South Carolina @ Kentucky preview
Kroger Field
Last Meeting ( Oct 10, 2009 ) Kentucky 26, South Carolina 28
A week after beating the nation's top-ranked team for the first time in school history, No. 12 South Carolina hopes to avoid a letdown by continuing its dominance against Kentucky when the Gamecocks hit the road for a Southeastern Conference matchup Saturday.
The Gamecocks (4-1, 2-1 SEC) have won the last 10 meetings dating back to 1999, but seven of those 10 games have been decided by seven points or fewer.
They appear poised to extend that streak after an impressive 35-21 victory against defending national champion Alabama last week, but in order to do so, they will have to snap a streak of six consecutive SEC road losses.
South Carolina's last road win in the conference was at Kentucky in 2008.
Meanwhile, Kentucky (3-3, 0-3 SEC) plays host to a top-10 opponent for the second week in a row, providing another opportunity for the Wildcats to earn their first win against a ranked opponent since beating No. 1 LSU in 2007.
The Wildcats nearly pulled off one big upset last week, rallying from a 17-point deficit to tie then-No. 8 Auburn before falling 37-34. Now they get a shot at the team that suddenly has an inside track en route to the SEC East title.
The Gamecocks also fell short in an upset bid against Auburn, squandering a 13-point lead in a 35-27 road loss Sept. 25. In that one, quarterback Stephen Garcia was pulled in favor of freshman Connor Shaw after two fourth-quarter fumbles, but Garcia bounced back to complete 17 of 20 passes for 201 yards and three touchdowns against Alabama.
Garcia was named SEC Offensive Player of the Week, Walter Camp Foundation National Offensive Player of the Week and Davey O'Brien National Quarterback of the Week.
Much of Garcia's damage against the Crimson Tide went through sophomore Alshon Jeffery, who caught seven passes for 127 yards and two touchdowns. Jeffery leads the SEC and is third in the nation with 125 receiving yards per game, and he leads the conference with 6.8 receptions per game.
Garcia hurt the Wildcats in last year's 28-26 win in Columbia, passing for three touchdowns and running for another.
South Carolina might have to rely more on freshman Marcus Lattimore and the running game this year against the Wildcats, who rank 11th in the nation in pass defense, allowing 153.2 yards per game. Lattimore has averaged 91.8 rushing yards per game and has scored nine touchdowns (eight rushing, one receiving) through the first five games of his collegiate career.
After winning three non-conference games to start the season, the Wildcats have lost their first three SEC games. They were blown out 48-14 at Florida, lost 42-35 at Mississippi and fell short last week against Auburn.
The three-game losing streak comes in spite of an explosive offense that ranks 21st in the nation in scoring, averaging 36 points per game.
The Wildcats could be without versatile running back Derrick Locke, who is still suffering from a shoulder stinger and bruised elbow suffered against Auburn. Locke leads the SEC and ranks seventh nationally with 174.7 all-purpose yards per game and has topped 100 yards in either rushing or receiving in five of six games.
If Locke can't play, either freshman Raymond Sanders or sophomore Donald Russell will start in his place.
Regardless, Kentucky will still boast a potent passing game led by quarterback Mike Hartline and all-purpose star Randall Cobb. Hartline, who ranks second in the SEC with 240.3 passing yards per game, completed 23 of 28 passes for 220 yards and a touchdown against Auburn. Cobb had a hand in all four Kentucky touchdowns against the Tigers, running for two scores, catching a touchdown pass and throwing a touchdown pass.
South Carolina leads the all-time series 14-6-1, including an 8-3 mark in Lexington. Gamecocks coach Steve Spurrier is 17-0 all-time against Kentucky.