This Saturday in Athens will define the season
CHARLOTTE — East Carolina coach Ruffin McNeill opened his postgame press conference here with a prediction about the South Carolina team that spotted his Pirates 17 points before roaring back for a 56-37 win.
"I think they'll be a team that goes to Atlanta (to play in the SEC Championship Game)," McNeill said. "History shows that the last five national champions [come] from that game."
If the Gamecocks are going to prove McNeill right and get there, though, they must win the biggest game in school history four days from now against Georgia in Athens.
A victory is the gateway to the type of season USC dreams of. A loss all but crushes those hopes.
It's hard to believe given how poorly the Bulldogs played in their season-opening loss to Boise State, but Georgia is a 10-win squad waiting to happen. After this weekend, UGA's schedule is unbelievably favorable. The 'Dogs do not play LSU, Alabama or Arkansas this season. Two of their three toughest conference opponents — Mississippi State and Auburn — both come to Sanford Stadium. The third formidable foe, Florida, will be played on a neutral field in Jacksonville at the World's Largest Outdoor Cocktail Party.
As a result, a USC loss could knock the Gamecocks out of the SEC East divisional race before it even begins. No matter what happens this weekend, chances are the Bulldogs will only drop at most one more game, if not win out. USC could be in hot water if it gives UGA a tiebreaker in the division, especially with tough road trips to Mississippi State and Arkansas down the road. The Gamecocks themselves could win out and still be kept out of Atlanta without the head-to-head win in hand.
Winning on Saturday would also go a long way in cementing USC as a legitimate elite national program. Even after winning nine games last fall and the first division title in school history, many take a wait-and-see approach on the Gamecocks given their dubious history. A road win between the hedges, even against one of the weaker Georgia teams in history, would do much to erase such doubts. Beating the Bulldogs in Sanford Stadium is a clear sign USC has what it takes to contend for the SEC, and dare say national, championship.
It would also be remiss to discuss the impact of the game without addressing the recruiting implications at stake. The state of Georgia is extremely fertile when it comes to quality high school football talent. For many years, the Bulldogs have been able to handpick the top in-state players, restocking the cupboard every National Signing Day.
That has changed recently given UGA's recent struggles and USC's recent success. The Gamecocks have made significant in-roads in recruiting the state of Georgia. However, USC can position itself for even more of a pipeline with a second straight defeat of the Bulldogs — one that will put the Gamecocks firmly in the driver's seat when it comes to the East and create even more uncertainty about UGA coach Mark Richt's job security.
Speaking of Richt's job security, the argument could also be made that this is one of the biggest games in Georgia's history as well. At 0-1, staring at 0-2 and coming off a 6-7 season that ended with the Bulldogs suffering the indignity of losing to a Conference-USA team, Central Florida, in the Liberty Bowl, Richt's seat is white hot. If the SEC's longest-tenured coach is to keep his job, he'd better get the program turned around fast. Bouncing back and beating the Gamecocks would be a good way to start.
Undoubtedly, these are high stakes for both sides so early in the season. Maybe it is too soon for such a monumental contest, but that is another debate for another time. It is what it is. USC will play Georgia Saturday, and it will be the biggest game the Gamecocks have ever played in their history. For USC, a season is at stake in so many ways.
Lose and the dreams for this fall are shot.
Win and chances are there will be a new biggest game in school history on Dec. 3 in Atlanta. Claim victory in that one and who knows — the Gamecocks might be marching on to an even bigger game in New Orleans come January.