Gamecocks a surprise favorite against Kentucky

South Carolina opened Sunday as a surprise favorite for their game at Kentucky. The Gamecocks (2-1, 1-1 SEC) were listed as a 1.5-point favorite over the Wildcats (4-0, 2-0 SEC) according to VegasInsider.com

This will mark the second consecutive game that South Carolina has opened as a road favorite. Kentucky enters the game undefeated on the season and currently holds a four-game winning streak against the Gamecocks.

The most recent matchup saw the Wildcats defeat a heavily-favored Gamecocks team 23-13 at a "Blacked-Out" Williams-Brice Stadium. That game also saw South Carolina lose their best playmaker, Deebo Samuel, for the rest of the season.

Currently, the Gamecocks are 2-1 against the spread, while Kentucky enters the game at 2-2 vs the spread. Both teams are coming off blowout conference wins; The Gamecocks defeated Vanderbilt in Nashville 37-14, while Kentucky upset Mississippi State 28-7 in Lexington.

Saturday's game at Kroger Field (61,000) will kick off at 7:30 PM and will be televised on the SEC Network.