bulldogs, though young, are a capable football team and could realistically win the rest of their games. What!? Get this: Georgia does not have to play Alabama, LSU, or Arkansas this season. That's right, the Bulldogs' draw doesn't include any of the SEC Western Division's most vaunted teams in 2011. Their toughest in-conference games look to be at home against #25 Mississippi State (10/1), on the road against Tennessee (10/8), in Jacksonville against #16 Florida (10/29), and back "between the hedges" against #21 Auburn (11/12). I don't think Georgia will run the table, but it's not completely out of the question since they escaped having to play three of the SEC's top four football teams. Because of this, South Carolina's victory over the Bulldogs could prove to be the difference in the Gamecocks' winning of the Eastern Division. South Carolina also only has to play one of the Southeastern Conference's top four teams (@ Arkansas on 11/5) during the regular season. It helps when you're one of those top four, though.