Using ESPN’s FPI (Football Power Index) as a guide, Kentucky (3-1, 1-1) has a 37.3 percent chance to beat South Carolina (3-2, 2-2) on Saturday.

WILDCATS MUST PRESSURE THOMPSON OFTEN TO GAIN ADVANTAGE ON DEFENSE

South Carolina quarterback Dylan Thompson has been a tremendous passer when given time in the pocket, but his dramatic lack of mobility makes him a sitting target for Kentucky’s pass rush on Saturday.

If the Wildcats can pressure Thompson early and often, it will hurry his decision-making process as a result of his immobility in escaping the rush. Anytime a defense can speed up an opposing quarterback’s mental clock and force him to operate at a different tempo than he’s comfortable with, it almost always benefits the defense. A quarterback in a hurry is often mistake-prone, and the Cats will need a few mistakes out of Thompson to limit one of the better passing attacks in the SEC.

Furthermore, if Thompson does not adjust to the pass rush, he could take a beating from a physical Kentucky defensive front, which would also be a huge advantage for UK. The Gamecocks’ senior quarterback needs time to find his playmakers on the outside, and without time much of South Carolina’s aerial attack is reduced.

What will UK need to do to get pressure on Thompson? It would be great if the Cats could generate a pass rush organically, relying on only their four down linemen to disrupt the pocket. However, that is an unrealistic expectation for a team with just 7.5 sacks by defensive linemen through four games.

Kentucky will need to bring blitzes off the edge using members of the secondary the way it did against Jeff Driskel and the Florida Gators in UK’s near-win in Gainesville. It must mix up blitz packages, bringing different corners and safeties from different spots of the field on various plays to distract Thompson from only worrying about his own offense. If the Cats can get to the quarterback on a few blitzes in the first half, it will change the entire tone of the game.

As a team, Kentucky is fifth in the SEC in sacks, while South Carolina is 10th in the conference in sacks allowed. If the Wildcats can maximize that advantage, they’ll have a chance at a second straight victory in the SEC.