A season-defining, circled-on-the-calendar gauntlet awaits the Gamecocks next week.

Or maybe, it begins tomorrow.

A 1-3 Kentucky team may seem an unlikely choice to include in Carolina's midseason meat grinder.  But consider this:  in the last seven meetings between Carolina and UK at Commonwealth Stadium, the average margin of victory is 4.9 points.  Gamecock fans have likely not forgotten the horrors of 2010, when Kentucky reeled off 21 straight second-half points to steal a 31-28 win.  That also marked the last time South Carolina lost to an SEC Eastern Division opponent. 

And while they may have played their most well-rounded game of the season against Missouri, Steve Spurrier says his team still played far from its best.  "We haven't done that much yet," Spurrier cautioned at his Tuesday press conference.  The Gamecocks want to set a tone, as much as they want to get a win.

Get in the mindset.  The gauntlet starts tomorrow.

Pre-snap reads before South Carolina heads to Bluegrass Country with its highest ranking for a road game since 1984 (7:00 p.m. EST, Gamecock IMG Sports Network):

Sight for Sore Eyes Arms?  Joe B. Hall, former Kentucky basketball coach, quipped on his Louisville radio show Wednesday that the sight of Steve Spurrier "always wakes up our fans a little bit." 

The sight of Kentucky also awakens the "Fun N' Gun" instincts of the Head Ball Coach.  In his South Carolina career, Spurrier has averaged more passing yards against Kentucky than any other opponent - and by a wide margin.

Passing Yards/Game under Steve Spurrier

Rank                       Opponent                              Pass YPG

1.                            Kentucky                             280.7

2.                            Vanderbilt                             254.9

3.                            Arkansas                              237.0

Kentucky has had to replace three starters in its defensive secondary, including NFL Draft pick Winston Guy (#2 in the SEC in tackles last year).  Starting safety Ashely Lowery is doubtful with concussion-like symptons, meaning senior Martavious Neloms could move to safety for the first time this year.   Both of Joker Phillips' starting cornerbacks could be true freshmen (Cody Quinn and J.D. Harmon).  That could bode well for Connor Shaw, who will pick up a school-record streak of 20 consecutive completions Saturday.  He needs four more to break Tee Martin's SEC record.   

Connor Shaw carries a streak of 20 straight completions into Saturday's game at Kentucky.California Love:  Shaw's counterpart under center, sophomore Maxwell Smith, may be a rarity:  an SEC starting quarterback who didn't have a single FBS scholarship offer after his senior year of high school.  Smith went unnoticed out of Granada Hills, Calif., due to transferring high schools and playing in a run-heavy offense.  Without an offer after his senior season, Smith sent videotape of his highlights to Kentucky, believing its offense fit his style of play.  Hence his migration from the West Coast to Lexington.

Smith also joins an unlikely cabal of California QB's in the SEC.  Did you know:  the Golden State claims more starting quarterbacks (Smith, Vanderbilt's Jordan Rodgers, Tennessee's Tyler Bray) in the SEC than any other state.  A separated shoulder forced Smith to miss the Florida game, but his quick release makes him well-suited to running UK's no-huddle offense.   

Kentucky sophomore Maxwell Smith guides a no-huddle offense.

No Huddle, No Problem?  In a 32-14 win September 2, #19th-ranked Louisville admitted it had trouble slowing Kentucky's no-huddle.  "They were able to take the ball up and down the field. We weren't able to get pressure. Kentucky was smart, they were able to come with the three-step game and get the ball out of the quarterback's hands quickly," Cardinals head coach Charlie Strong said.

South Carolina has already faced an uptempo, no-huddle offense this season in UAB.  However, defensive coordinator Lorenzo Ward said Kentucky's no-huddle is slightly different than the Blazers'.  Instead of snapping the ball quickly, Kentucky will line up quickly, but wait for a play call from the sideline.

You Down With TOP?  Kentucky comes in with the nation's second-worst time of possession, controlling the clock for only 23:30 per game.  South Carolina ran its offense crisply and methodically against Missouri, frustrating the Tigers with dump-offs and underneath throws.  With a rapidly improving offensive line, and Marcus Lattimore poised for a breakout, the Commonwealth Stadium clock might seem ripe to dominate.

Beware, though:  time of possession is a notoriously unreliable predictor of success.  South Carolina's two losses last season came against teams that ranked 108th (Auburn) and 104th (Arkansas) in time of possession.  The Gamecocks barely survived a Mississippi State that finished 116th in that category.

Kentucky RB Raymond Sanders III.

Betcha Didn't Know:  Kentucky has produced an All-SEC linebacker for six straight seasons.  The Wildcats lost a combined 100 starts from their linebacking corps last season, including SEC leading tackler Danny Trevathan.

Best Test?  The Wildcats may draw more exposure for their passing game, but their running game also deserves praise - and heightened awareness for Carolina's defenders. 

Kentucky ranks 47th in the nation in yards per carry, toting the rock an average of 4.80 yards (that includes yards lost by quarterback sacks).  By comparison, South Carolina's last three opponents ranked 85th, 113th, and 122nd.

Yards Per Carry - Last 3 Opponents

Rank       Team

47.          Kentucky

85.          Missouri

113.        East Carolina

122.        UAB

The Wildcats will miss senior CoShik Williams (hip strain), but watch out for explosive junior Raymond Sanders III.  Sanders - otherwise known as the tailback who preceded Mike Davis at Stephenson HS (Stone Mountain, Ga.) - averages a gaudy 7.7 yards per carry. 

South Carolina ranks eighth in the country against the run.  Saturday could present the biggest threat yet to that ranking.

And Finally...  It's a heady time to be in the Sanders household.  Junior wideout Ace Sanders ranks among the nation's leaders in punt returns (16.3 ypr) for the #6 Gamecocks.  His Dad, Tracy, coaches defensive backs at Manatee HS (Bradenton, Fla.), which ranks #1 in the nation in USA Today's High School Top 25.

Now that we're prepared, we hope you are as well.  Our pre-game coverage starts at 4:00 p.m. EST on the Gamecock IMG Sports Network.  See you in Lexington.  -AD--