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Wk 5 · 2026

Kentucky Wildcats at South Carolina Gamecocks — Sat, Oct 3

Sat, Oct 3 · Williams-Brice Stadium, Columbia, SC · SEC Network FINAL

Weather

No forecast yet. Forecasts reach about 16 days ahead, so this fills in nearer the game. A seasonal average printed here would look exactly like a forecast, which is why there is not one.
#24 Kentucky Wildcats
SEC · 5-1
35
at
4:15pET
SC -2.5 · total 52.5 DraftKings opened -7 · 4.5 toward UK
Ratings differential SC by 3.8
South Carolina Gamecocks
SEC · 3-3
34

What is at stake

A SEC game — it counts in the standings that decide that league's championship game. Run the race.

What the ratings imply

The differential above is arithmetic on two published numbers: The CFB King’s 2026 final efficiency ratings, plus 2.4 points of home field. It is not a projection, a value, an edge or a lean, and nothing on this site compares it with the betting line to tell you one is better. Until 2026 games are played it is last season’s measurement of two teams that have changed.

Efficiency · 2026 ratings

Kentucky: +10.6#29
Efficiency margin
South Carolina: +12.0#25
Kentucky: 36.8
Offense (pts/100)
South Carolina: 37.5
Kentucky: 17.2
Defense (pts/100)
South Carolina: 16.6
Kentucky: 65.5
Pace (plays/g)
South Carolina: 72.8
Kentucky: 6.32
Yards / play
South Carolina: 6.52
Kentucky: 5.31
Yards / play allowed
South Carolina: 5.37
Opponent-adjusted ratings from The College King's 2026 final numbers. Bars share a scale within each row, so the two lengths are comparable; the brighter side is the better of the two, and a longer bar is the better number — including the rows where a lower figure is the good one. Pace is the exception: it is how fast a team plays, not how well, so neither side is lit and a longer bar there means only more plays.

Team stats · 2026 per game

Kentucky: 34.7
Points / game
South Carolina: 37.7
Kentucky: 28.0
Points allowed
South Carolina: 25.5
Kentucky: 414
Yards / game
South Carolina: 475
Kentucky: 382
Yards allowed
South Carolina: 341
Kentucky: 246
Pass yds allowed
South Carolina: 237
Kentucky: 136
Rush yds allowed
South Carolina: 104
Kentucky: 0.83
Turnovers / game
South Carolina: 1.33
From completed 2026 box scores; defensive yardage covers the regular season and conference championships.

Kentucky form

W 35-34vs LSUW 35-34at SCW 45-21vs USAW 31-21at TA&ML 17-45vs ALA
2026 season

South Carolina form

W 38-19at FLAL 34-35vs UKL 18-49at ALAL 34-41vs MSSTW 45-9vs TOW
2026 season

Kentucky this season

Straight up5-1 · 83% (6 games)
Against the spread5-1 · 83% (6 games)
Over / under5-1 · 83% (6 games)

South Carolina this season

Straight up3-3 · 50% (6 games)
Against the spread2-4 · 33% (6 games)
Over / under4-2 · 67% (6 games)
Lines are captured from ESPN's board before kickoff and locked at kickoff, so an in-play price cannot overwrite the number a game is graded against.

Common opponents · 5

OpponentKentuckySouth Carolina
Alabama
SEC
vs L 17-45 previewat L 18-49 preview
Texas A&M
SEC
at W 31-21 previewvs Wk 10 · scheduled preview
Oklahoma
SEC
at Wk 7 · scheduled previewat Wk 9 · scheduled preview
Tennessee
SEC
at Wk 10 · scheduled previewvs Wk 8 · scheduled preview
Florida
SEC
vs Wk 11 · scheduled previewat W 38-19 preview
Open these two in the comparison tool for every shared and unshared opponent.

Series history · 2006–2026

Since 2006, South Carolina leads 12–9 · Kentucky won the last one
21 meetings in 2006–2026 · average margin 5.3 points toward South Carolina
Yr DateResultSiteWon
20262026-10-03Kentucky 35 — 34 South Carolinaat SCKentucky
20252025-09-27Kentucky 13 — 35 South Carolinaat SCSouth Carolina
20242024-09-07South Carolina 31 — 6 Kentuckyat UKSouth Carolina
20232023-11-18Kentucky 14 — 17 South Carolinaat SCSouth Carolina
20222022-10-08South Carolina 24 — 14 Kentuckyat UKSouth Carolina
20212021-09-25Kentucky 16 — 10 South Carolinaat SCKentucky
20202020-12-05South Carolina 18 — 41 Kentuckyat UKKentucky
20192019-09-28Kentucky 7 — 24 South Carolinaat SCSouth Carolina
20182018-09-29South Carolina 10 — 24 Kentuckyat UKKentucky
20172017-09-16Kentucky 23 — 13 South Carolinaat SCKentucky
20162016-09-24South Carolina 10 — 17 Kentuckyat UKKentucky
20152015-09-12Kentucky 26 — 22 South Carolinaat SCKentucky
20142014-10-04South Carolina 38 — 45 Kentuckyat UKKentucky
20132013-10-05Kentucky 28 — 35 South Carolinaat SCSouth Carolina
20122012-09-29South Carolina 38 — 17 Kentuckyat UKSouth Carolina
20112011-10-08Kentucky 3 — 54 South Carolinaat SCSouth Carolina
20102010-10-16South Carolina 28 — 31 Kentuckyat UKKentucky
20092009-10-10Kentucky 26 — 28 South Carolinaat SCSouth Carolina
20082008-10-11South Carolina 24 — 17 Kentuckyat UKSouth Carolina
20072007-10-04Kentucky 23 — 38 South Carolinaat SCSouth Carolina
20062006-10-07South Carolina 24 — 17 Kentuckyat UKSouth Carolina

Kentucky leaders 2026 regular season

PassingKenny Minchey QB #397/142, 1148 YDS, 11 TD, 1 INT
Callum Wither QB #100/1, 0 YDS
RushingCJ Baxter RB #168 CAR, 361 YDS, 6 TD
Jason Patterson RB #2645 CAR, 355 YDS, 3 TD
Jovantae Barnes RB #220 CAR, 126 YDS, 1 TD
ReceivingKenny Darby WR #1925 REC, 322 YDS, 3 TD
Willie Rodriguez TE #8122 REC, 194 YDS, 1 TD
Nic Anderson WR #49 REC, 120 YDS, 1 TD
Henry Boyer TE #878 REC, 116 YDS, 3 TD
Defense
TacklesGrant Godfrey LB #2243
Jordan Castell DB #542
Ty Bryant DB #1439
SacksMi'Quise Humphrey-Grace DL #902.5
Grant Godfrey LB #222
Tavion Gadson DL #941.5
InterceptionsJordan Castell DB #52
Grant Godfrey LB #221
Mi'Quise Humphrey-Grace DL #901
full roster and per-player history

South Carolina leaders 2026 regular season

PassingLaNorris Sellers QB #1692/152, 1059 YDS, 8 TD, 4 INT
Cutter Woods QB #129/14, 92 YDS, 1 TD
RushingMatt Fuller RB #2871 CAR, 433 YDS, 5 TD
LaNorris Sellers QB #1653 CAR, 391 YDS, 1 TD
Jabree Coleman RB #2120 CAR, 173 YDS, 4 TD
ReceivingMazeo Bennett Jr. WR #318 REC, 201 YDS, 1 TD
Nyck Harbor WR #813 REC, 195 YDS, 1 TD
Donovan Murph WR #67 REC, 159 YDS, 2 TD
DJ Black WR #838 REC, 156 YDS, 1 TD
Defense
TacklesJustin Okoronkwo LB #1738
Fred Johnson LB #029
Peyton Williams DB #3125
SacksAnthony Addison DE #403
Tomiwa Durojaiye DL #132
Kelby Collins DL #971
InterceptionsPeyton Williams DB #311
Kosci Barnes DB #281
full roster and per-player history
These are regular-season totals for the season named on each card — the players who led that team that year, taken from ESPN's team leaders. That list is keyed to the season, not to today's roster, so a leader who has since transferred or run out of eligibility still appears against the year he earned it; the roster pages and the depth chart on each team page are where the current squad is. A team switches to this season's numbers once it has played a game. The roster pages count bowl games too, so a player's two lines can differ by a game.