Editor's note: Christian Alexander is on fire! Seriously, we're talking circa 2002 en fuego. We're talking about an 18-4 record the last two weeks, producing $14,150 of profit for "dime players." Click to win now if you want Thursday's money-play!
#8 Kentucky (5-0, 1-0 SEC) at #11 South Carolina (4-1, 2-1 SEC)
Thursday, October 4
7:30 PM ET on ESPN
Williams-Brice Stadium (Natural Grass)
VegasInsider.com handicapper Brian Edwards had tried to teach me the lesson about always backing Boise State on a Thursday night on its home turf a couple times over the years, but I just wasn’t listening. Well, you can bet I was listening this year and so I wasn’t about to go against the Broncos last Thursday, when they were 10.5 point favorites against Southern Mississippi.
And in typical Boise fashion, the Broncos jumped all over the Golden Eagles early in the game and ended up coasting to an easy cover, winning 38-16.
So next time I’m in Atlanta, I’ll have to treat Brian to a couple of cold Budweiser’s for that little bit of education.
Speaking of education, Brian is the resident SEC expert at VegasInsider.com, and has been closely following the career of Steve Spurrier for years. So it certainly got my attention this week when “Fast Eddie”, as he is known at VegasInsider, sent me a note saying that Steve Spurrier is 14-0 all-time against Kentucky.
That brings us to this Thursday night when the 8th ranked Kentucky Wildcats – yes, that’s right, 8th ranked – visit the ole ball coach and the 11th ranked South Carolina Gamecocks. I’m sure the executives at ESPN could have never imagined when they scheduled this game that they were basically looking at a pair of top ten teams.
So far this season Kentucky has been one of the best stories in college football.
The Wildcats wrapped up 2006 by winning five of their last six games, including a 28-20 victory over Clemson in the Music City Bowl last December. That left Coach Rich Brooks and Kentucky with an 8-5 record, their best mark in 22 years.
Now having bolted from the gates a perfect 5-0 this season, the Wildcats have won 10 of their last 11 games, marking the school’s best 11-game stretch since the 1977 season.
If there was a secret to Kentucky’s success, it’s not a secret anymore – or should I say, “he” isn’t a secret anymore.
That he is Wildcats quarterback Andre Woodson, a player who is quickly shooting up the favorites list for the Heisman Trophy.
With the senior QB under center, Kentucky is putting up some pretty impressive offensive numbers this year. The Wildcats have now scored 40 or more points in five consecutive games for the first time in school history and is the first SEC school to accomplish that feat since Florida did it in 2001. Woodson is second in the conference in passing yards (261.8 a game) and leads with 16 touchdown throws and just one interception.
And the scary part is it’s not just about the passing game with Kentucky’s offense. The Wildcats rushing attack currently has 14 TDs which is pretty impressive when you consider that same unit accounted for just 12 rushing TDs in all of the 2006 season. Kentucky currently ranks second in the SEC and 15th nationally in rushing offense, averaging 223.6 yards per game.
In total, Kentucky’s offense ranks fifth in the nation and leads the SEC in scoring offense, averaging 46.6 points per game.
It all adds up to quite a challenge for South Carolina and their defense. Of course, when you think about Steve Spurrier and his teams the first thing you think of is offense, not defense.
However, the offense so far this season for Spurrier and crew hasn’t held up their end of the bargain. The lack of production – South Carolina ranks 77th in total offense - has caused Spurrier to switch quarterbacks, sending Blake Mitchell to the bench and inserting Chris Smelley. The freshman QB certainly looked up for the challenge last weekend as he threw for 279 yards and two touchdowns in a 38-21 win over Mississippi State.
The Gamecocks will need plenty more of that – not to mention some solid work on the ground from RB Cory Boyd - this Thursday night if they are to keep up with Woodson and Kentucky.
Thursday Night Factoids:
--South Carolina is 3-1 against the spread this season while the Wildcats are a perfect 4-0.
--Kentucky is 23-for-24 in the red zone this season including 20 TDs and three FGs.
--This is the 19th meeting between South Carolina and Kentucky. The Gamecocks hold an 11-6-1 lead in the series and have won seven straight.
--Steve Spurrier is 14-0 against Kentucky and Vanderbilt.
--Kentucky has racked up over 400 yards of offense in nine consecutive games, dating back to last season.
--In 14 wins against Kentucky, Steve Spurrier teams have scored 636 points (45.4 ppg) while only allowing 241 points (17.2 ppg).
