REACTION: South Carolina Wins Rock Fight
It wasn't pretty, exciting, or even fun, but South Carolina handled business. When they woke up, the best they could end the day at was 4-2, and that's exactly what happened.
Granted, Kentucky quarterback Will Levis was out with a foot injury, and the tone of this game is likely different had he been under center. That doesn't detract from an impressive win, something the Gamecocks can build on moving forward.
They exploited Kentucky's weaknesses, bringing extra rushers on condensed sets and using the screen game to shred man coverage. South Carolina simply out-coached Kentucky, an impressive feat considering who the Wildcats have on staff.
Head coach Shane Beamer accomplished two feats in this one. He won his first SEC road game, and also won his first game against a ranked team. He continues to check off things on his resume, cementing that this rebuild is moving in the right direction.
Critics will claim that the Gamecocks won before the ball was kicked, but in reality, South Carolina may have won this game if Levis had suited up. They executed in all three phases and improved over the game's course.
The game wasn't an offensive explosion, but fans should come away excited after this one. Great teams win ugly football teams; while South Carolina isn't quite nationally relevant, they are taking steps in the right direction.
Kentucky didn't necessarily play poorly; they worked hard up front and schemed up throws for backup quarterback Kaiya Sheron. South Carolina simply executed better across the board.
They knew this was a must win game; the Gamecocks get some momentum as they roll into the rest of their SEC schedule. Many tough games lie ahead of them, but their win tonight proves they have the grit and toughness to play with anyone.
The most interesting development of the night was the energy they played with after halftime. South Carolina appeared slightly deflated in the first half, missing some plays they usually make.
However, they came out in the second half and corrected those problems. They worked the quick game on offense and tightened their technique defensively, which cultivated in a complete effort.
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