Unranked South Carolina heads to Lexington to face unranked Kentucky at 3:30 PM ET on Saturday afternoon on ABC and ESPN+. Can the Wildcats cover the 9.5-point spread as home favorites this weekend? Keep reading for our South Carolina vs. Kentucky betting prediction.
South Carolina is 1-0 straight up this season and 0-1 against the spread. They beat Old Dominion last week and have yet to lose a game this season.
Kentucky is 1-0 straight up this season and 1-0 against the spread. They defeated Southern Mississippi in Week 1 and have yet to drop a game this year.
South Carolina vs. Kentucky Matchup & Betting Odds
331 South Carolina Gamecocks (+9.5) at 332 Kentucky Wildcats (-9.5); o/u 41.5
3:30 p.m. ET, Saturday, September 7, 2024
Kroger Field, Lexington, KY
TV: ABC/ESPN+
South Carolina vs. Kentucky Public Betting Prediction
As of this writing, our CFB Public Betting page shows that 75% of bets are on Kentucky. That said, this page is updated frequently so make sure that you click on the link provided so that you’re getting the most updated information.
South Carolina Gamecocks Game Notes
South Carolina fullback Bradley Dunn is officially listed as questionable for Saturday’s road date with Kentucky. He’s nursing an ankle injury. Dunn had 3 carries for 8 yards in 6 games of action for the Gamecocks last season.
Gamecocks running back Raheim Sanders found the end zone in his team’s 23-19 win over Old Dominion last Saturday. In that contest, the Arkansas transfer logged 24 carries for 88 yards and a touchdown. He added one reception for 10 yards to round out a day where he produced 98 scrimmage yards to help lead his school to victory.
Kentucky Wildcats Game Notes
Kentucky running back DeaMonte Trayanum (hand) and wide receiver Hardley Gilmore (collarbone) will both miss Saturday’s game against South Carolina. Trayanum is the bigger loss of the two as he ran for 373 yards and 3 touchdowns while playing for Ohio State last season.
Wildcats wide receiver Brandon White and tight end Josh Kattus are both questionable to play on Saturday with undisclosed injuries. Kattus would be the bigger loss of that duo as he reeled in 8 passes for 108 yards and 2 touchdowns last season.
South Carolina vs. Kentucky Betting Trends
South Carolina is 3-2 ATS in their last 5 games against Kentucky.
The under is 17-10 in Kentucky’s games since the start of the 2022 season.
Kentucky is 40-42 ATS in conference games since the start of the 2014 season.
Kentucky is 4-5 ATS in their last 9 games overall.
South Carolina vs. Kentucky Betting Prediction
South Carolina struggled a bit against Old Dominion last weekend, needing a fourth-quarter touchdown to seal their 23-19 victory. That’s likely why this line is almost double-digits against a similar-tier conference opponent. The line also probably has something to do with Kentucky throttling Southern Mississippi 31-0 last weekend. So you have one team that squeaked out a win against a Group of 5 team and another that laid the smackdown against a lesser opponent. I think that it’s a bit reductive to assume that Kentucky is going to roll over South Carolina because of these two teams’ results last week.
The Gamecocks have actually beaten the Wildcats the last two times these schools have played each other, and South Carolina has won 3 out of the last 5 meetings straight up. The Gamecocks don’t need to win this game outright to cover, and that’s why I think they’re the correct side in this SEC showdown. I’m taking South Carolina and the points on the road in Lexington on Saturday afternoon.
