Kentucky hosts South Carolina Saturday night

For the first time since 2007, the Kentucky Wildcats are ranked in the AP Poll!

After their victory over the Mississippi State Bulldogs last week to improve to 4-0, the Wildcats found themselves at #17 in Monday’s poll.

They’ll look to defend that ranking as they welcome the South Carolina Gamecocks (2-1) to Lexington on Saturday night.

Game Time: 7:30 p.m. ET

TV: SEC Network (Tom Hart, Jordan Rodgers, Cole Cubelic)

Radio: South Carolina Radio Network | Kentucky Radio Network

Streaming: WatchESPN

Preview

Well, this is pretty fun. Mark Stoops has Kentucky playing very well lately, with two top-25 wins this season already en route to their first 4-0 start since 2008 and first 2-0 start in SEC play since 1977.

Benny Snell has been his usual excellent self for the Wildcats this season, with 540 yards for seven touchdowns. He has also eclipsed the 100-yard mark in three of Kentucky’s four games this year. It’s safe to say that if South Carolina wants to stop the Wildcats, they’ll have to find a way to slow Snell down.

The Gamecocks have allowed just under four yards per carry this season, good enough for 59th in the nation. However, they allowed a combined 6.8 to Elijah Holyfield and DeAndre Swift in the week two loss to Georgia.

On the South Carolina side, the path to victory starts (and likely ends) with Jake Bentley. If Bentley is on his game he’s one of the nation’s best quarterbacks, as shown by his four touchdown performance to open the season against Coastal Carolina. The problem is, Bentley hasn’t replicated that success, throwing for just two touchdowns in two games since.

Prediction: Kentucky 28, South Carolina 24