Kentucky vs. South Carolina: What’s At Stake?

Yuck. Kentucky’s been outscored 97-13 in their last two games. I guess that’s what happens when you face the SEC Championship teams shorthanded.

But the past is past and now it’s time to wrap up this crazy season with one last home game. Their foe is South Carolina, who has had an even worse year than Kentucky and fired their coach. Kentucky will be favored, so there are no excuses in the event of a loss.

Here’s what’s at stake in the final game of the Kentucky Wildcats’ 2020 regular season:

If Kentucky Wildcats Win:

• They’ll be 48-50 under Mark Stoops.
• Their all-time record will be 627-632-44, only five games shy of 50-50.
• They’ll improve to 13-18-1 against the Gamecocks, and snap a 1 game losing “streak” to them.
• They’ll be 22-14 since the start of the historic 2018 season.
• They’ll be able to end the season on a high note, and have a 4th win to hang their hat on.

If South Carolina Gamecocks win:

• Kentucky will finish 3-7. Yuck.
• Kentucky will end the season on a 3 game losing streak. Yuck.
• Kentucky will probably not go bowling. Ouch.
• Kentucky, while they’ll still be able to look back on the huge Tennessee win, will still look on this year as a lost season.

Gains from winning: Righting the ship.

Consequences from losing: Getting out lifeboats.

Hardest Opponent Scale: 3rd easiest.

Last year in the SEC, Kentucky beat Arkansas, Missouri, and Vanderbilt. This year, they’ve beaten Mississippi State, Tennessee, and Vanderbilt, so regardless of this Saturday’s outcome they’ve already accomplished more in the conference than in 2019.

Still, 3-7 is a sour record, and hopefully they can get a big home win to end the year on a high note (and hopefully accept a bowl bid). I’ll never look at this year as a lost season, though, because on October 17th they smashed Tennessee by 27!

Go ‘Cats!