By Ethan Levine

[email protected]

UK offensive line vs. South Carolina DEs Jadeveon Clowney and Devin Taylor

The UK offensive line has done its part in UK’s pass-heavy offense this season. With a relatively immobile sophomore Maxwell Smith at quarterback behind them, the line has allowed just four sacks in four games this season. The Cats will face undoubtedly their toughest test of the season in the No. 6 Gamecocks’ defensive front.

At his weekly press conference Monday, UK head coach Joker Phillips wasn’t shy about expressing what kind of challenge Clowney and Taylor will present at the defensive end position.

“I think one of the things the NCAA should do is issue every team two of those type of guys (to every team), to make everything even,” Phillips said of the Gamecocks’ stud defensive ends. “I would like to have Clowney and Taylor is what they should issue everybody.”

Smith will likely play Saturday with a separated throwing shoulder. If the line can keep him upright, UK might be able to stay with South Carolina early like it did a week ago versus Florida.

Edge: Clowney and Taylor

Clowney is a 6-foot-6 monster of a defensive end, who came to USC as the top recruit of the 2011 class. Now in his second year with the Gamecocks he has truly hit his stride, already with 4.5 sacks and 7.5 tackles for loss in four games. On the other side, Taylor is 6-foot-8, and another freak of a physical specimen. UK’s offensive line is relatively healthy and as confident as its been in a long time, but the task is just too much to bear for the Cats. Expect mayhem in the backfield all day when the Cats have the ball.

South Carolina QB Conner Shaw vs. UK secondary

A year ago, in a dominant 54-3 win in Columbia, S.C., then-sophomore quarterback Conner Shaw had his coming out party against the Cats’ defense.

Now the team’s leader on offense, he has continued to progress as a quarterback and is playing the position as well as anyone in the SEC. A week ago, Shaw completed 20 passes in a row for 249 yards and two touchdowns against Missouri.

The UK secondary, already young when healthy, is dealing with injury problems to sophomore safety Ashely Lowery (head) and senior cornerback Cartier Rice (thigh bruise). True freshman Cody Quinn is likely to make his second consecutive start at cornerback, and true freshmen Fred Tiller and J.D. Harmon are also likely to see the field for most of the defensive snaps.

Edge: Shaw

Now the experienced veteran, Shaw will likely pick apart a defense that will already be stacking the box to contain All-American junior running back Marcus Lattimore. UK will be having enough problems on offense to be allowing South Carolina to throw all over them, and it could create a repeat of last year’s embarrassing loss on the road. Spurrier is known to not back down to anyone, so expect the Gamecocks to go full throttle on offense all night.

Overall Edge: South Carolina

Two years ago, a UK team defeated a Steve Spurrier-coached team for the first time in history when the Cats upset then-No. 10 South Carolina at home. Spurrier was not pleased with the loss, and it showed in last year’s meeting when the coach went for it on fourth downs and continued scoring touchdowns with his starting offense well after the game had been decided. Expect UK to play inspired early and perhaps keep with the Gamecocks after a few early stops. But unless Smith has the game of his life and the defense creates multiple turnovers, the talent disparity is far too wide for the Cats to overcome.

Final score: South Carolina 45, UK 13