Gameday preview: USC vs. Georgia

From The State



Injuries

USC - LB Rodney Paulk (knee), LB Reggie Bowens (knee) and OL Kevin Young (knee) are out; WR Dion LeCorn (leg) is probable.

Georgia - OT Trinton Sturdivant (knee) and LB Darius Dewberry (groin) are out; RB Caleb King (hamstring) is doubtful.

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Five storylines

1. Will Steve Spurrier open it up?

The Head Ball Coach thinks the Gamecocks were too conservative with their offensive game plan in a 7-3, season-opening win at N.C. State. While Spurrier would like Stephen Garcia to throw downfield more than the three times he did in Raleigh, USC does not want to abandon its revamped running game and run the risk of careless turnovers. Look for Spurrier to pick his spots without putting his defense in bad situations.

2. First team to 20 goes home a winner

The winning team has not topped 20 points in this series since 2003, and the Gamecocks have not managed more than 16 points since Spurrier arrived at USC. Considering how both offenses struggled last week in nonconference games at Oklahoma State and N.C. State, defenses again could rule the day.

3. Paging Logan Gray

Three years ago at South Carolina, Georgia replaced a fifth-year quarterback named Joe (Tereshinski) with a young QB named Matthew Stafford, the first pick in April’s NFL draft. After the 24-10 loss in Stillwater, some Georgia fans wonder if Joe Cox might be another average Joe and are clamoring for Logan Gray. Cox can quiet the criticism if he plays well against a fast defense that stymied N.C. State QB Russell Wilson.

4. Green corners vs. A.J. Green

USC’s young cornerback tandem of Akeem Auguste and Stephon Gilmore passed its first test last week in Raleigh. Auguste had several big hits, and Gilmore preserved the win with a pass breakup in the end zone. But the Wolfpack have no receivers as talented as Green, the Summerville native who caught three passes for 61 yards against the Gamecocks last year. Look for Mark Richt to try to get the ball in the hands of the 6-foot-4, 207-pound Green early and often.

5. The man they love to boo

Spurrier says the Georgia-USC game is no longer about him. But there were plenty of T-shirts poking fun of Spurrier at Sanford Stadium two years ago, and Spurrier waved to the booing crowd when he came out of the tunnel. Georgia fans have not forgotten Spurrier’s 11-1 record vs. the Bulldogs at Florida, including a 52-17 rout in 1995 when the Gators scored on a late touchdown pass. Spurrier is 1-3 against Georgia at USC, but won in Athens in 2007.

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Game Within the Game

DE Cliff Matthews vs. OT Vince Vance

About Matthews: The junior from Cheraw put on a speed show at N.C. State, sacking Russell Wilson twice and running him down from the backside a couple other times. Coaches have been waiting on a breakout season from Matthews, whose opening-game performance nearly matched his sack total (three) from 2008.

How he’ll win: Speed, speed and more speed. The 6-foot-4, 249-pounder runs the 40-yard dash in 4.5 seconds, and has a quick first step that should allow him to offset Vance’s size advantage. But after his coming-out party in Raleigh, Matthews could see his share of double-team blocks.

Key number: 76. Percentage of Matthews’ 63 career tackles that have been solo stops.

About Vance: The 6-8, 325-pound senior came off the bench last week at Oklahoma State to replace Trinton Sturdivant, who sustained a season-ending knee injury for the second consecutive year. Vance had his own knee issues last season, missing the final seven games after getting injured against Tennessee. Vance began his career at Georgia Military, where he was a teammate of several current and former USC players.

How he’ll win: Given how much Mark Richt has mentioned Matthews this week, it seems likely Vance will get help from a fullback or tight end on certain pass plays. The Bulldogs also could roll the pocket away from Matthews to buy Joe Cox time. But at some point, Vance will have to try to use his superior size to lock out on Matthews and keep him at bay.

Key number: 5. Vance was one of five players who started at offensive tackle for the Bulldogs in 2008.

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Five Questions with Terrence Campbell, left guard/No. 60/Austell, Ga.

The redshirt junior went to South Cobb High in suburban Atlanta, where he was a teammate of USC all-time leading receiver and Denver Broncos rookie Kenny McKinley.

Q: Did Georgia recruit you at all?

A: Toward the end of the process. Not really. They didn’t recruit me heavily at the beginning. They had signed like six defensive ends. Coming out, I think I was number seven on the list.

Q: I know you went to high school in Atlanta. Did you grow up there?

A: Yeah, I moved there in the third grade. So I lived there most of my life. But I never was a really big Georgia or Georgia Tech fan or nothing like that. Just a fan of college ball.

Q: What was your favorite part about living in ‘the ATL’?

A: Just the environment, the atmosphere. It’s a big city. There are a lot of things to do, friends and family out there. So just all of that.

Q: What specific things did you like to do? Did you go to Braves’ games, Falcons’ games?

A: The Hawks weren’t doing so well at first when I was coming up. But Michael Vick and the Falcons, they were doing good. We went to the Falcons’ games. We actually won a camp and we got to go to the Falcons’ arena when they played the Eagles. We saw Terrell Owens and all that, so that was a lot of fun.

Q: But now that Kenny McKinley’s in Denver, are you a Broncos’ fan?

A: Of course, I’m a big Broncos’ fan now. You know I’ve got to stay with my dog. I’m very happy for him. He’s doing real good up there. I believe he was the leading receiver this preseason for the Broncos. He continues to do his thing and just gives me a lot of motivation.

— Compiled by Joseph Person