SOUTH CAROLINA | SEPT. 8

ATHENS, Ga. — Despite career-high efforts by kicker Brandon Coutu and tailback Knowshon Moreno, No. 11 Georgia fell to South Carolina, 16-12, on Saturday at Sanford Stadium.

The Bulldogs drop to 1-1 overall and 0-1 in the Southeastern Conference, while the Gamecocks improve to 2-0 and 1-0.

"We missed too many opportunities to make plays that could have made the difference in the game," Georgia coach Mark Richt said. "In my mind, it was not a lack of effort at all. It was just a lack of ability to make plays when they were there. We're in this thing together. We're not pointing fingers at anybody. We had opportunities to make plays and we did not, and they did enough to win. We've got to regroup and make sure we get better because we've got to get better to win in this league."

Coutu and South Carolina's Ryan Succop — generally considered the Southeastern Conference's top kickers — put on an exhibition.

Coutu had field goals of 33, 44, 39 and 34 yards, marking the first time in his career that he has converted four times in a game.

"Brandon did a great job," Richt said. "Sometimes field goals are not enough in a game, but his kicks were crucial and they kept us in it."

Succop was equally effective, hitting from 41, 35 and 34 yards.

The difference became South Carolina's first-quarter touchdown. Running back Cory Boyd raced in from 9 yards out and Succop added the extra point for a 7-0 lead. From then on, the only scoring came from the feet of Coutu and Succop.

Georgia was held without a touchdown for the first time since a 14-9 loss to the Gamecocks in 2001 in Athens.

"We just have to make plays; that's what it boils down to," quarterback Matthew Stafford said. "We have to keep working hard and move on. South Carolina shut us down. They are a great team and we competed hard. It was tough. We just couldn't get into a rhythm."

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