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Kentucky vs. South Carolina: TV/Streaming Info, Keys to the Game, and Predictions

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South Carolina Gamecocks head coach Shane Beamer and Kentucky Wildcats head coach Mark Stoops shake hands after a game at Kroger Field.

The good news is that Kentucky is bowl-eligible, the bad news is this season has been a disappointment. However, the Wildcats could still reach the expectations of an eight or nine-win season based on the final two regular season games and the bowl game.

The first step in doing that is defeating a South Carolina team that is in a must-win to keep their bowl hopes alive on the road. The Gamecocks are coming off back-to-back wins for the first time this season, but that is not impressive when you consider those wins came against Jackson State and Vanderbilt.

Let’s take a look at the matchup and see what it will take to get Shane Beamer to complain in a losing press conference.

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Take Advantage of Poor Defense

Statistically, South Carolina is the third-worst defense in the SEC, giving up an average of 413 yards per game. However, the Wildcat offense has only gone over the 400-yard mark three times this season and only once since September. So which side will give?

In the three weeks since the Kentucky Wildcats’ bye week, they have only run for 100 yards once, after doing so in six of the first seven games, with the exception being Georgia. What’s even more interesting is during that time, the pass and rushing attempts have practically been equal.

Given that and the fact that South Carolina’s secondary is vulnerable, giving up 350+ yards against Jackson State and Vanderbilt, Kentucky’s best opportunities are going to come through the air. Fortunately, while still not perfect, that part of the offense has been much more effective of late. Since the bye week, the Wildcats have converted 63 percent of their passes, compared to just 54 percent prior.

Secondary and Pass Coverage

While Kentucky will look to find offensive success with the pass, they will look to have defensive success with defending the pass. That said, stopping the pass has been something that Kentucky has struggled with for much of the season.

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South Carolina is a pass-heavy team, in fact, with a 56.3 pass-play percentage, they lead the SEC. Due to a poor offensive line, they like to get the ball out quickly. Meaning the large majority of their passes are short passes, putting the ball in the hands of their talented receivers and letting them make plays.

Brad White has worked miracles with the secondary over the last few seasons and must use pull from that on this matchup.

Win the Trenches, Get Some Pressure

Winning an SEC game takes physicality, and that is what Mark Stoops expressed this Kentucky team would return to this season. Yet, that has been inconsistent and has lacked discipline.

The key is going to be being the more physical team in the trenches. South Carolina is in a similar position that Kentucky was in last season, their offensive line is terrible. That is the reason Spencer Rattler is one of the most sacked quarterbacks in the country. That said, Brad White is going to have to do something he doesn’t like to do, and put some pressure on Rattler.

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Kentucky Wildcats (6-4, 3-4 SEC) vs. South Carolina Gamecocks (4-6, 2-5 SEC)

  • Time/Date: 7:30 pm ET on November 18th, 2023
  • Location: Williams-Brice Stadium in Columbia, SC
  • TV Channel: SEC Network
  • Announcers: Tom Hart, Jordan Rodgers, Cole Cubelic
  • Online Stream: WatchESPN and the ESPN app.
  • Radio: Tom Leach and Jeff Piecoro have the UK radio network call on the UK Sports Radio Network.
  • Satellite Radio: XM Channel 203, Sirius Channel 98, Internet Channel 966
  • Replay: WatchESPN and SEC Network (check local listings).
  • Rosters: UK | SCAR
  • Stats To Know: UK | SCAR
  • Advanced Stats
  • Covers.com Weather Forecast
  • Odds: DraftKings Sportsbook has Kentucky as a 2-point underdog. ESPN’s matchup predictor has Kentucky as the underdog, giving them a 42 percent chance at victory.
  • PredictionsTeamRankings has South Carolina coming away with a narrow 27-26 win, with DRatings.com also picking the Gamecocks in a 27-24 victory. Losing to South Carolina last season was bad, but they went on to beat Clemson and Tennessee. That said, losing to an under .500 South Carolina this season would certainly be a blow. For that reason, I am choosing Kentucky to win 28-24.

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Louisville Football Player Charged With First-Degree Strangulation, Days After Committing Game Losing Personal Foul

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Louisville Cardinals defensive back Tayon Holloway (20) reacts to his defensive play.
Eric Canha | Imagn

On Monday, Louisville football defensive back Tayon Holloway was detained and charged with first-degree strangulation and fourth-degree assault.

This comes just days after the former four-star prospect committed a costly personal foul to put a 2-7 Stanford team in field goal range and upset Louosillve 38-35 with a walk-off field goal.

As expected, Holloway has been indefinitely suspended from the team.

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“The University of Louisville is aware of the arrest of football student-athlete Tayon Holloway,” the university said in a statement. “As we gather more information, Tayon has been suspended indefinitely from all team activities.”

Things Cardinals seem to be in a downward trend as the Commonwealth Cup nears, November 30th.

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Kentucky snaps four game losing streak defeats Murray State 48-6

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Kentucky football coach Mark Stoops talking to Murray State football coach Jody Wright.
Jordan Prather | Imagn

Kentucky gets a much-needed victory over Murray St 48-6 to snap its four-game losing Streak. Brock Vandagriff led the way for the Cats, going 12-19 for 183 passing yards and two touchdown passes to Hardley Gilmore IV and Ja’Mori Maclin. 48 Points is the most points Kentucky has scored in a game since 2021 when the Cats scored 51 points against Louisville.

The defense held Murray St. without a touchdown. For the second time this season, Kentucky’s defense has held an opponent without a touchdown.

Freshman Standout today:

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For the second time this season, Kentucky breaks the 40-point mark as three freshmen make impacts for Kentucky. Jamarion Wilcox had 13 carries and 124 yards with a touchdown in the 3rd quarter.

Receiver Hardley Gilmore IV had two receptions for 72 yards and caught the 52-yard touchdown pass from Brock Vandagriff on the game-opening drive.

Four-star quarterback Cutter Boley started the second half for the Cats, going 10-14 and passing for 130 yards with two touchdown passes in the fourth quarter, both touchdown passes to sophomore receiver Anthony Brown-Stephens.

Defense Bounces Back:

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After giving up over 475 yards of total offense each of the last three games, Kentucky’s defense holds Murray State to 256 total yards of offense while also having three takeaways from the Murray State offense

Defensive Lineman Tre’vonn Rybka led the way for the defense with five tackles and the only sack of the game for Kentucky’s defense. Jordan Lovett had two takeaways in the first half for Kentucky and one in the red zone in the second quarter. Jackson Schultz had the final takeaway, picking off Jim Ogle’s pass late in the fourth quarter.

Box Score

With the win today over Murray St., Kentucky moves to 4-6 (1-6 SEC) with two games remaining. They look to keep their bowl eligibility alive as they travel to Austin, Texas, and face the No. 3 ranked Texas Longhorns at 3:30 pm on ABC. 

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Mark Stoops Responds to Retirement Rumors, “Zero Percent Chance I Do That”

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Kentucky football coach Mark Stoops responds to retirement rumors amidst disappointing season. "Zero percent chance I do that."
Jordan Prather | Imagn

To say there is unrest in the Kentucky Football fanbase would be an understatement. With a 3-6 record overall, and 1-6 in the SEC (15th out of 16) things look bleak, and there is still a quarter of the season to go. Considering the regression from the previous two seasons as well, it’s difficult to be optimistic about the future.

Over the last few weeks, rumors have circled that head coach Mark Stoops has considered retiring at the end of the season. Optics wise it makes sense, his older brother Bob Stoops surprisingly retired from Oklahoma at just 56, and Mark, now 57, has expressed a desire to spend more time with his children.

At his weekly press conference, Stoops was asked directly if there is any chance that he would walk away from Kentucky and retire at the season. To which he responded, bluntly:

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“Zero percent chance I do that. Next question.”

Mark Stoops is still owed more than $44 million on his contract. That’s A LOT of money to leave on the table and is the reason that the decision will be Stoops’ to make, as Kentucky cannot afford the buyout.

If Stoops holds true to his word and returns next season, NIL fundraising efforts may be the most difficult it has been for him. However, he hopes it sparks motivation to donate.

“I’ve seen it at other SEC schools,” Stoops said. “I want to stay away from that. I really get tired of — I don’t want to be like I am whining, I am crying. It is reality. You have to have dollars.”

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