Oct. 10, 2008

The South Carolina Gamecocks (4-2, 1-2 SEC) continue Southeastern Conference action Saturday when they travel to Commonwealth Stadium (67,606) in Lexington to take on the Kentucky Wildcats (4-1, 0-1 SEC). Game time is set for 12:30 p.m. ET and the contest will be televised regionally on the Raycom Sports Network. The Gamecocks have put together three straight wins, defeating Wofford, UAB and Ole Miss, after suffering a pair of seven-point SEC losses at Vanderbilt and to Georgia. Kentucky lost a 17-14 decision at Alabama last week after opening the season with four non-conference victories. The Gamecocks have won the last eight time they have met the Wildcats and head coach Steve Spurrier puts a personal 15-game winning streak over Kentucky on the line this weekend.

`COCKS AND WILDCATS

This is the 20th meeting between South Carolina and Kentucky. The Gamecocks lead the all-time series, 12-6-1. USC holds a 5-3-1 advantage in games played in Columbia and a 7-3 advantage in Lexington. The Gamecocks have won each of the last eight meetings between the two schools. They posted a 38-23 win in Columbia last season and won by a 24-17 count in 2006 on their last trip to Lexington. The teams first met in 1937 then played a two-game series in 1978 and `81. They have met every year since 1992.

COACH STILL PERFECT

Head coach Steve Spurrier owns a perfect 15-0 record against Kentucky. That record is his best mark against any opponent. He also has double-digit wins over Vanderbilt (14), Georgia (12), LSU (11), Auburn (10), Tennessee (10) and South Carolina (10).

NOT THAT CLOSE

Coach Spurrier’s teams have rolled up 674 points in the 15 games against Kentucky, an average of 44.9 points per game, while allowing just 264 points, an average of 17.6 points per contest. His squads have put over 50 points on the board five times against the Wildcats, including a 73-7 win in 1994 and a 65-0 whitewash in 1996 and have scored at least 38 points in 10 of the last 11 games his teams have faced the Wildcat defense. The closest Kentucky came to knocking off a Steve Spurrier-led team was in 1993 when they played Florida to a 24-20 decision.

THE LAST TIME THEY MET

The 11th-ranked Gamecocks impressed an ESPN audience with a 38-23 win over No. 8 Kentucky on Thursday, Oct. 4, 2007. Redshirt freshman QB Chris Smelley did more than hold his own against Andre Woodson, out-passing the Heisman Trophy candidate 256-227. Defensive end Eric Norwood tied an NCAA record by taking two fumble recoveries into the end zone for scores, en route to national Defensive Player of the Week honors. The game marked the first time that two ranked teams were on the field in Columbia since 2001 when No. 4 Florida handed No. 14 South Carolina a 54-17 setback and the first time that two teams ranked in the top 11 in the country met at WBS since No. 5 South Carolina beat No. 11 Florida State, 38-26 on Nov. 10, 1984.

LAST TIME IN LEXINGTON

Syvelle Newton threw for 171 yards, rushed for 77 and a score and caught the game-winning TD pass, and South Carolina held off a late charge from Kentucky in a 24-17 win in Lexington on Oct. 7, 2006. Carolina opened up a 17-0 lead on the play of Newton and Cory Boyd, who had a then-career-best day with 25 carries for 113 yards. Kentucky scored with three minutes to go, then had one last gasp, but a “Hail Mary” attempt fell incomplete in the endzone as time expired.

PLAYING THE WILDCATS

Here are how the Gamecocks’ three key offensive players have fared against the Wildcats during their careers: Chris Smelley: 17-of-30, 256 yards, 2 TDs (1 game). Mike Davis: 19 carries, 64 yards, 1 TD (2 games). Kenny McKinley: 12 catches, 173 yards, 0 TDs, 1 TD passing (3 games).

LOOKING FOR 100

Steve Spurrier is 99-29 as an SEC coach against SEC competition (he also has three wins against SEC teams while coaching at Duke). Only three coaches – Bear Bryant (159), John Vaught (106) and Vince Dooley (105) have won more regular-season SEC conference games.

THE LAST TIME OUT

The Gamecocks traveled to Oxford and handed the Ole Miss Rebels a 31-24 defeat. Chris Smelley had one of his best days as a Gamecock, completing 22-of-32 passes for a personal-best 327 yards and three touchdowns, matching his career high. Included was a 63-yard completion to Jared Cook, the longest pass of Smelley’s career. His performance earned him SEC Offensive Player of the Week accolades. Mike Davis added 73 yards on the ground on a season-high 19 carries. The Gamecock defense gave up a season-high 361 yards, but surrendered just three second-half points. Emanuel Cook led the way with a career-high 14 tackles and added a fumble recovery. Defensive tackle Nathan Pepper also scooped up a fumble and rambled 29 yards to paydirt, his second career touchdown. Carlos Thomas sealed the win by picking off a Jevan Snead pass on the Rebels’ final drive.

BARNES STEPS UP

Redshirt freshman wide receiver Jason Barnes turned in the best game of his young career against Ole Miss. The 6-4, 204-pound receiver from Charlotte caught a career-high seven passes for a career-best 76 yards and his first two touchdown catches. He was on the receiving end on a 20-yard pass from Chris Smelley in the second quarter and reached paydirt again on a six-yard completion late in the third quarter. He has 11 catches for 134 yards this season, with all but one of those catches coming in the last two games.

WELCOME BACK

It was a game time decision, but senior wide receiver Kenny McKinley was able to start and go the distance against Ole Miss after missing the previous three games with a right hamstring injury. McKinley, 6-0, 187-pounder from Mableton, Ga. was a welcome sight for quarterback Chris Smelley. After being held without a catch in the first half, McKinley caught four passes for 58 yards in the second half. He is just four receptions and 241 yards away from becoming the all-time school record-holder in those two categories.

DEFENSE SCORES

Nathan Pepper picked up a fumble caused by Clifton Geathers in the second quarter and rambled 29 yards to paydirt, helping the Gamecocks defeat Ole Miss. It was the Gamecocks’ first defensive touchdown in exactly a year, as Eric Norwood scored on two fumble recoveries against Kentucky on Oct. 4, 2006. For Pepper, it was his second career TD. He also scored on a 19-yard interception return against South Carolina State in 2007, made memorable as he blew out his knee in the endzone.

NOTABLES

* Jared Cook’s 63-yard pass reception from Chris Smelley in the first quarter was the Gamecocks’ longest play from scrimmage since Bobby Wallace went 88 yards for a score against Middle Tennessee on Nov. 18, 2006.

* The Gamecocks put together a 95-yard scoring drive to help seal the win over Ole Miss. It was the Gamecocks longest scoring drive since they went 96 yards for a TD against Clemson on November 25, 2006.

UNDER COACH SPURRIER

Head coach Steve Spurrier is 25-18 in his fourth season in Columbia. He recorded the most wins by a Carolina head coach in his first three seasons (21), topping Joe Morrison’s mark of 20 from 1983-85, and has now tied Warren Giese (1956-59) for the most wins by a Gamecock coach in his first four seasons.

PASSING SPARKY

The win over Ole Miss was a bit of a milestone win for head coach Steve Spurrier. It represented his 25th victory at Carolina, moving him past Sparky Woods into sole possession of ninth place on the school’s all-time wins list, one behind Sol Metzger, who logged 26 wins from 1920-24. Coach Spurrier has coached 43 games at USC, while it took Woods 55 games to log 24 victories. It took Metzger 46 games to win 26 over five seasons.

FIRST DOWNS

The Gamecocks lead the SEC in first downs, totaling 132 through six games, an average of 22.0 first downs per game. That ties for the 28th highest total in the nation. The Gamecocks have had at least 20 first downs in five of six games, with the exception being Vanderbilt (18). The total has been helped by their opponents’ mistakes as the Gamecocks have accumulated 15 first downs by penalty. No other SEC team has more than 10. The 15 first downs by penalty ties for the second highest total in Division I football this season behind only Oregon (18).

STAYING ON THE FIELD

The Gamecocks not only lead the SEC in first downs, but sit atop the SEC in third-down conversions. The Gamecocks have converted 38-of-81 third down situations, a 46.9 success rate. Last season, the Gamecocks were just 35 percent on third down conversions (55-of-157). The Gamecocks are third in the SEC in time of possession, holding the ball an average of 31:11 per game.

THE REST OF THE STORY

While the Gamecocks are one of the nation’s worst in turnover margin, ranking 10th in the SEC and 100th in the country at -0.83 per game, the defense has minimized the damage. Carolina has surrendered just 13 points following their 16 turnovers, while they have put up 41 points following their 11 takeaways.

GROUND EXPRESS

The Gamecocks have kept the ball on the ground more this season than in recent history. In fact, this season has produced the top three “Most Rushing Attempts” games in the Spurrier Era. The Gamecocks rushed 45 times last week against UAB, the most since Coach Spurrier took over the program. The previous high was 42 rushes, set twice previously this season – vs. NC State in the season opener and against Wofford.

IT’S NOT OVER

The Gamecocks started the season 0-2 in league play after suffering setbacks at Vanderbilt and to No. 2 Georgia, but history would indicate that they still have hope to get back in the race. The last time they opened the conference slate with back-to-back losses was in 2005 when they dropped their first three decisions to Georgia, Alabama and Auburn before bouncing back with five straight SEC wins, topping Kentucky, Vanderbilt, Tennessee, Arkansas and Florida in succession.

SHUFFLING STARTERS

While the offense has started 23 players in the first five games, the Carolina defense has used just 13 different starters. The starting defense is composed of three seniors (Jordin Lindsey, Jasper Brinkley and Stoney Woodson), five juniors (Nathan Pepper, Eric Norwood, Darian Stewart, Emanuel Cook and Captain Munnerlyn), and thee sophomores (Ladi Ajiboye, Cliff Matthews and Chris Culliver).

WINNING MORE OFTEN

The Gamecocks have posted four consecutive seasons of at least a .500 record, going 6-5 in 2004, 7-5 in 2005, 8-5 in 2006 and 6-6 in 2007. It’s the first time they have accomplished that feat since 1987-90 (8-4, 8-4, 6-4-1, 6-5). The last time they went five or more consecutive seasons with a .500 record or better was from 1928-34.

WORKING OVERTIME

The Gamecocks have played just two overtime games in their history, both at Tennessee. They dropped a 23-20 decision in Knoxville on Sept. 27, 2003, then fell by a 27-24 score on Oct. 27, 2007, also at Neyland Stadium. Every other SEC team has played at least four overtime games since the rule was established in 1996.

UP NEXT

The Gamecocks return home to host the nationally-ranked LSU Tigers at Williams-Brice Stadium on Saturday, October 18. LSU leads the all-time series with South Carolina, 15-2-1, including a 4-1-1 lead when they play in Columbia.