Kentucky is currently a 9-point favorite against South Carolina in advance of the SEC opener for both teams, but the Wildcats have lost this game two years in a row and there's a lot we still don't know after only barely more than two quarters of season in the books.

Here are some keys to the game for Kentucky to come out with a win. Of course, there are many paths to victory, but some things stand out.

Keep LaNorris Sellers in the pocket

There are things South Carolina can do to maximize Sellers' best attributes. They can get him running wide where he do some interesting things. They probably don't want to see him carry the ball and take as many hits as he did against Old Dominion, but if that's their path to victory they might do it again.

The key is to keep him in the pocket where possible. He didn't look great throwing on the run, but keeping him from getting outside and forcing him to prove he can pick apart a defense seems like a good strategy after he struggled so much last week.

When Sellers was not blitzed last week, according to PFF, he was only 6/18 for 62 yards. That's 3.4 yards per attempt. That was against Old Dominion. Making Sellers prove he can consistently make underneath throws, which were not a given last week, seems important.

Slow down the run game

You know that the run game is going to be a big part of what you're up against. That's how Shane Beamer built this team. It's why his backfield consists of Sellers and Rocket Sanders. Those guys combined for a lot of carries last week and probably will for as long as they're able. South Carolina's offensive line was up and down. The Gamecocks rushed for 174 yards but only 3.1 yards per carry.

It seems like South Carolina will need to try to win this game similar to how Stoops has sometimes won this game against South Carolina.

Play clean on special teams

Beamer Ball is something you have to be conscious of. South Carolina already has one block to its credit this year. The Gamecocks have ranked in the top-10 nationally in blocked kicks each of the last three years. It's an emphasis and it can be well executed. They also return a very experienced punter.

Kentucky's special teams unit was impressive against Southern Miss in pretty much every respect. If they duplicate that effort they'll be okay. If they come even close to that they should be okay. But you have to be prepared for trickery as well so a lot of the game could hinge on this matchup.

Minimize the lapses up front

Kentucky's offensive line allowed Brock Vandagriff to see some pressure at times but overall there's reason for optimism. The very experienced group helped the running backs, minus Chip Trayanum, to a strong performance in a shortened game. They showed they can play like a cohesive and determined unit for stretches.

This week is a different test altogether. South Carolina can present some problems up front and their added length and quickness on the edge adds disruptive potential to the defense. They got into the backfield last week and will present a formidable rush for Kentucky.

Kentucky doesn't have to outrush South Carolina to win the game. They should probably strive to be more balanced than the Gamecocks will be. But they have to minimize the lapses that lead to blindside hits and big problems in the backfield.