Kentucky vs. South Carolina predictions: Can Wildcats win if Will Levis is out?

Jon Hale
·7 min read

It’s almost football time in the Bluegrass! Here are some final thoughts and predictions about how No. 13 Kentucky’s game against South Carolina might play out on Saturday evening.

GROWING KENTUCKY INJURY REPORT

The week started with the news that middle linebacker Jacquez Jones and right tackle Jeremy Flax were dealing with injuries suffered in the Ole Miss loss that could force them to miss the South Carolina game. By Wednesday, quarterback Will Levis had been added to the injury report.

Levis suffered a foot/ankle injury and dislocated the middle finger on his non-throwing hand at Ole Miss but was able to play through both ailments. He missed practice time this week, though, and was spotted in a walking boot Thursday. Still, UK Coach Mark Stoops said no final decision had been made on Levis’ status for South Carolina.

“I have no news,” he said. “My policy is always if somebody is out, I’d tell you. I don’t have anybody out.”

Add in the season-ending injuries for nickel back Vito Tisdale, safety Jalen Geiger and running back Ramon Jefferson, and Kentucky’s injury list is becoming a concern. There is an off week later this month that could aid some of the recoveries, but Kentucky must take care of business against South Carolina and Mississippi State first in order to reach the off week still in contention for the SEC East title.

The lone bit of good injury news this week was the possible return of outside linebacker J.J. Weaver, who has missed the last two games with an elbow injury, but his status is also uncertain.

SPENCER RATTLER’S BIG CHANCE

Even if Levis does play, he might actually not be the most talked about quarterback in a Kentucky game for one of the few times this season.

South Carolina quarterback Spencer Rattler has experienced an unusual career in which he went from the top-ranked quarterback recruit in his high school class to preseason Heisman trophy candidate to losing his starting job at Oklahoma and entering the transfer portal. Rattler landed at South Carolina, where he has completed 64.9% of his passes for 1,121 yards, four touchdowns and seven interceptions through five games.

Against Kentucky and Levis, Rattler has a chance to prove his recruiting hype was still justified.

“You just see a guy that’s getting more and more comfortable in a new environment, in a new system,” Stoops said. “Very talented. They do a really nice job with him.”

Rattler’s best game of the season came with 377 passing yards, one touchdown and one interception in a week two loss to Arkansas. Against FCS South Carolina State last week, Rattler threw for 212 yards, two touchdowns and two interceptions. He also rushed for 31 yards and one touchdown.

“He can make the throws, especially on the move,” UK defensive coordinator Brad White said. “I think he’s one of the better quarterbacks you’ll see once he moves out of the pocket. … He’s thrown some really pretty balls on the move, so we’ve got to do a good job there.”

SUMMER CONTROVERSY REVISITED

Both Stoops and South Carolina Coach Shane Beamer have spoken extensively about their respect for the other program this week, but there were tenuous moments in that relationship this summer.

In an interview with the SEC Network’s “Marty and McGee Show” recorded at SEC Media Days in July but not published until August, Stoops made a comment about the challenge of building a consistent winner in the Southeastern Conference.

“It’s easy to change a climate. You just change a uniform, talk a little game, dance around, put on some stupid sunglasses,” Stoops said. “You can change a climate, but to change a culture is at the core. And I’m quite certain we changed our culture.”

The interview had been recorded shortly after South Carolina posted a video to its football Twitter account of Beamer donning a pair of sunglasses and dancing in a hype video for Beamer’s appearance at SEC Media Days.

South Carolina fans quickly latched onto Stoops’ comment as a swipe at their program, but Stoops denied the reference had anything to do with Beamer.

“I’m glad you brought that up because it had nothing to do with Shane Beamer,” Stoops said when asked about the controversy after a preseason scrimmage. “It had to do with me, what I did when I got here. I was the one that changed the helmets. Heck, I wore a blue-collar shirt into meetings. I wore a hard hat. I did anything I could. So, I was talking about me. Had nothing to do with Shane Beamer.

“I like Shane. I had no business talking about anybody else, you know that. We went through this. So, that’s just not my style. You know that. You’ve known me for 10 years. If I’m going to say something to somebody, I’ll say it. I wasn’t talking about Shane at all. I didn’t even know what people were talking about.”

The explanation came just more than a week after Stoops had engaged in a public back-and-forth with Kentucky basketball coach John Calipari. Stoops had taken public issue with Calipari calling Kentucky a “basketball school” in comparison to “football schools” like Georgia and Alabama.

“I don’t care what anybody says about their program,” Stoops said in response to Calipari’s comment. “That’s not my business, that’s not my lane, but when you start talking about the program and others we compete against, to me I don’t do that. I stay in my lane.”

Asked about Stoops’ explanation, Beamer appeared to reference the football-basketball controversy at Kentucky.

“I appreciate Coach Stoops saying it wasn’t directed at me,” Beamer said. “I can’t imagine he would’ve gotten out of his lane to direct a shot at me.”

The two programs might have played nice this week, but if South Carolina pulls off the upset this weekend it would be little surprise for Beamer to bring up the summer controversy again. Maybe he would wear some sunglasses to the postgame news conference?

Ole Miss safety AJ Finley (21) and linebacker Austin Keys (11) force a fumble by Kentucky quarterback Will Levis (7) in Oxford, Miss., on Oct. 1. The Cats lost 22-19.
Ole Miss safety AJ Finley (21) and linebacker Austin Keys (11) force a fumble by Kentucky quarterback Will Levis (7) in Oxford, Miss., on Oct. 1. The Cats lost 22-19.

FINAL PREDICTIONS

Kentucky 23, South Carolina 14: Predicting a final score without knowing whether Levis will play is a fool’s errand, but the guess here is even if Levis does play, Kentucky takes the opportunity to ride running back Chris Rodriguez as much as possible. UK’s defense is facing its own injury issues, but the performance of that unit against Florida and Ole Miss offers hope Kentucky can win even if Levis is out. Protecting the quarterback, whoever it is, will be all the more important if Levis is playing through pain or a backup is in the game. That means quick screens to Barion Brown, Rodriguez and Tayvion Robinson as often as possible.

MVP: Chris Rodriguez. Kentucky’s star running back wasted no time showing off the impact his bone-crushing rushing style can have on the offense at Ole Miss, but he tired as that game progressed. With one game to shake off the rust and injury questions at quarterback, it’s time for Rodriguez to take over. In three career games against South Carolina, Rodriguez has totaled 348 rushing yards and four touchdowns.

The spread: Las Vegas oddsmakers initially established Kentucky as a 10-point favorite, but the line was down to six points by Wednesday night when news of Levis’ injury began to surface. Kentucky has won seven of the last eight games in the series, but only one of those wins was decided by more than 14 points.

Kentucky passing touchdowns: 2.

South Carolina sacks: 3.

Chris Rodriguez rushing yards: 125.

Matt Ruffolo field goals: 3-4.

THE LAST WORD

Kentucky offensive coordinator Rich Scangarello on offensive progress:

“I can see how much faster we can get ready each week, with carryover. My experience is this is about the time, week four or five, when it really starts to click when it comes together in the line and the run game. I saw it in the (Ole Miss) game. I saw it in practice (Tuesday). There were very few mental assignment (mistakes). The techniques are getting better. So, I’m excited about that part because it will make the whole thing better. I feel like today was a really positive day.”

Saturday

South Carolina at No. 13 Kentucky

When: 7:30 p.m.

TV: SEC Network

Radio: WLAP-AM 630, WBUL-FM 98.1

Records: South Carolina 3-2 (0-2 SEC), Kentucky 4-1 (1-1)

Series: South Carolina leads 18-14-1

Last meeting: Kentucky won 16-10 on Sept. 25, 2021, in Columbia, S.C.

Against South Carolina, Kentucky can prove it’s taken one major step from last season

Kentucky football’s main goal remains reachable, but South Carolina is a tricky test

‘This guy is everything.’ Where the return of Chris Rodriguez helps Kentucky football most.

What constitutes targeting in college football? Does anyone really know anymore?

Does Kentucky football have a special teams problem? Numbers suggest it’s not that simple.

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