Kentucky vs. South Carolina: KSR Staff Predictions

Kentucky will wrap up SEC play Saturday night in the middle of a Sandstorm at Williams-Brice Stadium. A victory for South Carolina would keep the Gamecocks’ hopes for a bowl alive for one more week. The Wildcats are trying to finish .500 or better in SEC play for the fifth time in eight years.

Mark Stoops has dominated the series against South Carolina. His only two losses since 2014 are with backup quarterbacks under center. One of those happened a year ago at Kroger Field. Will the Wildcats get revenge on the road ahead of a season-ending rivalry game? The KSR staff predicts the penultimate matchup of the 2023 Kentucky football season.

---

Adam Luckett

Kentucky and South Carolina meet again on Saturday night. This year’s matchup is a rare November tilt. The Wildcats enter Week 12 as the better team.

Mark Stoops’ team has the better defense, line of scrimmage play, and run game. That will show up in a big way at Williams-Brice Stadium. Spencer Rattler will get the ball out quick in this dink-and-dunk passing scheme. Carolina will create some big plays, but will become very one-dimensional once Kentucky takes away the traditional run game.

On offense, this should be a get-right game for Liam Coen’s unit. South Carolina appears to be the worst defense in the SEC outside of Vanderbilt. Defensive coordinator Clayton White could be on the hot season as this defense has major weaknesses in both the run and pass. Kentucky’s rushing attack comes alive for the first time in a month and the Wildcats put together their most balanced effort of the season.

Kentucky gets out to an early lead, absorbs some punches from Rattler on defense, and ultimately pulls away in the second half. Offensive balance keeps Carolina on their heels. Stoops improves to 9-0 in this series when Kentucky’s QB1 plays.

The Wildcats get their first 200-plus yards rushing and 200-plus yards passing performance of the season and Brad White’s defense gets some timely stops. Kentucky claims another double-digit to improve to 7-4 (4-4).

Pick: Kentucky 34, South Carolina 23

---

Nick Roush

The head and the heart are really struggling with this one.

My head says that Kentucky’s rushing game will be the best we’ve seen in a month. Ray Davis is due to break free for explosives against a rush defense that ranks 81st in success rate. The running game is the key to unlocking the offense, giving Devin Leary more opportunities in the play-action passing attack.

My head is also telling me that Kentucky’s psyche will be in the right place for this game. I am confident Shane Beamer’s sunglass dance from Kroger Field has been playing on a loop throughout the facility this week. They will not be intimidated by Sandstorm.

But my heart is scarred by this Kentucky secondary. Top 25 offenses have torn up the Cats. The image of opposing wide receivers without a defender in sight has taken a toll on my heart. Fortunately, this is not a top-20 offense. Spencer Rattler will get his, but will it be enough to hurt this heart again? I’m not sure. Seemingly every pick I’ve made in the last four days has been wrong. Let’s steer into the skid.

Pick: South Carolina 35, Kentucky 31

---

Give the gift of KSR. Purchase a gift membership for your favorite person for birthdays, holidays, or just because.

---

Tyler Thompson

I’m torn on this game. Kentucky is objectively better than South Carolina and has the revenge factor on its side after Shane Beamer and the Gamecocks won last year at Kroger Field. While Kentucky has looked BAD in most of its losses, most recently to Alabama, the Cats’ passing offense has made progress in recent weeks. South Carolina’s defense is not good, so maybe this is the game Kentucky finally puts it all together.

…But, the fact that Kentucky’s played ten games so far and has yet to put it all together is telling. For one reason or another, these Cats haven’t exhibited the toughness of past Mark Stoops teams. That scares me going into Saturday night. South Carolina must win to have a shot at bowl eligibility. Spencer Rattler is much better at home than on the road. Kentucky’s secondary is not good. Combine a desperate team with what is sure to be a rowdy and hostile atmosphere at Williams-Brice Stadium and the Cats could easily lose.

That’s a really depressing thought so give me Kentucky in a close one.

Pick: Kentucky 31, South Carolina 28

---

Jack Pilgrim

Kentucky went into its own house of horrors in Starkville and cruised against a bad Mississippi State program that fired its head coach a week later. Now the Wildcats have a chance to beat another mediocre team on the road, coached by a dork in sunglasses.

Sitting at 4-6, South Carolina is one loss away from missing out on bowl eligibility. Shane Beamer’s hot start in Columbia is sputtering right before our eyes. It’s a must-win for the Gamecocks, and that’s a tricky position for Mark Stoops and the Cats. They’ll be desperate. And there is talent there, especially in the passing game with Spencer Rattler at quarterback — an area of concern for Kentucky.

But the Wildcats have plenty to lose, too. This was a season of legitimate hope as a contender in the SEC East race, only to see those dreams fade with each missed opportunity, losing four of five in the meat and potatoes of the conference schedule. 7-5 would be a massive letdown, 6-6 would be unacceptable. Just can’t even consider that nightmare reality for this program, no matter how many people tell you it’s OK to accept mediocrity and appreciate crappy bowls because things used to suck around here. We’re past that point. Win the damn game and finish this season 8-4.

Pick: Kentucky 34, South Carolina 21

---

Drew Franklin

As I see it, Kentucky’s defense is what it is at this point, and we should expect that the secondary will give up some shots. The defensive line can help limit those by getting to Spencer Rattler with some pressure, but I think Rattler is too good to shut him completely down as Kentucky did Mike Wright at Mississippi State two weeks ago.

So, the offense is going to have to score some points. I think this week and next, Kentucky needs to clear 30 to make up for any weaknesses on D. This week, I think the Wildcats can do it so long as the Williams-Brice atmosphere isn’t too much to overcome. If Kentucky shows up with some intensity and will to win, and last week’s loss doesn’t have any lingering effects, then the better team will prevail. In this case, that’s Kentucky, even on the road.

But the offense has to score.

Pick: Kentucky 31, South Carolina 27

Zack Geoghegan

South Carolina has plenty of flaws — as mentioned above — that Kentucky should be able to take advantage of. The Gamecocks aren’t a particularly good football team. Yes, they’re on a two-game winning streak, but those victories came against Jacksonville State (38-28) and Vanderbilt (47-6). They still aren’t a particularly good football team. But then again, is Kentucky? That being said, Ray Davis and Devin Leary should be able to put together above-average performances for UK — I think that will be enough to earn the win.

Spencer Rattler poses some issues against the Wildcat secondary and South Carolina has entered must-win territory. Williams-Brice Stadium will be obnoxiously loud under the lights. But this one means a little extra to Mark Stoops, whether he admits it or not. Barring an early two- or three-score deficit like what happened against Alabama, I expect Kentucky to come out and play with plenty of fight. There’s a lot on the line for these Wildcats, too.

Pick: Kentucky 28, South Carolina 20