First Quarter Recap:

South Carolina 7, Kentucky 7

After two consecutive series for both offenses of struggles, the Cats and Cocks have began lighting up the scoreboard and end the 1^st quarter in a 7-7 tie.

Both offenses have seen woes. For the Gamecocks, Chris Smelly, coming off an ALL SEC day last week, but this week seems to be back in the mistake prone ways of his career thus far. Smelly has overthrown receivers and killed drives. Making it harder on Smelly is the lack of production from running back Mike Smith. Their opening drive seemed to have success but once stalled, the field goal kicker could not make a fourty yarded and turned it over to the Cats. On the second drive in typical Chris Smelly fashion, he under threw McKinley as Kentucky corner Trevard Lindley intercepted the ball and ran untouched down the sideline for a 28 yard touchdown.

Following the Cats score, a miscue on the kick return unit set the Cocks up with field position in the red zone and they were able to capitalize. Chris Smelly made up for the under throw by hitting veteran Keenan McKinley for a 16 yard score and tie game.

Kentucky’s offense again has seen its struggles in the opening quarter. After the opening play that saw Derrick Locke burst around the outside for a strong ten yard gain, the offense has been nonexistent.

Coming off the South Carolina score, quarterback Mike Hartline once again made a mistake throwing into a crowded zone and got picked off. With the ball in Kentucky territory, the Old Ball Coach looked to make the Wildcats pay for the costly turnover. However, it was the Wildcat defense which again, picked up the slack of the offense and stopped the South Carolina aariel attack as Smelly consecutively overthrew a receiver on each of the first two downs, the third down Smelly again misread coverage and tossed the ball to a Kentucky defender.

With the second interception of the day, the Kentucky offense came out on a mission. Mike Hartline immediately threw a 16 yard pass to Randall Cobb to begin the drive. However, following the big pass, the offense again went conservative and was forced to punt it back to the struggling and mistake prone Gamecock offense.

AND ONCE AGAIN, on the opening play of the drive, Chris Smelly was pressured rushed around and coughed the ball up as Kentucky once again recovered the fumble.

Right out of the box, again the Wildcats went to the air as Mike Hartline hit a wide open Derrick Locke who screamed down the sideline to gain 16 yards and put the Wildcats in the redzone.