Clarke Schmidt breaks down South Carolina-Georgia matchup
Clarke Schmidt has been on both sides of the South Carolina and Georgia rivalry.
As a kid from Acworth, Georgia, Schmidt was raised to be a big Bulldogs fan. But after graduating from high school, he would don the garnet and black with South Carolina baseball.
While Schmidt has been busy helping the New York Yankees push towards the playoffs, he still keeps up with both programs.
“I still follow Georgia and their football program, and obviously I follow South Carolina and what they’ve got going on,” Schmidt said in an exclusive interview with GamecockCentral.
Before Saturday’s contest between the Gamecocks and Bulldogs, Schmidt spoke with GamecockCentral about his season but also took some time to break down the matchup.
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Schmidt, a former first-round pick who had a great career at South Carolina, said he has loved seeing head coach Shane Beamer help turn the Gamecocks into a winner.
“I think he’s really turning the page and so it’s really cool to see all the new recruits and excitement around the campus,” Schmidt said.
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Likewise, he knows just how good Georgia can be. He said the Bulldogs have a great defense and could pose some challenges for South Carolina.
“They’re probably one of the best teams in college football, if not the best,” Schmidt said.
He said he still believes the Gamecocks could hang tough and keep the game close.
“Hopefully, (South Carolina) can contain them a little bit and scratch a few off,” Schmidt said. “Then maybe drag it into the fourth quarter and see if somebody can win a game in a pressure situation.”
“I think it’s gonna be a tough task and it’ll be a good test.”
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With ties to both programs, Schmidt was hesitant to make a score prediction because he didn’t want to anger either side. In the end, he stayed true to his school and said he will be looking forward to the game.
“I’m rooting for the Gamecocks, but hoping for an upset this weekend,” Schmidt said.
During his career at South Carolina Schmidt was an All-American and All-SEC pitcher, anchoring the Gamecocks’ rotation. He was a lynchpin of South Carolina’s 2016 SEC East-winning team, which made it to a Super Regional. He finished his career 15-9 with a career 3.21 ERA and .249 batting average against.
