Georgia’s defense was supposed to be its strength, right?

That’s what I kept thinking Saturday afternoon as I watched the Bulldogs give up 44 points to Tennessee, but still win. The Volunteers showed why I thought they’d be better this year – quarterback Tyler Bray and wide receivers Justin Hunter and Cordarrelle Patterson can flat make some plays.

But, still, the Bulldogs got back linebacker Alec Ogletree and safety Baccari Rambo, who missed the first four games due to suspension, and still gave up 478 yards.

What will be interesting this Saturday is to see how South Carolina plans to attack the Bulldogs’ 3-4 defense. The last two years it has been heaping doses of Marcus Lattimore, who has averaged 179 yards against the Bulldogs in two games. Run blocking has not been South Carolina’s strength this year, but the Gamecocks can give so many different looks with their run game (from zone read to power I) that it disguises that to some degree.

Georgia’s offense, meanwhile, seemed hamstrung when dynamic running back Isaiah Crowell was booted from the team. Instead, the Bulldogs haven’t missed a beat, adding two more freshmen backs who combine to average almost 200 yards per game.

As for next week’s South Carolina opponent, LSU head coach Les Miles is unhappy after an ugly 38-22 win over Towson that came on the heels of a not-real-pretty 12-10 win over Auburn.

“I am very disappointed in myself and the team right now,” Tigers quarterback Zach Mettenberger told The Associated Press.

Couple LSU’s struggles to get that offense going and Florida’s open date (which allowed the Gators to spend two weeks preparing for Saturday’s game against the Tigers), and I’m now thinking this game will be a lot closer than I would have guessed just three weeks ago.

Did you see what Eric Hyman’s new team did to Arkansas? Texas A&M danced on John L. Smith’s coaching grave in a 58-10 win, and Aggies head coach Kevin Sumlin was throwing into the end zone late in the fourth quarter.

And Missouri barely beat Central Florida (21-16). It could be an ugly year for the Tigers.

(Alabama started its game after 9 p.m. Eastern, and still looked a little sleepy but still thumped Ole Miss 33-14.)