South Carolina football: Shi Smith probable to play versus Kentucky

South Carolina football should get its best pass catcher back vs. Wildcats.

After missing the majority of the last two games, it looks as though the South Carolina offense will get leading receiver Shi Smith back for its season finale versus the Kentucky Wildcats. Smith had suffered a concussion early on in the loss to Missouri, which also forced him to miss last week’s matchup against Georgia.

Interim head coach Mike Bobo updated Smith’s health on Tuesday, stating that the pass catcher practiced with the team, though it was in a non-contact capacity.

"“I think (Tuesday’s) day three of his protocol, so he was non-contact and did practice, which is a good sign.”"

With Smith out of the lineup last weekend, the Gamecocks struggled mightily on the offensive side of the ball. Freshman quarterback Luke Doty threw for just 190 yards, having one touchdown and one interception. The Gamecocks’ leading receiver was its tight end Nick Muse, who was responsible for 131 of those 190 receiving yards.

Getting Smith back could prove huge for a South Carolina offense looking to get back on track under its new signal caller. The 5-foot-10 pass catcher ranks fourth in the SEC in receiving, having hauled in 54 receptions for 605 yards. He’s been the best weapon for Gamecock quarterbacks, and should give the team an immediate boost.

The Gamecocks are set to square off against the Wildcats in a chilly road matchup Saturday night. The game time temperature will likely be in the low 30s, with the possibility of snow. South Carolina has opened as two-score underdogs, but they’ll hope to pull the upset and extend their series winning streak to two versus Kentucky.