Scouting South Carolina at Kentucky: What to Look for When We Have the Ball

by Gamecock Man on Oct 12, 2025 3:57 PM EDT in Football

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LEXINGTON, KY - OCTOBER 09: Cam Newton #2 of the Auburn Tigers runs with the ball during the SEC game against the Kentucky Wildcats at Commonwealth Stadium on October 9, 2025 in Lexington, Kentucky. (Photo by Andy Lyons/Getty Images)

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Carolina is set to take on the Kentucky Wildcats at Commonwealth Stadium this weekend. This will be a gut-check moment for Carolina, who will have to prove it knows how to handle unprecedented success and expectations by winning its first road game since beating N. C. State 7-3 in Raleigh in last season's opener. Here's a quick look at some of the things to pay attention to when we have the ball.

3. Can we avoid turnovers and "game-changing" plays that go against us?

One way to stage an upset is to get and capitalize on some big takeaways. We've been much better in this regard so far this year than we have in the past, but we have a long way to go before we've proven that we're truly a team that takes care of the ball really well. Let's hope we don't revert in Lexington.

2. Will we finally see the WildCock again?

If we're ever going to use it again, maybe it should be against Kentucky. Florida had a lot of success with it in what was by far their most successful offensive performance of the year, and Auburn's Cameron Newton was equally dominant running a similar approach. I doubt we put Stephon Gilmore in harms way unless other options don't seem to be working, though.

1. How well can we run the ball against Kentucky?

Kentucky is currently 97th in the country against the run, giving up a startling 190+ yards per game. The 'Cats are somewhat soft and banged up in the middle. You think Marcus Lattimore might be chomping at the bit to get a shot at breaking the century mark again? If there's one thing that should make you feel comfortable in this game, it's that we should be able to control field position and time of possession by running it right up the gut against the 'Cats, and that is usually a winning combination. That's particularly true late in the game, when a team with poor depth like Kentucky will really begin to wear out in the trenches.

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Read More: Stephen Gilmore (CB - South Carolina), Cameron Newton (QB - Auburn), Marcus Lattimore (RB - South Carolina), Florida Gators, Kentucky Wildcats, South Carolina Gamecocks, South Carolina Gamecocks at Kentucky Wildcats, Oct 16, 2025 6:00 PM EDT

Comments

3. turnovers … If we have more than one turnover, Im afraid we’ll lose. i think we have to expect UK to score at home. I think we need at least 38-42 points to beat them, and that means high efficiency if we have to rely on the O for all scoring, rather than pick-6’s and special teams scores.

2. wildcock …. looks like the Ole Ball Coach has put that in his back pocket again. I bet Dabo will have forgotten all about it by November :~)

1. right down their throats, with short-medium passing attack mixed in.

by tryptic67 on Oct 12, 2025 5:01 PM EDT reply actions

I'm not THAT worried about our defense...

But I agree that we need to be prepared to score. Kentucky has an explosive offense and has tended to move the ball. They didn’t score much against Florida, but, if not mistaken, that was largely because they gave the ball away in scoring situations, not because they couldn’t move it.

Garnet and Black Attack: A Blog by and for Gamecocks Fans.

by Gamecock Man on Oct 12, 2025 5:10 PM EDT up reply actions

Me either.

As I posted in another thread, their D has averaged giving up 42+ with their O producing 28+ against SEC opponents this year. I stick by my 35-17 prediction. If they get more than that, I think we do too. I’m confident in a 17 point victory and another consecutive win over Kentucky. I hope I’m right.

by Skulls and Spurs on Oct 12, 2025 5:14 PM EDT up reply actions

I hear y'all but

we’ve had trouble with explosive guys like Cobb recently … and while Cobb wasn’t such a big factor last year, I expect it to be different this year …. also, Hartline had a big game against us. I hope Ellis has enough confidence in the secondary to have somebody as a spy on Cobb the whole game.

I think UK is desperate to win (a) for Joker; (b) to go bowling and © to break the SC and Spurrier winning streaks. They think (correctly) they let one slip away last week, and that going less than 2-3 in their homestand ( vs. Aub, vs. USC, vs UGA) will be a disaster.

All that being said, I’d be ecstatic for y’all to be right. What gives me some confidence is that everyone’s waiting for us to flub … and I think Spurrier’s made that clear. Plus we came unscathed out of the Bama game.

by tryptic67 on Oct 12, 2025 5:56 PM EDT up reply actions

that bodes well for us

since our defense has been primarily a Red Zone Defense this season… the old “bend but dont break” mentality is seemingly working. Doesnt make the yardage stats look all that pretty, but it gets the job done.

by Gamecockrock on Oct 13, 2025 5:30 PM EDT up reply actions

Sheesh, I didn't realize we hadn't won away since Raleigh last year.

3. Verdict is still out on turnovers/protecting the football. SG needs to go more than a game or two without fumbling on the run for me to gain confidence there.
2. I’m with tryptic67. I doubt we’ll see it this weekend.
1. Lattimore will run for 120+

by Skulls and Spurs on Oct 12, 2025 5:05 PM EDT reply actions

Yeah, our road record is kind of shocking.

We’ve become a team that’s nearly impossible to beat at home but stinks at times on the road. Granted, the difference between this year’s road schedule and last year’s is that last year we were playing some of our toughest opponents on the road, whereas this year we’re playing Kentucky and Vandy. And although we lost, our performance at Auburn was better than the stinkers we put up at Knoxville and Fayetteville last season.

Garnet and Black Attack: A Blog by and for Gamecocks Fans.

by Gamecock Man on Oct 12, 2025 5:12 PM EDT up reply actions

I never want to hear or think about the 09 Knoxville game

Or the 09 Athens game.

Or the 09 Fayetteville game.

Or, for that matter, the spot-em-six-and-throw-three-fades 09 Tuscaloosa game.

by tryptic67 on Oct 12, 2025 6:10 PM EDT up reply actions

3. Minus a few hiccups, our offense has managed to improve greatly on protecting the ball. It appears that Garcia took the message to heart and quit lowering his head as low. Garcia is also smarting with his decisions and is very acurate with his throwing. I believe that we will win the turnover battle. Our defense has also forced some turnovers which we had trouble doing last year. I think that our defense will be able to contain Cobb and limit Kentucky similarly to the way Florida did. Johnson and Spurrier know stuffing the box against running teams is the way to go, thats what we should have done at Auburn. I think the lesson has been learned.

2. I believe that spurrier is saving the wild cock formation for when they truly need it. I don’t think we have needed it so far this year, except maybe against Auburn. The risk of injuring Gilmore is too high to waste it when its not needed. I don’t think we wil really need it in this game.

1. Lattimore is going to have the best game of his career in this game. He ran all over GA and Kentucky has proven to have a lot of problems stopping the run. Lattimore is a beast and he will have a field day on the Kentucky defense.

by Carolina Cock-n-Fire on Oct 12, 2025 11:15 PM EDT reply actions

You know, Garcia was pretty careful when running last game...

Maybe he has learned his lesson. The only time I remember him lowering his shoulder was on the 4-and-1 scramble early in the game, and I think we can all agree that in situations like that you need to take the risk.

Garnet and Black Attack: A Blog by and for Gamecocks Fans.

by Gamecock Man on Oct 12, 2025 11:37 PM EDT up reply actions

Agreed he seems more conscious of protecting the ball

and not running with it like he’s holding a loaf of bread.

by tryptic67 on Oct 13, 2025 8:36 AM EDT up reply actions

that 4th and 2 run wasnt bad

as he did lower his shoulder, not his head. He delivered a boom to a defender rather than getting plastered like he had been doing.

by Gamecockrock on Oct 13, 2025 5:32 PM EDT up reply actions

Obviously we're not there during practices, but

So I dont know how the RBs are practicing, I hope we see Kenny Miles get some carries. I understand Maddox is a senior (and he played great against Bama) and of course Lattimore is the starter (and perilously close to running away with SEC freshman of the year honors), but I just feel like Kenny has a lot to offer the team. With last year’s patchwork OL, Kenny had great yards-per-carry even though we usually were behind and throwing. I think he’s earned some pt this year with the improved run-blocking we’re seeing out of Shawn Elliot’s unit (what a hire that guy was).

I also hope Steven’s progressions dont begin-and-end with No. 1. I hope he remembers that Gurley, Moore, Barnes and Sanders can also score, and that if UK brackets or doubles Alshon, that means he’s got favorable match up down the line. He still owes Barnes a TD from the UGA game!

Go Cocks! Beat UK!

by tryptic67 on Oct 13, 2025 8:44 AM EDT up reply actions

I've been wondering about Miles, too.

Obviously Lattimore’s emergence has had a lot to do with his reduced playing time, but I’ve been surprised that SOS has basically gone to Maddox every time he’s taken Lattimore out. Granted, Maddox looks like he’s slimmed up and is a bit quicker, but I still liked Miles so much last year that I’d like to see him get on the field some. This could be the kind of game where we really try to ground a lot of yardage out on the ground, and if that’s the case, then I think we should try the fresh legs approach and get everyone some carries. Lattimore’s obviously the best, but all three guys have proven themselves.

Garnet and Black Attack: A Blog by and for Gamecocks Fans.

by Gamecock Man on Oct 13, 2025 9:44 AM EDT up reply actions

I dont see it as a problem

Maddox is a Senior and he was a prized recruit and stuck it out with us when he wasnt getting carries and could have went anywhere… Miles is only a SO, so he will be main backup after this season, and I know he realized that which is why he is sticking around. In my opinion, let the Senior that deserves the carries get his careers worth of carries before hes gone.

by Gamecockrock on Oct 13, 2025 5:40 PM EDT up reply actions