Scouting USC’s next opponent: the Kentucky Wildcats
Game info
When: 7:30 p.m., Saturday
Where: Commonwealth Stadium (67,606), Lexington, Ky.
TV: SEC Network
Radio: 107.5 FM
Three story lines
1. Anything left? After blowing a massive lead against Southern Miss and getting burned to the ground by Florida, the Wildcats used a strong second half to outlast New Mexico State. A win is a win, but the Aggies are 8-31 in three years and much less of a challenge than the Gamecocks will be.
2. New quarterback in charge: Patrick Towles departed to make room for former USC recruiting target Drew Barker, but he had a bad game against Florida before being injured. Enter Stephen Johnson, a dual-threat junior college transfer. He threw for 310 yards and ran for 51 more in relief vs. NMSU.
3. The last, desperate charge? This might well be the death knell of the Mark Stoops era. After back-to-back strong starts gave way to bad, bowl-less finishes, his seat is red hot. A loss to USC means a 1-4 start with Alabama to follow.
Three players to watch
1. A junior quarterback, Johnson had as good a debut as one could want. The question is how the former Grambling State passer progresses after going 17 for 22. It’s unclear who’ll start.
2. Junior running back Stanley Williams rampaged through New Mexico State, and now has 353 yards on a robust 7.9 yards per carry. He had 107 yards on 15 carries against South Carolina last year.
3. Junior wide receiver Jeff Badet has six catches on the season, but on average he’s taking them more than 34 yards. A man who can do that is always worth watching.
Scouting report
▪ The Wildcats’ offense boasts some explosive playmakers, but they’re not consistent. Williams has been dynamic this year, but Jojo Kemp, former Gamecocks nemesis, has struggled.
▪ Barker had a range issues before getting hurt, though he did pull out a couple big plays when things broke down. Johnson is mobile and got the ball to playmakers in brief stints.
▪ Kentucky’s defense has a three-down base and plays aggressive, sometimes to its detriment. The group has struggled in creating havoc and disrupting opponents.
This story was originally published September 18, 2016 at 9:38 PM.