NC State football will play its final game of the 2020 season on Saturday, Jan. 2 vs. Kentucky in the TaxSlayer Gator Bowl in Jacksonville, Fla., at noon on ESPN.

The Wolfpack (8-3, 7-3 ACC) finished the regular season with a 23-13 home win over Georgia Tech, while the Wildcats (4-6 overall and SEC) concluded their campaign with a 41-18 home victory over South Carolina.

Here is the full scouting report on Kentucky:

Redshirt sophomore running back Christopher Rodriguez Jr. (No. 24)

Rodriguez has been Kentucky's most electric skill player in the Wildcats' run-first offense. Despite appearing in just eight of UK's 10 contests, Rodriguez leads the team with 701 rushing yards and nine touchdowns.

The 5-11, 224-pounder has averaged 6.9 yards per carry, which leads the SEC among players with at least 35 attempts. He also received the highest regular-season run grade in the conference according to Pro Football Focus (PFF).

His PFF run score was also second among Power Five running backs, behind only North Carolina's Javonte Williams, who rushed for 160 yards and three touchdowns against the Wolfpack.

Junior linebacker Jamin Davis (No. 44)

Davis leads the Wildcats with 89 tackles in nine contests this season. He's also UK's highest-graded defender according to PFF.

The 6-4, 234-pounder has also tallied 3.5 tackles for loss, one sack, one forced fumble and two interceptions that were returned for an average of 42.5 yards per return, including one for a touchdown.

Senior quarterback Terry Wilson (No. 3)

Kentucky's pass offense is among the nation's worst, but a team's quarterback is always a player to watch.

Wilson started all 13 games for the Wildcats as a sophomore in 2018, but a season-ending injury in the second game of his junior campaign sidelined him for most of 2019. He is a two-year team captain and has been the starting quarterback in all nine games he was available this fall.

The 6-3, 202-pounder has completed 62.7 percent of his pass attempts this year for 1,092 yards, seven touchdowns and four touchdowns in nine contests. He's also a dual-threat option and has rushed for 410 yards on 98 carries with five touchdowns this fall.

Junior outside linebacker Jordan Wright (No. 15)

Wright has done a little bit of everything for the Wildcats' defense in 2020.

The 6-5, 233-pounder has 40 tackles (sixth-most on the team) in 10 contests this fall. He also has the second-most sacks (2.5) and fourth-most tackles for loss (4.5) on the squad.

On top of his disruption in the backfield, Wright has forced two fumbles, recovered two fumbles and reeled in one interception that he returned for an eight-yard touchdown.

Senior offensive tackle Landon Young (No. 67)

A former five-star recruit in the 2017 class, Young is a two-time All-SEC offensive tackle. He earned first-team honors this season and was a third-team selection in 2019 as a junior.

Despite facing 10 different SEC defensive lines this fall, Young only forfeited one sack. He possesses a pro physique with his 6-7, 321-pound frame.

1. Strong running game

Fueled by an elite running back in Rodriguez and a strong line, Kentucky's offense flows through its rushing attack. The Wildcats rank 46th among FBS teams with an average of 187.4 ground yards per game.

UK also averages 4.82 yards per carry and has scored 17 of its 24 offensive touchdowns this season on the ground.

2. An elite offensive line

The strong running game can be credited to the Wildcats' strong offensive line, which ranks first in the SEC for run blocking and third in the conference for pass protection according to PFF.

Kentucky had three All-SEC offensive linemen. The previously mentioned Young was a first-team selection, while fellow tackle Darian Kinnard and center Drake Johnson both received second-team honors.

3. One of the SEC's best pass coverage teams

Kentucky has a solid defense overall. The Wildcats rank 46th nationally in scoring defense, allowing an average of 26.4 points per contest. Its strength is in pass coverage, however.

The Wildcats forced 13 interceptions in 10 contests this year, which ties for the 10th most among FBS teams. PFF also ranks UK third in the SEC in pass coverage grade behind only Alabama and Georgia.

1. Stop the run

If NC State can find a way to slow down Kentucky's rushing attack, the Pack should be in good shape defensively.

The Wildcats rank 121st of 127 FBS teams in passing offense, averaging just 124.4 yards per game. UK's 4.82 yards per carry in the run game does present a problem against a Wolfpack defense that has struggled to stop elite ground attacks this season, however.

2. Take care of the football

Kentucky forced 19 turnovers in 10 regular-season contests, which ties for 16th nationally. NC State turned the ball over 16 times in 11 games, 12 of which were interceptions.

Considering the Wildcats' strength on defense is forcing interceptions, the Pack will need to take care of the football, particularly in the passing game, to keep the offense on the field.

In each of NC State's three losses this fall, the Pack lost the turnover battle. If the Wolfpack can win or break even in the turnover category on Saturday, it should be in good shape to have its third nine-win season in four years.

3. Build confidence for 2021

NC State's defense has been young all season, but some of the underclassmen could be relied upon even more in the bowl game.

At this point, we know junior safety Tanner Ingle will not be playing due to a one-game suspension after picking up his third targeting penalty of the fall in the regular-season finale against Georgia Tech. Redshirt sophomore Isaac Duffy-Webb is the next man up.

Including junior Tyler Baker-Williams at nickel, four of the Pack's five starting defensive backs will be underclassmen. The first objective on Saturday is to win the Gator Bowl, but the second goal — which will be more important in the long run — is to continue the development of the young players and build confidence for 2021.

5 Of NC State's eight wins this season have come in games that the Pack has trailed at some point in the second half. In the 31-20 win over Duke, NC State came back from a double-digit deficit against an ACC opponent for the first time in head coach Dave Doeren's eight seasons with the Wolfpack.

1-1 Is the all-time record between the two programs, and Saturday will mark just the third meeting between the schools. The Gator Bowl will also be the first meeting between the Wolfpack and the Wildcats in football in 50 years. Kentucky won the last meeting 27-2 in Lexington in 1970. NC State's win in the series was a 15-6 home victory in 1909.

3 Of Kentucky's six losses came against teams ranked in the top 10 of the final regular-season College Football Playoff rankings. The Wildcats fell to No. 1 Alabama (63-3), No. 7 Florida (34-10) and No. 9 Georgia (14-3). Two of the team's other three losses were against Missouri and Auburn, squads that were both ranked in the top 25 at one point this season.

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