No. 5 Georgia (5-0, 3-0 SEC) at No. 6 South Carolina (5-0, 3-0 SEC)
Kickoff: Saturday, 7 p.m. ET (ESPN)
Spread: South Carolina by 2.5 points
Watchability: There are a few notable SEC matchups this week, but this is the best of the best. It's loaded with SEC East, SEC and national title implications. Although Florida is emerging as a contender in the East as well, these two teams are still the favorites. The winner of this game will have the inside track to play in the SEC Championship Game.
Shining stars: Georgia: There’s plenty of talent all over the roster, but LB Jarvis Jones is the one to watch. Tennessee held him relatively in check last week, but he managed to get in on eight tackles. That means he’ll be due for a game-changing sack or interception Saturday. The Gamecocks will need to locate him before every snap. South Carolina: RB Marcus Lattimore is running with more confidence after missing much of 2011 with a torn ACL. He had 23 carries for 120 yards and two touchdowns at Kentucky last week. He also has 10 receptions for 76 yards over the past two weeks. Last week, the Georgia defense allowed nearly 200 yards on the ground to Tennessee, a mediocre running team. Lattimore could easily go for 120 or more in this one.
Who could steal the show: Georgia: The freshman RB duo of Todd Gurley and Keith Marshall stole the show against Tennessee last week. Marshall and Gurley combined for just short of 300 yards and had five touchdowns. They’ll be challenged by a South Carolina defense that only allows an average of 77.6 rushing yards per game. South Carolina: Sophomore DE Jadeveon Clowney continues to show why he’s one of the most feared pass rushers in the nation. He has at least one sack in four of his five games this season and has a total of 5.5 on the year. With the help of fellow DE Devin Taylor and DT Kelcy Quarles, the Gamecocks’ defensive line is among the best in the country.
You going? Ranking the road trip: Load up the car and head to Columbia this weekend if you’re able. This is one of the top SEC games of the year, and there should be a great atmosphere at Williams-Brice Stadium. Expect more than 80,000 to be making a lot of noise when Georgia is on offense.
Magic number for Georgia: 40. The Bulldogs have scored at least that many points in every game this season. It’s the first time in school history that they have scored 40 or more in five consecutive games.
Magic number for South Carolina: 9. That’s the Gamecocks’ win streak dating to 2011. A win Saturday would make it the longest streak in school history.
The game comes down to: Can Georgia’s offense perform at a high level against the stingy South Carolina defense? Nobody’s had much of an answer for Georgia’s balanced attack, but the Bulldogs are still relatively untested. If Georgia can block the South Carolina defensive line well enough to give QB Aaron Murray time and to create space for Gurley and Marshall, the Bulldogs can win.
Prediction: Georgia 31, South Carolina 27
For more up-to-the minute news and analysis from SEC bloggers Larry Hartstein and Daniel Lewis, follow @CBSSportsSEC.