Free NCAA Football Prediction: Kentucky vs. South Carolina Odds
Looking for Kentucky Wildcats vs. South Carolina Gamecocks free picks? College football betting sees the Wildcats taking on the Gamecocks on Saturday, October 8th, 2022, at Kroger Field in Lexington, KY. Cappers Picks provides complimentary handicapping picks all NCAA football season long so stay tuned for more FREE college football game predictions like this Wildcats Gamecocks free pick.
College Football Handicapping Analysis: Kentucky Wildcats vs. South Carolina Gamecocks
Kentucky Wildcats (4-1) vs. South Carolina Gamecocks (3-2)
Date: Saturday, October 8th, 2022
Time: 7:30 pm EST
Venue: Kroger Field
NCAA Football ATS Spread Odds: Wildcats -10 / Gamecocks +10 (Bet Now!)
NCAA Football Moneyline Odds: Kentucky -420 / South Carolina +310
NCAA Betting Total Odds: O/U 49.0
Kentucky did just enough Saturday in Oxford to cover as an underdog. They didn’t get the win, but Chris Rodriguez looked outstanding. South Carolina is coming off two consecutive wins following a 1-2 start.
Though they lost, Kentucky continues to have a bowl-seeking season. Known for being a basketball school, 4-1 is nothing to scoff at from your football team. Mark Stoops has done an excellent job of making Kentucky a desirable place to play and the current roster competes.
South Carolina surely expected more after gaining Spencer Rattler through the transfer portal. Given their last two wins are against pushovers Charlotte and South Carolina State, the Gamecocks have gotten their season settled back down. Keep in mind though, it’s nothing but SEC play from here on out.
The two teams aren’t that far apart so we’ll have to dive into numbers here to decide which side makes sense here.
Kentucky Wildcats
ESPN did a great job of getting a camera on Will Levis’ dislocated finger on Saturday and I was pretty shocked to see him come back into the game. Ultimately, a fumble on the last drive led to Kentucky’s loss but it was a tough day sledding in general.
Chris Rodriguez’s return was the big note on the day for Kentucky after missing 4 games due to suspension. Draftniks around the internet Saturday noted how good he looked and his statline was decent in its own right, rushing for 72 yards and a score and adding 3 catches for 40 yards.
The rushing stats for Kentucky don’t look great though, coming in at 111th in stuff rate and 103rd in line yards, though they’ll face a Gamecock d-line that has been bullied so far this year.
Levis is still one of the higher QB prospects for the 2023 NFL draft and Kentucky’s passing success rate (28th) backs him up. The South Carolina secondary has managed to have a top-40 havoc from their secondary, something Levis will have to be careful with.
The defense deserves a ton of credit for the 4-1 start this year, allowing a touchdown on only 16.7% of drives (18th). They will be licking their chops against a South Carolina team that hasn’t limited havoc effectively (100th).
South Carolina Gamecocks
South Carolina has lost both games against ranked opponents and have largely beat up on the weaklings, so their record is difficult to rank, relatively. They have a balanced offense but haven’t blown away in success rate (55th) and now face a much stronger defense than all but one matchup this year.
They’ve been far more successful passing the ball (16th) than running, but pass D is where Kentucky thrives. Rattler has been turnover prone (7 int) and will have to limit that if South Carolina wants to stay in the game.
5 different ball carriers scored a touchdown in last week’s 50-10 blowout win over South Carolina State, led by MarShawn Lloyd. Though the offense hasn’t been anything special, they do have some explosiveness in their team profile. We also know from Saturday’s game that Kentucky’s run defense struggled and is something the Gamecocks could look to exploit.
I’ve mentioned him quite a bit, but South Carolina will have to find a way to stop RB Chris Rodriguez, but the numbers aren’t pretty. Against run plays, SC is 109th in defensive success rate and have allowed 197 yards/game (108th). If there’s one positive that we could pull from the South Carolina defense it’s their ability to limit explosive plays (2nd), which is important when considering a side.
NCAA Football Handicapping Trends
- The total has gone OVER in 5 of South Carolina’s last 5 games on the road
- The total has gone UNDER in 6 of South Carolina’s last 7 games when playing Kentucky
- Kentucky is 5-0 SU in its last 5 games at home
- Kentucky is 8-1 SU in its last 9 games
4* Free Kentucky Wildcats vs. South Carolina Gamecocks NCAA Betting Final Analysis:
I don’t love siding with South Carolina, but 10 is just too many points. Kentucky has a great defense but has only averaged just under 29 ppg this year and I think South Carolina can score just enough to keep pace.
Mark Stoops is one of the more under-favorable coaches in college and is reflected in our trends above, showing that SC and Kentucky typically play close.
South Carolina does well limiting explosiveness and I expect this game to be a battle of rushing attacks.
4* Free Kentucky Wildcats vs. South Carolina Gamecocks NCAA Betting Pick: Gamecocks +10
Kentucky Wildcats vs. South Carolina Gamecocks Free Score Prediction: Wildcats 27 – Gamecocks 20 (Bet Now!)If you’re looking for more picks like this Kentucky Wildcats vs. South Carolina Gamecocks matchup we’ll be providing 4* free College football game predictions on the blog all season long, and check out our Experts for guaranteed premium & free CFB Football picks!
Register here for a FREE NCAA Football Betting Account Now for Daily Free Picks & More Special Offers!