LEXINGTON, Ky. — Kentucky was unable to overcome the absence of star quarterback Will Levis in a 24-14 loss to South Carolina that dealt a crippling blow to the Wildcats’ hopes of contending for an SEC East title.
Levis missed the game with a foot injury, forcing redshirt freshman quarterback Kaiya Sheron, who had not attempted a pass in a college game before Saturday, to make the start. Sheron held his own at times in a conservative game plan but was unable to overcome a lack of big-play threat. He completed 15 of 26 passes for 178 yards and two touchdowns and one interception, but 114 of those passing yards came on a drive late in the fourth quarter that featured multiple sacks and penalties with the outcome already decided.
The game could not have started much worse for Kentucky.
On the first play from scrimmage, running back Chris Rodriguez fumbled an attempted pitch to wide receiver Barion Brown on a reverse. South Carolina recovered the ball at the Kentucky 2-yard line, and on the next play scored a TD on a rush by MarShawn Lloyd.
South Carolina received another short field after blocking a punt later in the first quarter, but UK’s defense rallied with a strip sack of South Carolina quarterback Spencer Rattler. Kentucky could not turn that gift into points though as another bad snap led to a missed 45-yard field-goal attempt from kicker Matt Ruffolo.
The Wildcats finally found some offensive momentum on their fifth offensive drive. Sheron completed 2 of 3 passes on the drive, including a 16-yard strike to tight end Jordan Dingle for a game-tying touchdown off a play-action pitch to Rodriguez.
Kentucky’s defense ensured the score remained tied at halftime when linebacker Trevin Wallace intercepted Rattler’s third-down pass at the Kentucky 13-yard line with 37 seconds before intermission.
That reprieve was short lived as South Carolina scored on a 42-yard catch-and-run on a screen pass on the opening drive of the third quarter. The touchdown featured multiple missed tackles from Kentucky that could have stopped the play in the backfield as well as what looked like a possible hold against a South Carolina blocker that was not flagged.
The Gamecocks stretched the lead to 10 with a 32-yard field goal on their next drive, adding pressure on Sheron and an Kentucky offense that had not proven capable of moving the ball consistently. The drive took 7 minutes off the clock.
Kentucky reached midfield on the next drive but a false start penalty against Brown killed the momentum and led to a punt.
South Carolina put the game out of reach midway through the fourth quarter with a 24-yard touchdown run on a reverse to wide receiver Jalen Brooks. Kentucky’s second touchdown came with just 2:49 left and the outcome already decided.
Player of the Game
For all the offensive struggles of both teams, Rodriguez actually dominated for most of the night with 22 carries for 126 yards. That work was not enough to overcome Kentucky’s lack of a big-play threat with Sheron at quarterback, but it might add some hope for more offensive balance when Levis does return.
Turning point
After weathering the disastrous start, Kentucky held most of the momentum entering halftime. That changed when South Carolina converted a third-and-9 play near midfield on its first drive of the third quarter. Two plays later, the Gamecocks scored on the screen pass to force a Kentucky offense struggling to move the ball to play catch-up again.
Key stat
South Carolina entered the game ranked 126th of 131 teams nationally in sacks (four), but the Gamecocks pass rush outperformed a UK offense that ranked 126th in sacks allowed (19). South Carolina sacked Sheron six times, more than doubling their season total for sacks entering the game. With no trust in the offensive line to protect Sheron, offensive coordinator Rich Scangarello refrained from calling downfield passes for most of the night. When he finally opened the playbook in desperation mode, South Carolina sacked Sheron three times on one drive.
