Updates from Athens: UGA defeats South Carolina

The State’s Ben Portnoy, Augusta Stone and Michael Lananna are inside Sanford Stadium for Saturday’s South Carolina football game against Georgia. The game kicks off at 7 p.m. on ESPN.

South Carolina tallies late touchdown after fumble recovery

R.J. Roderick forced a fumble in the fourth quarter, which was recovered by O’Donnell Fortune and returned inside Georgia territory. The Gamecocks strung together their first and only touchdown drive, capped off by a 36-yard touchdown pass from Luke Doty to Josh Vann. South Carolina still trails Georgia, 40-13, early in the fourth quarter.

Georgia scores again after strip sack

Georgia’s Nolan Smith came down with a strip sack of Luke Doty on the Gamecocks’ next drive, eventually setting up for another Bulldog touchdown drive. With an eight-play, 53-yard drive, UGA extended its lead to 40-6 with 7:37 to go in the third quarter.

Doty interception turns into another UGA touchdown

Luke Doty threw an interception to Georgia’s Derion Kendrick in the Gamecocks’ first drive of the second half. Kendrick returned the interception to the USC 20-yard line, and Georgia running back Zamir White brought it back into the end zone in two plays, bringing the Bulldogs’ lead to 33-6 with 13:57 to go in the third quarter.

Georgia heads into halftime with a field goal

Georgia added onto its lead with a field goal as the game headed into halftime. The Bulldogs lead the Gamecocks 26-6.

Bulldogs extend lead with safety

South Carolina was pinned at its own 1-yard line by a 42-yard punt from Georgia’s Jake Camarda. Luke Doty was brought down inside the end zone on the drive’s opening play, bringing Georgia up 23-6 late in the second quarter.

Georgia scores third touchdown after converting three third downs

South Carolina’s defense can’t seem to get off the field in the second quarter. After allowing the Bulldogs to convert on three attempts on third down, South Carolina watched Georgia quarterback J.T. Daniels complete a 38-yard touchdown pass to Adonai Mitchell, raising the Bulldogs’ lead to 21-6 with just over six minutes to go in the game.

USC responds to two UGA touchdowns with two field goals

Georgia scored a touchdown within the first three minutes of the contest, and South Carolina’s offense appeared to respond quickly with a 61-yard Zeb Noland completion to Josh Vann. South Carolina wasn’t able to turn its explosive play into a touchdown and settled for a field goal instead.

The Bulldogs scored another touchdown on a 43-yard J.T. Daniels-Jermaine Burton connection. South Carolina was forced to punt on the ensuing drive, but regained possession with favorable field position after Jaylan Foster intercepted UGA quarterback Stetson Bennett.

Foster returned the interception to the Georgia 12-yard line, but the Gamecocks’ offense, under quarterback Luke Doty’s command once Noland exited with a right hand injury, was unable to turn it into a touchdown. South Carolina opted instead for another field goal, bringing the game to a 14-6 Georgia lead.

Sherrod Greene carted off field with injury

Sherrod Greene, South Carolina’s starting MIKE linebacker, went down on the field after the second play of the game with what appeared to be a lower body injury. Greene’s lower right leg had already been in a boot before the game. The Gamecocks’ sideline cleared to join Greene on the field before the senior was carted into the locker room, visibly in tears.

Zeb Noland to start

For the third straight game, 24-year-old former grad assistant Zeb Noland will draw the start for the Gamecocks, according to Gamecocks play-by-play broadcaster Todd Ellis. Quarterback Luke Doty is closer to 100% — and could play against Georgia — but he won’t start.

Meanwhile, after some doubt around the health of Georgia starter JT Daniels, the quarterback is working with the first-team center in pre-game warmups. Daniels was also announced as the starter during UGA’s pregame video player introductions.

Head coach Shane Beamer told South Carolina play-by-play radio announcer Todd Ellis that Noland had gotten the bulk of practice reps this week, though Doty’s workload at practice had continued to grow.

“Luke’s first day of doing 11-on-11 work was Thursday,” Beamer said. “He has done some good things in practice, but we don’t feel he is far enough along to go be the starter. But we have no reservations about putting him in the game tonight.”

Gamecock uniform report

South Carolina will wear all white for the second week in a row, according to the school’s official Twitter account.

South Carolina vs Georgia: Watch, stream, odds

Who: South Carolina (2-0) at Georgia Bulldogs (2-0)

When: 7 p.m. Saturday

Where: Sanford Stadium (92,746) in Athens, Ga.

TV: ESPN

Stream: via ESPN app

On-air announce crew: Sean McDonough, play-by-play; Todd Blackledge, analyst; Molly McGrath, sideline.

Radio: 107.5 FM in the Columbia area (Todd Ellis, play-by-play; Tommy Suggs, analyst; Jamar Nesbit, sideline) … See all the radio affiliates around South Carolina here.

Satellite radio: Sirius 135/XM 201

Final betting line: UGA by 31.5

A Twitter List by gogamecocks