The South Carolina football team is looking to end a two-game losing streak on Saturday night as the Gamecocks take on the Kentucky Wildcats.
The Daily Gamecock spoke with Jonathon Bruner, the sports editor at the Kentucky Kernel, to learn more about the upcoming game against the Wildcats. The teams will play Saturday night at Williams-Brice Stadium, with the game kicking off at 7:45 p.m.
The Daily Gamecock: Last year, Kentucky had its worst season since head coach Mark Stoops took over in 2013. What did Kentucky try and improve over the offseason?
Bruner: “Well, I think one of the biggest things is obviously going to the portal like everyone else does. Whether you had a good season or bad season, you're going to be in the portal in this day and age. I think the biggest stride that they made, that has already been seen throughout this season, is the offensive line … There was not a lot of good that the offense was able to accomplish last year, and it was mostly because they just couldn't block anybody. I think that's the biggest thing that they supplemented throughout the off season and has really kind of worked in their favor. In 2025, the Big Blue Wall nickname is back."
Stoops announced Monday that redshirt freshman quarterback Cutter Boley will start this upcoming game. What led to him being named the starter?
“So (graduate student quarterback) Zach Calzada is a seventh-year man out of Incarnate Word … It kind of seemed like out of the gates that he was going to be the guy and the winner once they got him. And then Stoops kind of started a little bit of a quarterback competition dialogue between Calzada and Cutter, with some comments of just kind of saying that it's up in the air, kind of saying Cutter's really made a competition. So, that obviously sparked the fan debate, journalist debate. Everyone had their take on what they should do, and I agreed initially with the decision to put Calzada.”
“However, the offense just never really found its footing under (Calzada). It just wasn't great. Some of the throws were a little rough. The passing game just never found its footing. And he played for the majority of the Ole Miss loss before he got hurt, and then he hurt his shoulder. Cutter took over against it for the rest of that game, had a chance within a one-score game to go down and get a game tying touchdown, didn't end up happening. Nonetheless, Calzada was still injured two weeks ago when Kentucky played Eastern Michigan at home, and Cutter took over, and it was kind of a 180 for his passing game. It looked really, really good under him.”
What are some other players that could make a difference on Saturday?
“(Senior running back ) Seth McGowan has been huge so far. He leads the team, and I think he's right around the SEC lead in touchdowns ... and so he's going to be the difference maker. One thing they have been able to do is you've kind of had the up and down passing in question marks around that, but they've been able to run the football all year long. Against Toledo, against Ole Miss, against Eastern Michigan, they've been able to run the ball … So if McGowan and the run game has success, that's going to open up the passing game … Defensively, look at the secondary. (Senior linebacker) Alex Afari Jr. and (junior defensive back )Ty Bryant have both been really, really good out of the gate so far. They're two returners from last year's team, and they're kind of the staples, the leaders of the (defense). And then when you look at the receivers, (senior wide receiver) Kendrick Law has been someone transfer from Alabama that they got this off season, who has really, really kind of been fed the ball almost. And you can see his dynamic play making ability when the ball is in his hands.”
What does Kentucky have to do to end a three-game losing streak to the Gamecocks?
“One thing Kentucky really struggles with, and especially over the past two seasons where you haven't seen success in the SEC is they don't let the other team beat them because they beat themselves, whether it's penalties or procedural issues, things of that nature … Those types of things I think are going to really, really be huge for Kentucky, is being able to limit the mistakes, limit the penalties and things of that nature. Because that's what really got them against Ole Miss.”
“Then another key I think will define the game, especially against South Carolina's offense, is explosive plays. The defense has overall been solid, in my opinion, but the kind of kryptonite has been those explosive plays … If they allow (redshirt sophomore quarterback LaNorris) Sellers and the rest of that offense to just march down the field and put up 7 points over and over and over again, that's going to be trouble for a young quarterback and the rest of the offense. So I think limiting the explosives and just not being themselves, making South Carolina beat them is going to be how they can do it this weekend.”
Score prediction?
“Let's go 28-24, South Carolina ... I think that Kentucky will be able to put up some touchdowns. I think the offense will kind of stick around in it, but I think in the end, Sellers and company will pull it out, whether it be a big turnover, or whatever the case … I think that'll be kind of the landing spot, but I think it finishes pretty close."