Charleston Southern vs. Georgia: Complete Game Preview

The Georgia Bulldogs may be patiently waiting for Missouri to lose a game and open up the SEC East, but they can't take this weekend's matchup with Charleston Southern too lightly.

On paper, the Buccaneers, an FCS program in the Big South Conference, should present an easy win for the Dawgs, but Charleston Southern boasts a formidable record and a history of strong performance against SEC opposition.

Here's what you need to know about this weekend's game:

• Date: Saturday, November 22
• Time: Noon ET
• Place: Sanford Stadium, Athens, Georgia
• TV: SEC Network
• Radio: Georgia Bulldogs Radio Network

Charleston Southern Keys to Victory

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Mike Holloway runs for yards against Vanderbilt.

Don't Shy Away from the Moment

At 8-3, Charleston Southern has every right to expect to win this football game.  Two of the Buccaneers' three losses have been by four points or fewer, and one of those setbacks was a one-point loss on the road against Vanderbilt.

Undoubtedly, Georgia is the best team on Charleston Southern's schedule this year, but the Bucs will come prepared for a competitive football game.  If Georgia is hoping for its opposition to roll over, it will be sorely mistaken.

Run the Football

Surprisingly, Auburn struggled to run the football against Georgia, but the two teams that have taken the Bulldogs down this season (South Carolina and Florida) both found success on the ground.  Accordingly, running the ball, eating the clock and keeping things close has to be the strategy for Charleston Southern.

Against Vanderbilt, the Buccaneers ran for 199 yards and nearly five yards per attempt.  If they experience that degree of success against Georgia, things could get interesting.

Georgia Keys to Victory

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Georgia running back Sony Michel has been in and out of the lineup with injuries.

The Task at Hand

A lot is going on for Georgia right now.  The Bulldogs are skyrocketing up the polls (now ranked in the Top 10 by both the AP and the Coaches), awaiting a single Missouri loss to claim the SEC East crown, looking to replace injured running back Todd Gurley more permanently and entertaining outside playoff chances.

With all this milling about, Georgia can't afford to ignore Charleston Southern.  A loss to the Buccaneers would be humiliating, but anything less than a blowout victory could hurt the already slim playoff dreams of the Bulldogs.  Georgia must remain focused.

Stay Healthy

If Georgia gets a lead, don't be surprised to see backups aplenty enter the game.  Obviously, experience for young players is always valuable, but Georgia really can't afford to have another star go down with injury.  

Already this season, wide receivers Chris Conley, Justin Scott-Wesley and Malcolm Mitchell have battled injuries.  At running back, Todd Gurley is now gone, and Sony Michel and Keith Marshall also remain banged up.  And on the defensive side of the ball, secondary depth is already razor-thin.

Staying healthy is the priority on Saturday.

Charleston Southern Players to Watch

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Charleston Southern defenders hone in on a Vanderbilt runner.

Christian Reyes

A senior from Oregon, Reyes was first-team All-Big South Conference last season and holds the school's single-season rushing record.

This year, he's run for 150 or more yards on three occasions, and he's been on a tear over the past two games.  Against Gardner-Webb and Liberty, Reyes accounted for 398 yards of offense and three touchdowns.

He missed the Vanderbilt game earlier this season and will relish an opportunity to compete against some of the nation's best athletes.

Gabe Middlebrook

Middlebrook, a fifth-year senior, does a little bit of everything for the Buccaneers from his linebacker spot.

With 49 total tackles, two sacks, 8.5 tackles for loss and one fumble recovery, he's among the top three in each statistical category for Charleston Southern.  

And he's particularly big play-oriented.  In the season opener against Point University, Middlebrook returned a fumble 85 yards for a touchdown.  In a hard-fought battle with Citadel, he registered a season-high 11 tackles.

Georgia Players to Watch

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Georgia's Jeb Blazevich

Jeb Blazevich

In a season highlighted by outstanding freshman performances, Blazevich has flown under the radar.  Nonetheless, the true freshman has been pivotal to Georgia's offensive success.

A starter of Georgia's last eight games, Blazevich hasn't been statistically overwhelming this season.  To be sure, his 14 catches for 230 yards and two touchdowns are noteworthy given his age and Georgia's reliance on the ground attack, but the numbers don't tell the whole story.

Blazevich's discipline as a blocker and commitment to filling any gap needed has made him one of the more worthwhile players to watch on this team.

Nick Chubb

As cheesy as it may sound, the future is now for Georgia's running back position.  And it's in good hands with Chubb.  The freshman sensation has run for 100 or more yards in five consecutive games, which Todd Gurley never did as a Bulldog.  More impressive still is the total production of Chubb.  Over that stretch, he's accounted for 192.2 yards of offense per game.

He's already over 1,000 rushing yards, but with at least three games remaining (this contest, Georgia Tech and a bowl game), 1,500 may be a reachable target.  He could get a large chunk of that yardage early on Saturday.

What They're Saying

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Georgia's defense has had highs and lows this year.

Georgia Defense Steps Up

Mark Richt confessed to Seth Emerson of Macon's Telegraph that the coaching staff "didn't know how good our defense was going to play" against Auburn.

And after giving up seven points on the Tigers' opening drive, many feared the worst.  But that gave way to more than 51 minutes of a shutout, as Georgia ran away with a 34-7 victory.

"We just decided to execute and tackle them," freshman linebacker Lorenzo Carter told Emerson.  "It's mostly about making tackles."

Georgia made it look as simple as Carter made it sound last weekend.

Gurley Already Missed

According to Emerson, Richt had a hard time beginning to assess the loss of Todd Gurley, who suffered a torn ACL against Auburn.

"It's a…" he began before pausing.  "Sad news.  Sad News."

"Todd's been fantastic," Richt added.  "Without a doubt one of the best run backs I've ever seen, have ever coached.  Practiced hard, played hard.  Loved the big games and played his heart out for Georgia.  I'm really proud I had an opportunity to coach him."

Charleston Southern Progressing

Charleston Southern head coach Jamey Chadwell had positive things to say following the Buccaneers' 38-36 win over Liberty.

"Our guys are more comfortable, and we've figured out who we are," he said, according to CSUSports.com.  He added, "Our guys believe that it's going to work."

Prediction

John Bazemore/Associated Press

Georgia's Malcolm Mitchell celebrates.

Charleston Southern is a very good FCS team.  The problem for the Buccaneers is that Georgia is a very good—arguably Top 10—FBS team.  The differential in talent will be more than the visiting team can overcome, and Georgia will run away with an early lead.

For the Bulldogs, this week's game can be used to fine-tune some elements on both offense and defense while getting starters a bit more rest than normal.  After all, a highly ranked Georgia Tech team is still waiting around the corner.

For Charleston Southern, the setback will be understandable, and the Buccaneers will benefit from playing such a talented team as they head into the postseason.

Final Score: Georgia 52, Charleston Southern 13

Unless otherwise noted, all quotes obtained firsthand and all stats accessed via Sports-Reference.com.