While the Kentucky football team hasn’t showcased any evidence this season that they’re a force to be reckoned with in terms of a matchup threat, South Carolina also hasn’t been very promising up to this point either. While the Wildcats are currently 2-1 and only holding home wins over Toledo and Eastern Michigan, the Gamecocks are currently 2-2 with just home wins over Virginia Tech and SC State.

South Carolina’s already had two in-conference battles to get prepared for the grunt of SEC play that’s now approaching Kentucky, while this will be the Wildcats’ first. Not only the first conference game, also their first game away from Kroger Field. The Week 5 matchup in Williams-Brice Stadium is scheduled for a 7:45 PM ET kick and the Wildcats haven’t won there since Shane Beamer’s first season (2021).

During their trip in 2023, they fell just short of a road win losing 17-14 in a crazy environment. Kentucky looked extremely rattled that night but almost grinded it out to a victory. Ultimately they did not, which happened to take place right in the middle two home losses to SC, now putting them on a 3-game losing streak to the program.

Mark Stoops arrived to Lexington in 2013 and took only one season to get the tides turning amongst the success tier above his program, taking down South Carolina in his second season and then continued doing so for the next 5 seasons. From 2014-2018, they owned the rivalry and the blue program went on a national rise taking down many other programs that had long dominated Kentucky, hitting what’s been the peak of Mark Stoops’ tenure. Since then, things have gotten a little choppy in this annual matchup.

In 2019, the Gamecocks broke that streak, winning at home over the visiting Wildcats. In 2020 and 2021, Kentucky would regain the crown. In Shane Beamer’s second season with the program (2022), he found his first win over Mark Stoops and has now won the last three. It seems like this program has unfortunately reverted back to how it used to be about two decades ago, losing consistently to mid-level SEC programs. As of late, South Carolina hasn’t been necessarily “mid”, but they’ve not been battling with the likes of Georgia or Alabama within the conference either.

With all that being said, the betting odds do have Kentucky as the dog on Saturday. As of Tuesday, South Carolina is listed as a 6.5 point favorite to win the game.

The matchup will be under the lights, which ultimately brings out a better crowd and a more intense atmosphere. I believe that South Carolina believes they should win this game, but Mark Stoops has also built his head coaching career off of being an underdog, so I can’t just throw him to the wolves either and count him out.

Heisman vote receiving quarterback LaNorris Seller seems to be back at full speed from his concussion two weeks ago, and Kentucky’s QB Cutter Boley will be approaching his first ever road start. I’m at a toss-up myself on what the outcome will be come Saturday night, but I sure am eager to see it. Stoops and his staff needs to get back ahold of this annual rivalry and this weekend would be a great start to doing so. If not, I’m afraid it could start a 4-5 game losing streak amongst one of the nation’s toughest schedules that they own.

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