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2026 Season Lookahead: Columbia Is a Late-November Business Trip With Teeth

By: Greg Poole

Georgia goes to South Carolina on November 21, and this is exactly the kind of late-season road game that can get uncomfortable if handled poorly. Columbia can get loud, strange and stubborn. Georgia should win, but it will need to treat the trip like a serious SEC assignment, not a layover before Georgia Tech.

The danger comes from timing. By late November, every team is bruised. Every depth chart has been tested. Every contender is fighting fatigue, playoff pressure and the temptation to look ahead. Georgia cannot afford that. South Carolina would love nothing more than to turn one night into Georgia’s season-long headache.

The Bulldogs should lean on defense. South Carolina’s best path is to create explosive plays and feed off the crowd’s energy. Georgia’s answer has to be tight coverage, disciplined rush lanes and sure tackling. KJ Bolden, Ellis Robinson IV, Demello Jones and the safety group should give Georgia the tools to prevent cheap touchdowns. The front seven has to make South Carolina earn drives rather than handing over momentum through penalties or missed tackles.

On offense, Georgia should be practical. Road games in November are not always the time for artistic expression. Run the ball, use the tight ends, take calculated shots and keep the offense out of bad third downs. Gunner Stockton’s mobility can be valuable if South Carolina’s pass rush creates pressure, but he cannot let broken plays turn into reckless ones.

Special teams could matter more than usual. Peyton Woodring gives Georgia a major stabilizer in close games, and Drew Miller’s punting can help flip field position if the offense hits a flat stretch. Those hidden yards are not glamorous, but late-season SEC games often turn on them. Glamour is for posters. Field position is for adults.

South Carolina may keep this close for a half. The crowd will have its moments, and Georgia may need to win with patience rather than fireworks. But over four quarters, the Bulldogs’ defensive depth and offensive balance should be enough.

Prediction: Georgia 27, South Carolina 16.

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