Kentucky Outlasts South Carolina in Overtime Ahead of New Rankings Release
The short version
- Kentucky beat South Carolina in overtime to improve to 4-1 overall and 2-1 in SEC play.
- The Wildcats trailed 17-0, led after the third quarter, and won on a Kenny Minchey-to-Willie Rodriguez two-point conversion.
- Kentucky was No. 24 in the AP poll, No. 27 in the Coaches Poll and 36th in the ESPN Football Power Index last week.
- ON3's Thomas Goldkamp projects Kentucky dropping from No. 24 to No. 25 despite the win.
- No. 25 Missouri is expected to rise after beating Florida; No. 16 Mississippi State is expected to fall after a 56-23 loss to Alabama.
Kentucky rallied from a 17-0 deficit to beat South Carolina in overtime on a decisive two-point conversion, improving to 4-1 overall and 2-1 in SEC play.
Kentucky left Columbia with a Southeastern Conference road win on Saturday, beating South Carolina in overtime to improve to 4-1 overall and 2-1 in league play. The Wildcats entered the game as an underdog despite holding the No. 24 spot in the AP Top 25, while the Gamecocks were unranked. The focus now shifts to where Kentucky lands when the new rankings come out.
The opening half was a struggle for the visitors. Kentucky fell behind 17-0 to a South Carolina side whose season and coach Shane Beamer's job security appeared to be on the line. The Wildcats found a rhythm before the break and trailed 20-10 at halftime.
The turnaround continued after halftime. Kentucky surged in the third quarter and moved in front before the period ended, only for South Carolina to answer in the fourth and reclaim the lead. The Wildcats also had to survive a shaky finish to regulation, with a clock-management sequence in the final minutes drawing scrutiny and the Gamecocks getting chances to close out the game.
The teams finished the fourth quarter tied at 27, and overtime began with South Carolina striking first. The Kentucky defense could not produce a stop on that possession, leaving the Wildcats needing a touchdown to extend the game. They got it, matching the Gamecocks to stay alive.
The next call decided the game. Rather than kick to force another overtime, Will Stein went for two, and Kenny Minchey connected with Willie Rodriguez in the back of the end zone to win it outright. Tom Leach's call of the play — "Caught! Kentucky Wins!" — was shared by the UK Sports Network.
The stakes for South Carolina extended past the loss column. The Gamecocks had played as though Beamer's future depended on it, and the overtime defeat now raises fresh questions about his tenure in Columbia. According to Cats Pause, Stein defended Beamer against calls for his job after the game.
Kentucky's hold on a ranking was already precarious before kickoff. The Wildcats were No. 24 in last week's AP poll but just missed a spot in the Coaches Poll at No. 27, and they stood 36th in the ESPN Football Power Index.
Results elsewhere gave Kentucky little room to move up. Few teams ahead of the Wildcats lost, and there were no significant upsets across the country. Missouri, No. 25 a week ago, is expected to climb after a dominant performance against Florida, while No. 16 Mississippi State is expected to fall following a 56-23 loss to Alabama.
Even with the road win, one projection has Kentucky trending the wrong way. Thomas Goldkamp of ON3 predicts the Wildcats will slip one spot, from No. 24 to No. 25, when the new poll is released. The updated rankings were due out later Sunday.
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