On third and four from the South Carolina 29, Mike Bobo called in the play. Aaron Murray snapped the ball, Gurley took the handoff rushing left and dove into the B-Gap. However, when he escaped the scrum within the trenches his headgear was gone. However, Gurley wasn’t down. Instead, Gurley cut back to his right and saw a lane to the end zone.
Unfortunately, the play was whistled dead because of a rule instituted last year to protect players from concussions or more serious injuries. The way Gurley ran with reckless abandon against, through, over and by South Carolina’s defense, it may have kept the Gamecock’s defenders out of harm’s way.
Gurley had 30 different opportunities to lay waste to the Gamecocks from the backfield. In the process he racked up 134 yards. It wasn’t as resplendent as his 12-carry, 154-yard performance against Clemson, but it made enough of a statement to silence the Jadeveon Clowney noise. However, his most pivotal play of the night came as a receiver on a broken play. As Aaron Murray was flushed out of the pocket, the senior quarterback found Gurley in the back of the end zone for the first receiving touchdown of his career. The catch put Georgia up 34-24.
While Gurley’s physical running softened the defense, Aaron Murray’s 309 yards left the Gamecocks bleeding points and left Clowney helpless. Quarterback Connor Shaw and running back Mike Davis led an exceptional offense against Georgia’s inexperienced secondary. Shaw targeted freshman South Carolina-commit-turned- UGA cornerback Brendan Langley like the mob does snitches. Langley’s mistakes resulted in two late first half touchdowns that pulled the Gamecocks even with Georgia. In response, Gurley continued trucking over South Carolina defenders like a Hummer driving down a winding road.
UGA hitchhiked on Gurley’s back and South Carolina’s patrol cops on defense were just along for the ride. The rest of UGA's upcoming opponents see the headlights in the distance. They might want to clear the crosswalk. Gurley could have UGA on the road to the SEC title in Atlanta and on a flight to New York for the Heisman Trophy presentation if he keeps his foot on the gas.
