PFF Trends vs. Kentucky
PFF has been kinder to South Carolina over the past three games. The logic isn't hard to follow; the more you win, the nicer the numbers look.
However, they didn't dominate across the board as they did against Charlotte and South Carolina State. That's to be expected, as the two teams had a level playing field. The Wildcats were No. 13 coming into action and still had excellent players despite the absence of star quarterback Will Levis.
The Gamecocks ultimately pulled away in the second half, erasing a dismal offensive performance in the first half. Several stats lead to a winning evening, and some continue to present themselves.
MarShawn Lloyd: 100 Yards After Contact
Running back MarShawn Lloyd turned in another dominant performance on Saturday. He continues to carve out a role as a feature back and is arguably the most impactful player on this team.
While the offensive line has grown, Lloyd is shouldering a heavy load. He tallied 145 yards against Kentucky, 100 of which came after contact. Lloyd forced six missed tackles, another trend that persists during this winning streak.
South Carolina leans on their run game late in games to churn out the clock. While the passing offense is making continual improvements, their identity is centered on the run, which means they rely on Lloyd.
Darius Rush Turns In Big Performance
Corner Darius Rush returned from injury against the Wildcats and didn't disappoint. He's coming into his own at the position, as he was initially recruited to play wide receiver for South Carolina.
Rush is now a senior prepared to make an impact on the boundary. He graded out at 76.5, the highest mark of any Gamecock defender. He logged a pass deflection and played technically sound, a welcomed boost to a depleted South Carolina secondary.
The Gamecocks are returning several impact starters in their backend. They expected an uptick in production but were likely caught off guard by Rush's performance. Time will tell if this trend is sustainable, but he looked great in his first game back.
Big Pass Rush Showing
The most anticipated matchup of the evening was South Carolina's defensive front vs. Kentucky's offensive line. The Wildcats have one of the worst fronts in college football, making it a winnable matchup for the Gamecocks.
A common misconception is that the Gamecocks lack pass-rush. Fans saw statistics swirling that said South Carolina had one of the lowest sack rates in the FBS; while that's true, sacks can often be misleading.
Consistent pressure is the most critical thing for a pass rush, and the Gamecocks have had that since game one. Their efforts cultivated in a big statistical showing, as the group collectively had 16 pressure and six sacks.
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