A BLUE WAVE IN KENTUCKY
CAN SNELL AND CO. KEEP MOMENTUM GOING AGAINST SOUTH CAROLINA?
KEYS FOR SOUTH CAROLINA
Stop Snell: Kentucky junior running back Benny Snell leads the SEC in rushing at 135 yards per game, averaging 6.2 yards per carry with seven touchdowns. The Gamecocks rank 11th in the conference against the run, and will need to do better here.
Maintain balance: South Carolina isn’t a league leader in rushing or passing offense, but has a very balanced attack. Jake Bentley is a capable passer, but the Gamecocks can’t win on his arm alone. USC will need to keep Kentucky’s defense guessing.
KEYS FOR KENTUCKY
Feed the beast: Snell gets better the more he gets the ball. In two conference games, in fact, he is averaging 170 rushing yards per game and getting the ball more than 25 times per outing. A heavy dose of Snell is Kentucky’s best plan.
Get off the field: Kentucky ranks last in the SEC in defending on third down, with opponents converting 45.3 percent of the time. The Wildcats need to make stops on third down to keep South Carolina from gathering momentum by maintaining long drives.
PREDICTION
Kentucky 24, South
Carolina 21: Kentucky has ended a long losing streak to Florida and now find itself undefeated and ranked in the Top 25. The Wildcats are riding a wave of success and should have an excited home crowd behind them. A win here keeps Kentucky in the SEC East race with Georgia.