Todd Gurley vs. South Carolina: Stats, Highlights, Twitter Reaction

Georgia dropped a thriller against South Carolina Saturday, but that didn't stop Todd Gurley from looking every bit like a player who's going to be in the Heisman conversation all season long. 

In the 38-35 defeat, he finished with 20 carries for 131 yards and a touchdown, improving his numbers against a team he has struggled against in his career, per ESPN Stats & Info:

The Bulldogs' stud running back, who battled tight muscles and a crowded box, didn't exactly put up Gurley-esque numbers in the first half, entering the locker room with 44 yards on eight totes. Still, nearly every time he touched the ball, viewers such as ESPN's Kevin Weidl, were left in awe of his talent:

Even Arizona Cardinals safety Tyrann Mathieu was impressed: 

Dangerous weather delayed kickoff by nearly two hours, but Gurley showed few ill-effects from having to sit around, taking his first two carries for 17 yards on the way to a Georgia field goal. On the next drive, he went for 13 yards up the gut. And on his next touch, he exploded through the hole and accelerated away from everyone for a 54-yard touchdown. 

While the score was called back on holding, it was still yet another example of his jaw-dropping ability. Bleacher Report's Adam Kramer and Rotoworld's Josh Norris put it simply:

The second half was full of more "wow" plays. 

On one, he took a sweet to the left and galloped down the left sideline, shedding tackles and picking up 40 spectacular yards to set up a short TD run. On a 3-and-16 later in the game, he once again went left, but when he ran into a brick wall of defenders, cut it back to the middle of the field and carried defenders across the first-down line. 

Sports Illustrated's Andy Staples put it best:

When the junior steps onto the field, it usually sparks an interesting debate about his draft stock. His electrifying blend of size, speed, power and downhill running style have most in agreement that he will be a future star on Sundays. But teams have become hesitant about spending an early pick on a running back. 

As Bleacher Report's Cian Fahey argued, though, Gurley is worth it:

"

I'm starting to come around towards the idea of taking Gurley if I'm picking outside the top 7/8 picks. If he's AP or Marshawn, why not?

— Cian Fahey (@Cianaf) September 13, 2014"

"

Look at the impacts guys like Lacy, Bernard, Bell are capable of having. If Gurley is theoretically better than all of them, hard to ignore.

— Cian Fahey (@Cianaf) September 13, 2014"

It's obviously going to depend on draft order, team need and other circumstances that we can't forecast right now. But Gurley is a dangerous playmaker, and if he continues to stay healthy, it's difficult to imagine him falling out of the first round. 

NFL.com's Daniel Jeremiah offered an intriguing comparison while Fahey painted a tantalizing picture:

"

@bomani_jones He's Marshawn with AP's jump cut. Which is frightening.

— Cian Fahey (@Cianaf) September 13, 2014"

Of course, no matter where he is eventually taken or what kind of player he becomes, Gurley will make college defensive coordinators across the country relieved not to see him on the field anymore. 

That's looking far down the line, though. For now, Gurley will continue to make life miserable for SEC defenses as he emphatically states his case as the best ball-carrier in the nation.