South Carolina Not Intimidated By Kentucky
South Carolina has their biggest game in several years on Saturday. While they've faced superior opponents in that stretch, none pose the same dilemma as Kentucky.
The Wildcats aren't world-beaters by any sense, but they are one of the best teams in college football. Every program has its limitations, but Kentucky routinely plays hard and executes.
In many ways, Kentucky resembles what South Carolina aspires to be. Head coach Mark Stoops took over a desolate program and revitalized hope, building the Wildcats into a perennial power.
South Carolina head coach Shane Beamer is attempting to do the same thing. Stoops spoke about how South Carolina is trending upwards during his presser, but Kentucky still looks down on the Gamecocks in many ways.
Over the summer, Stoops poked fun at Beamer by indirectly citing a viral video in which Beamer donned shades. Stoops' message was condescending as he discussed the formula for a program rebuild.
"You just change a uniform, talk a little game, dance around, put on some stupid sunglasses. You can change a climate. But you can change a culture at the core."
This quote reflects how many view the game on Saturday. Most feel there is a talent disparity and that Kentucky can push South Carolina around, primarily because the Wildcats will be motivated by a heartbreaking loss.
However, Beamer stated that the Gamecocks are only worried about what they can control. Games are won on the field, not on a microphone or on social media. South Carolina has the tools to win this contest, and they know it.
"We don't want to make it bigger than what it is. We'll put together a great plan to go play our very best on Saturday night."
While they aren't getting caught up in the moment, South Carolina knows how big of a game this is. They have struggled on the road during the Beamer era and don't have a true marquee regular-season win.
Saturday is a great opportunity to fix both of those issues, but they can't be intimidated by Kentucky's lofty stature. South Carolina has played assignment-sound football the past few weeks, and if they continue, they have a chance to pull off the upset.
You Might Also Like:
- Forecasting What Kentucky Means
- NFL Week Four: Gamecocks In The League
- PFF Trends vs. South Carolina State
Join the community:
Follow Evan Crowell on Twitter: @EvanVCrowell
Follow Andrew Lyon on Twitter: @ALyon_SC
You can follow us for future coverage by clicking "Follow" on the top right-hand corner of the page. Also, be sure to like us on Facebook @GamecocksDigest & follow us on Twitter at @GamecocksDigest.