The SEC East is as wide open as its been in several years. Two early season contenders, Georgia and South Carolina, already have conference losses, while Florida and Missouri both have question marks going into conference play.

As the Gamecocks try to fight their way back to the top of the division after entering the season as favorites, they’re seeing more competition than expected unfold in their backfield

South Carolina RB

Players involved: Mike Davis, Brandon Wilds

Mike Davis entered the season as a darkhorse Heisman candidate, coming off an 1,100-yard season in which he battled minor injuries. Davis was a bowling ball running through defenses alongside Connor Shaw, and the Gamecocks’ zone-read plays were devastating with that duo.

Davis vowed to be even better this year, but bruised ribs and a lopsided score slowed him in Carolina’s season opener. He looked more like his 2013 form against East Carolina, and it seemed like his performance would be a key factor against Georgia.

What no one guessed was that Brandon Wilds would be the most impressive Gamecock running back in the pivotal SEC East game. While Davis danced side to side with the ball, seemingly hoping to make a Georgia defender miss each time he touched the ball instead of squaring his shoulders and blowing forward, Wilds provided the thunder on the ground that South Carolina needed.

While Davis finished with more carries, 17 to 14, Wilds outgained him by a fairly significant margin, 93 to 66, and far outdistanced him in yards per carry at 6.6 to 3.9. Even after a fumble in the first half, Wilds still found himself on the field when it counted. Wilds had more carries, 6 to 5, in the fourth quarter, and he scored the touchdown that put Carolina up 10.

Will this timeshare persist? That will probably depend somewhat on Davis, who hasn’t looked to be in peak physical form yet as he works his way back from an uncomfortable injury. He’ll also have to get back to being a punishing runner, something Wilds has proven himself to be. Steve Spurrier praised the redshirt junior Wilds as one of the best inside runners in the country, and seemed far more impressed with him than Davis.

“Mike had some good runs also, but Brandon had some really good ones,” Spurrier told reporters after the game.

We know Spurrier has had a tendency to switch quarterbacks on a whim throughout his career, and now it seems like he’s ready to do the same with a standout running back. Wilds has been on the field for the first series in all three of South Carolina’s games so far, and with his play against Georgia he earned that starting nod. Now, it’s up to Davis to get it back.