(Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images)

The plane ride home from Stillwater must have seemed like a 20 hour flight to Georgia quarterback Joe Cox.

The Dawgs left Stillwater on Saturday with just as many questions as they came with.

The biggest unanswered question was simply this...

Can Joe Cox effectively lead this Bulldog offense?

As Georgia prepares for this week's SEC opener against the South Carolina Gamecocks, the Dawg Nation sits, waits, and debates on the answer to that question.

The Dawgs and Gamecocks will meet in Athens on Saturday. Both teams are coming off less than stellar performances. Both teams are also looking for some offense.

The Gamecocks got the win in their first game of 2009. A victory over NC State may not have been a pretty one, but a victory it was.

Oh how Georgia would have loved to have won ugly on Saturday. Instead, Georgia just lost ugly.

I won't recap those two games. By now, you have seen several dozen recaps on this website.

But I do think we can look at the results of those two games and by doing so, know what to expect on Saturday.

Who will win this match-up?

I believe the Dawgs will prevail (shocking, I know) in Athens and wring the necks of those pesky Gamecocks.

But if that is to happen, I believe Georgia will need to make sure these three things take place.

1) Georgia's Defense must continue it's resurgence.

Several big plays, by several big time players, hurt Georgia in Stillwater. The Gamecocks, however, do not have those big time players.

Try as he might, the "old ball coach" has not been able to bring big time offensive football to Columbia. That is unless you consider a 7-3 victory over NC State an offensive explosion.

Steven Garcia threw for only 148 yards against the Wolfpack, getting sacked three times in the process. The ground attack was led last week by Brian Maddox who ran for 73 yards, at only a 2.9 yards per carry average.

This week should prove much more challenging for Garcia, Maddox and company.

The Dawg defense showed signs of life last week. They are still missing that corner pass rush, and must finish the drill when it comes to interception opportunities.

I look for Georgia to sack Garcia several times. I also look for the Dawgs to come up with the first turnovers of the season.

2) Joe Cox, 5th year senior quarterback, take two

The Dawg Nation is grumbling this week. Joe C or Joe T? Joe T IV?

Well sorry to disappoint, but I am not buying into the demise of Joe Cox just yet.

Cox did look weak last week (maybe it was the aftermath of the flu).

He looked indecisive. When he did make a decision, it was the wrong one. He missed wide open receivers, and failed to find the open man on many occasions.

Joe Cox is not Matt Stafford. We all know that. But he is no Joe T either.

Joe Cox will rebound this week against a very tough defense. He will not light up the Gamecocks for 300 yards passing, but he will make us forget about last week.

He will lead, he will take charge, and he will shut up the critics for at least awhile longer.

Let's not forget that it was Joe Cox who came off the bench in 2006 to lead the Dawgs to victory over Colorado.

It was Matt Stafford he replaced. Many in the Dawg Nation spent the next week calling for Joe C to be the starter.

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