Kentucky Looks For More History Against South Carolina
Following their huge 28-7 blowout of Mississippi State, the Kentucky Wildcats are 4-0 for the first time since 2008. In addition, they are 2-0 in the Southeastern Conference for the first time in 41 years. So far, this campaign has been a memorable one for Mark Stoops‘ club. On Saturday, Kentucky looks for more history against the South Carolina Gamecocks.
Looking To Extend A Winning Streak
Only once in school history has Kentucky defeated an SEC club five years in a row. From 1976-1981 the Cats knocked off Vanderbilt six straight times.
Will Muschamp’s squad will try to avoid that dubious distinction when they invade Kroger Field Saturday night. During the four-game losing streak, one stat has been a constant. In three of the four wins, Kentucky has outrushed South Carolina by a large margin. The Cats ran for 184 yards in last year’s 23-13 win while holding the Gamecocks to 54. Furthermore, South Carolina hasn’t cracked 100 yards in either of the last two seasons. All of this seems to set Kentucky up very well because of one player.
A Heisman Contender
With his 165-yard, four touchdown performance against Mississippi State, Benny Snell emphatically put his name into the Heisman race. For the season, the junior from Westerville, Ohio leads the league with 540 yards and seven touchdowns. Following his huge performance against the top-ranked rushing defense, Kentucky began a Heisman campaign with this awesome video. You can go to this website to see more.
.@benny_snell plays for his team, not recognition or any awards. He plays for Kentucky. That only makes him more deserving. #SnellYeah #GetUphttps://t.co/3yw8rYstdt pic.twitter.com/BLXZxIDaEo
— Kentucky Football (@UKFootball) September 24, 2018
In the span of a few days, Snell now appears on virtually every Heisman ballot. Appearing on Hey Kentucky, Paul Finebaum told Matt Jones that he has him leading over Tua Tagovailoa.
Paul Finebaum says Kentucky football has the chance to go 10-2, and as of today, he would vote for @benny_snell first on his ballot for the Heisman! pic.twitter.com/QGmr8QvKTC
— BBN Gameday (@BBNGameday) September 25, 2018
Last season, Snell went for 102 yards and two touchdowns in the Wildcats win. There is no reason to think he won’t have another huge game on Saturday.
Looking At South Carolina
The Gamecocks come into the game on Saturday with a 2-1 record and a huge 37-14 win over Vanderbilt. Their only blemish on the season came in 41-17 loss at home to Georgia. Quarterback Jake Bentley leads the Carolina attack with 780 yards passing and six touchdowns. Rico Dowdle is the Gamecocks’ leading rusher with 235 yards and two scores.
South Carolina boasts one of the best receiving corps in the SEC. The trio of Bryan Edwards, Deebo Samuel, and Shi Smith have combined for 45 receptions and five touchdowns in only three games. Who wins the matchup of the Kentucky secondary versus the Carolina receivers goes a long way in deciding the game.
South Carolina was picked by many to challenge the Bulldogs for the SEC East title. However, with the early loss, and the way Kentucky has played, they have been pushed to the backburner. Muschamp’s club would like nothing more than to knock off the Cats and end the streak.
Who Wins On Saturday?
We’ve told you how Kentucky looks for more history against South Carolina. The question now is do they get the job done? Looking at the matchup, Kentucky’s strength plays right into South Carolina’s weakness. The Wildcats average 269 yards rushing per game, first in the SEC and 11th in the nation. On the other hand, the Gamecocks are giving up 163 yards a contest. That ranks them 75th in the nation and 10th in the SEC.
With their first Top 25 ranking in eleven years, Kentucky is flying high. A win gives them their first 5-0 start since 2007 and 3-0 in the SEC for the first time since 1977. Coming off the huge victory last week and a trip to Texas A&M next week, this is considered a trap game. The coaching staff has done everything possible to keep the team focused on the job ahead.
Kentucky has gotten off to fast starts in previous seasons under Stoops. However, this year feels different. There is a swagger and excitement around this club you don’t usually see in Wildcat football. Another thing the Cats have used to their advantage is the perceived lack of respect around the program. Hardly anyone gave Kentucky a chance to beat either Florida and Mississippi State, and they did just that. The fact South Carolina opened as a two-point favorite only adds fuel to this team’s fire.
Prediction
Led by the rushing attack of Snell and Terry Wilson, Kentucky moves to 5-0 with another impressive victory.
Kentucky 28 South Carolina 17
Thanks for checking out Kentucky Looks For More History Against South Carolina here at Last Word On College Football. As mentioned earlier next week Kentucky heads to College Station for the first time in over 60 years for a matchup against Jimbo Fisher’s Aggies.
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