South-Carolina
5 keys to victory vs. South Carolina
It’s a big week for the Kentucky Wildcats, who will host South Carolina at 3:30 PM ET today in the SEC opener for both programs.
The Gamecocks come into the game with a 1-0 record, but their win over Old Dominion was anything but impressive. Kentucky is currently an 8.5-point favorite, and a victory is crucial for setting up a successful season and potentially hosting College GameDay for the first time since 2007.
Here are the five keys to victory for the Cats this weekend:
1. Offensive Line Play
The offensive line struggled against Southern Miss last weekend, though their opponent did feature a potential NFL Draft pick on their defensive line. South Carolina, however, boasts two future draft picks: Dylan Stewart, a true freshman and former 5-star recruit who forced a fumble last weekend, and Kyle Kennard, who also forced a fumble in the red zone against ODU. For Kentucky to succeed, the offensive line—especially Gerald Mincey and Marques Cox—needs to deliver a strong performance.
2. Put Pressure on the Freshman QB
LaNorris Sellers, a redshirt freshman quarterback, appeared overwhelmed in the pocket against ODU. With Kentucky’s defensive line strength, this game is huge for J.J. Weaver and Deone Walker. I expect that Kentucky’s defense will apply significant pressure, potentially leading to a pick-six. Brad White is one of the greatest defensive minds in College Football, and this will show that off to the country.
3. Consistency from the Run Game
With Ohio State transfer Chip Trayanum sidelined, Demi Sumo-Karngbaye, Jason Patterson, and Jamarion Wilcox will carry the load. Wilcox, in particular, showed promise last weekend and will need to continue his strong performance to support the offense.
4. Win the Special Teams Battle
Kentucky struggled with punting last season, but Wilson Berry is reported to have improved significantly. South Carolina has a history of solid special teams play, including a punt return touchdown last season. Kentucky must aim for touchbacks on kickoffs, make field goals, and provide good field position for their defense. If they can average 40+ yards per punt and pin South Carolina’s offense inside their 20-yard line, Kentucky will gain a substantial advantage.
5. Make Explosive Plays
Bush Hamdan demonstrated a willingness to stretch the field in game one, with Brock Vandagriff throwing for 169 yards in just 36 minutes of play. With playmakers like Barion Brown, Dane Key, and Ja’Mori Maclin, Kentucky has the potential for explosive plays. I expect Vandagriff to throw for over 300 yards and rush for over 50 yards in this game.
In summary, I fully expect Kentucky to have a strong performance this weekend. They should apply pressure to the freshman quarterback, protect Vandagriff, and make plenty of explosive plays to secure a big win.
Score Prediction: Kentucky 38, South Caroline 14
South-Carolina
Federal court revives NAACP lawsuit challenging SC education law limiting how schools can teach race
A legislative effort to put a similar ban in regular state law — minus the “discomfort” item — failed in 2024 after the House and Senate couldn’t agree on how it would be enforced.
A second part of the lawsuit and appeal concerned the Lexington Three school district’s decision to remove the book “Stamped,” by noted anti-racist author Ibram X. Kendi from its libraries.
Kendi alleges in the lawsuit that the removal of his book constitutes unconstitutional viewpoint discrimination, linked to the budget provision because at least one member of the district review committee pointed to the law as a reason for the removal.
Lydon had also tossed that claim on standing grounds, which the appeals court similarly reversed, finding that the lawsuit “plausibly alleges” that Kendi’s book was pulled from shelves because of the budget provision.
As with the AP course part of the lawsuit, Agee’s opinion doesn’t rule on the larger legal question of whether an author has a First Amendment right to keep their book in a school library, just that it’s not reason to deny the author standing.
The Budget Provision
The Budget Provision
The following proviso has been included in South Carolina’s annual budgets since 2021.
For the current fiscal year, of the funds allocated by the Department of Education to school districts, no monies shall be used by any school district or school to provide instruction in, to teach, instruct, or train any administrator, teacher, staff member, or employee to adopt or believe, or to approve for use, make use of, or carry out standards, curricula, lesson plans, textbooks, instructional materials, or instructional practices that serve to inculcate any of the following concepts:
(1) one race or sex is inherently superior to another race or sex;
(2) an individual, by virtue of his race or sex, is inherently racist, sexist, or oppressive, whether consciously or unconsciously;
(3) an individual should be discriminated against or receive adverse treatment solely or partly because of his race or sex;
(4) an individual’s moral standing or worth is necessarily determined by his race or sex;
(5) an individual, by virtue of his race or sex, bears responsibility for actions committed in the past by other members of the same race or sex;
(6) an individual should feel discomfort, guilt, anguish, or any other form of psychological distress on account of his race or sex;
(7) meritocracy or traits such as a hard work ethic are racist or sexist, or were created by members of a particular race to oppress members of another race; and
(8) fault, blame, or bias should be assigned to a race or sex, or to members of a race or sex because of their race or sex.
Nothing contained herein shall be construed as prohibiting any professional development training for teachers related to issues of addressing unconscious bias within the context of teaching certain literary or historical concepts or issues related to the impacts of historical or past discriminatory policies.
Just a day after four-star PA wide receiver Khalil Taylor spurned Penn State for Nebraska, the Nittany Lions got more fantastic news as four-star South Carolina running back Aiden Gibson announced his decommitment from Penn State and flipped to Rutgers with the intention to enroll for the 2026 season.
Not really much to say here other than this sucks and there have just been too many losses for Penn State this cycle. No one is going to bat 1.000, but after a strong March and April that had the Nittany Lions positioned to sign a Top 15 class, they have managed to lose Jamir Dean to Georgia, Zach Gleason to West Virginia, DeShawn Hall to Auburn, Khalil Taylor to Nebraska, and now Aiden Gibson to Rutgers. The class is now ranked No. 22, behind the likes of Cal, Kentucky, and…Virginia Tech.
Gross. The 2028 class needs to be better.
NOTE: The above video is a livestream of WIS featuring current newscasts, Soda City Living and Gray Media’s Local News Live.
COLUMBIA, S.C. (WIS) – As students across South Carolina get ready to head back to school, the state’s tax free weekend is coming up to help with extra savings.
WHAT AND WHEN IS SC’S TAX-FREE WEEKEND?
According to the South Carolina Department of Revenue, this year’s tax free weekend will be between Aug. 7-9. During that time, eligible items will be exempt from the state or local sales tax.
DO I HAVE TO BUY THINGS IN PERSON?
Purchases can be made in person at a store or online. SCDOR recommends checking with retailers to see if they offer online shopping options.
WHAT ITEMS ARE ELIGIBLE?
SCDOR has sorted eligible items into four categories:
- School supplies used in the classroom or at home for school assignments, including musical instruments, calculators, and headphones.
- Computers and technology, including printers and software. (Computer parts and accessories, including monitors and keyboards, are only tax-exempt when sold as a package with a computer.)
- Clothing and footwear, including athletic uniforms, dance shoes, all types of coats and rainwear, and diapers.
- Certain bed and bath items, including sheets, pillows, bedspreads, towels, and shower curtains.
Click/tap here for more information.
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