Josh Pate’s prediction has South Carolina fans rattled

We’ve spent the week breaking down matchups, stats, and keys to the game. Most national voices lean toward South Carolina. But one prominent analyst is zigging where others zag.

SEC expert Josh Pate is putting his chips on Kentucky to take down the Gamecocks in Columbia. On his weekly YouTube show, Pate expressed deep caution in the Gamecocks uneasy -5.5 favorite status.

“Kentucky at South Carolina. This game is in Columbia, it’s in the Cockpit, but it’s not Cocktober yet,” Pate joked. “This line is 5.5, and that counts home-field advantage. What we’re saying here is there is less than a field-goal gap between these two teams on a neutral field, and I agree.”

The stats back up the pick

Why it makes sense:

• South Carolina ranks 123rd in total yards and 130th in rushing yards.
• Depth at wide receiver is thin, and explosive plays have been their only consistent offensive spark.
• Meanwhile, Kentucky’s strength, running the ball, is South Carolina’s defensive weakness.

“There’s a lot that points to Kentucky here, just to be frank,” Pate said. “I think they can win outright. I’m putting a 9 on it.” That 9 is on a scale of 10, meaning he is 90 percent confident the Cats will at least cover if not win outright.

That confidence sent Gamecock Twitter into a frenzy. Fans were quick to point out Kentucky’s road struggles and Stoops’ post-bye week woes. But Pate isn’t backing down.

Stoops has a track record of pulling one major upset per year — even last season, amid a 4-9 collapse, UK upset Ole Miss and nearly toppled Georgia. Could this be that game in 2024?

Drew Holbrook is an avid Kentucky fan who has been covering the Cats for over 10 years. In his free time he enjoyes downtime with his family and Premier League soccer.You can find him on X here.Micah 7:7. #UptheAlbion