South Carolina and Kentucky Set for Prime-Time SEC Clash at Williams-Brice
South Carolina and Kentucky are gearing up for a Saturday night battle in Columbia, where the 2-2 Gamecocks will host the 2-1 Wildcats under the lights at Williams-Brice Stadium. For Kentucky head coach Mark Stoops, the trip promises to be one of the toughest road tests his team will face this season.
“Going on the road in the SEC is difficult,” Stoops said this week. “We know playing at South Carolina, Williams-Brice, that place is incredible. What a great atmosphere. It’s always a real challenge.”
That challenge only grows with Kentucky preparing to start a freshman quarterback. Cutter Boley will make his first SEC start, and it will come in front of a sold-out, hostile South Carolina crowd. To help get his team ready, Stoops has simulated the Gamecocks’ game-day atmosphere at practice, filling the air with rooster crows, crowd noise, and ‘Sandstorm’ through the speakers.
“We have to really work it this week with the silent count,” Stoops explained, noting that keeping composure in the noise will be key for Boley and the offense.
Stoops also took time to spotlight a pair of South Carolina standouts. Speaking about quarterback LaNorris Sellers, he said: “It’s easy to see that the offense runs through LaNorris. He’s just a dynamic player, just an extremely talented player. When you watch him in the pocket with a clean pocket, and then you see him throw the football… very impressive. We all know what he can do on his feet.”
He also praised EDGE Dylan Stewart, who gave Kentucky fits in 2024. “You always have to be very aware where he’s at and have a plan, but you can’t do that on every snap,” Stoops said. “There’s going to be one-on-one matchups, and we have to hold our own.” Reflecting on last year’s contest, he added, “They had some guys that wrecked it; pressure was a big thing.”
Stoops has some history in Columbia, having coached at Williams-Brice six times with three victories. Still, recent momentum favors South Carolina, which has won three straight in the series and two of the last three at home.
As expected, Williams-Brice will be rocking on Saturday. The Gamecocks announced earlier this week that the game is a sellout, ensuring another capacity crowd.
Kickoff is set for 7:45 p.m. on the SEC Network, with streaming available through the ESPN app.
