Scouting Gamecocks’ next opponent: Kentucky Wildcats
When: Saturday, 7:30 p.m.
Where: Williams-Brice Stadium
TV: SEC Network
Last week: Kentucky jumped ahead 21-0 on Louisiana-Lafayette and led 33-10 late in the third quarter before the Ragin’ Cajuns fought back to tie the game at 33. Mike Horton’s 12-yard touchdown run with less than a minute left lifted the Wildcats to a 40-33 victory.
Three Storylines
1. Senior Patrick Towles beat out former USC target Drew Barker for the Wildcats’ starting quarterback position. Both are former in-state prep heroes who had good days and bad days in the spring. Towles completed only 16-of-34 passes against Louisiana-Lafayette, but did throw for 257 yards and three touchdowns with one interception.
2. Kentucky fans were thrilled on Oct. 4, 2014 after stunning South Carolina and many believed the Wildcats had turned the corner as a program under Mark Stoops. Kentucky hasn’t won an SEC game since, and Stoops needs another upset if he’s going to keep any momentum.
3. Former Wildcats offensive coordinator Neal Brown is now the head coach at Troy. Stoops hired Shannon Dawson from West Virginia to replace him. Dawson spent the past three seasons as the offensive coordinator for the Mountaineers and likes his unit to play fast. But the Wildcats ran only 60 plays Saturday in their opener.
Three Players To Watch
1. The Wildcats had seven different players make a catch on Saturday, led by sophomore Garrett Johnson. The Florida native had only 271 receiving yards last year, but caught five passes for 85 yards and a touchdown against the Ragin’ Cajuns.
2. Senior linebacker Josh Forrest led the Wildcats in tackles last year and is off to a fast start this season. He made 10.5 tackles against Louisiana-Lafayette and added an interception, a sack and three pass breakups.
3. Running back Stanley Williams had the best game of his freshman season in Kentucky’s last game of 2014 and picked up where he left off on Saturday with 10 carries for 135 yards and a score. Williams is a former four-star recruit and will provide a big challenge for USC’s defense, which struggled to stop the run against North Carolina.
Pick
South Carolina 31, Kentucky 21. The Gamecocks’ defense was embarrassed by Kentucky last year and is looking for payback. John Hoke’s group will prove that holding UNC to 13 points last week was not a fluke. Connor Mitch will be much more comfortable with a week under his belt and playing at Williams-Brice Stadium.