South Carolina Football: Ranking each game on the Entertainment Scale

South Carolina Football’s No. 5 Most Entertaining Game of 2023:
Kentucky Wildcats

This matchup is a bit of a wild card, as most Kentucky-Carolina teams tend to be. Last year saw a 24-14 Gamecock win against #13 Kentucky in Lexington, but the Wildcats were forced to start Kaiya Sheron, who had not made a collegiate start before and has not made one since. Spencer Rattler didn’t have his best day, throwing for just 177 yards, but the Gamecock defense had 6 sacks, which proved to be the difference.

But this year, everything about last year’s matchup can be thrown out. So much has happened to both programs since then that it would be irresponsible to suggest that the previous matchup is any indication of what’s going to happen this year. What *is* going to happen this year? Kentucky brought in a new QB, Devin Leary from NC State, and if you’re not in-tune with ACC football, he’s pretty good.

Last year, he had his season cut short early with a pectoral injury, but in 2021 Leary threw 35 TDs to just 5 INTs to go along with 3,433 yards through the air. He may even be an upgrade over Will Levis, and don’t forget that former Kentucky OC Liam Coen has found his way back to Lexington and will be calling plays again this year.

Even though the ‘Cats lost two of their top running backs in Chris Rodriguez Jr. and Kavosiey Smoke, Ray Davis from Vanderbilt, the aforementioned former Commodore who ran for 167 yards against the Gamecocks, joined the Wildcats in the transfer portal. They shouldn’t see a dropoff in the run game, and all 3 top receivers return from last season, along with Tayvion Robinson from Virginia Tech. Offensively, this Wildcat team should resemble a 180 compared to last year’s matchup. The Gamecock linebackers and secondary will need to step up, and it’s unlikely Kentucky only puts up 14 points again this year.

Defensively, D’Eryk Jackson and Jordan Lovett, the two leading tacklers from last season, return. As does the team leader in sacks, J.J. Weaver. Lovett and Trevin Wallace, who tied with Keidron Smith for the team lead in INTs, return. However, Carrington Valentine, perhaps the team’s top cover corner, departs, as does Smith. If the Gamecocks are going to win again this year, Spencer Rattler may have to throw past this secondary. The front seven is stacked, as has become common in the Stoops era at Kentucky.

Kentucky is one of the most underrated teams on the schedule, and it will likely be a close game at Williams-Brice. Sandwiched between home games against Vanderbilt and Clemson, South Carolina football can’t afford to look past this game. Both offenses should score more than they did last season, and there’s reason to believe either team can escape with a win.