LEXINGTON — Kentucky football’s 41-6 win over Ohio was noteworthy on multiple fronts.
First: It marked the first time UK surpassed the 40-point mark in a game in nearly a calendar year; it scored 45 in a road victory against Vanderbilt last season. And offensively, the Wildcats rolled up 488 yards against the Bobcats, the most for Kentucky since gaining 511 in a 52-21 rout of Louisville in 2021.
UK might need that type of point and yardage total — and possibly more — to take down its next opponent.
Ole Miss has cruised to a 4-0 record behind a high-octane offense and a tenacious defense.
The Rebels lead the all-time series with the Wildcats, 29-14-1. They’ve also won the past three meetings, all with Mark Stoops as the Wildcats’ coach. Each of the three setbacks have been by three points — or less: 37-34 in 2017, 42-41 (in overtime) in 2020 and 22-19 in 2022.
Is this the year Stoops turns the tables and deals Ole Miss a defeat?
Here are three things to watch heading into Saturday’s SEC tussle in Oxford, Mississippi:
Only 11 times in UK’s annals, which date back to its first season in 1881, has it ever begun a year with four (or more) consecutive home games. Kentucky’s record in their first road outings in those seasons isn’t pretty.
In those seasons, UK is a combined 3-8.
Saturday, they’ll be looking to turn around that dismal history.
Here’s the list.
20011985Record after five home games to begin season: 4-1First road game: 10-0 loss at LSU1983Record after five home games to begin season: 4-1First road game: 21-13 win at LSU19501938193019241921191719161914
Another historic tidbit: Kentucky never left Lexington in 1903, playing all eight games at home. UK, then known as Agricultural and Mechanical College of Kentucky, posted a 7-1 record that season.
Pick a category.
Total yards. Points. Explosive plays. Touchdowns.
From the outside, it appeared the Wildcats improved in nearly all areas in the one-sided win over the Bobcats.
Especially in the passing game, where starting Brock Vandagriff threw for 237 yards (on 17-of-24 passing) after combining for just 144 yards in consecutive losses to South Carolina and Georgia.
Just don’t tell the man dialing up the plays Saturday represented progress.
“Probably not. I don’t know,” Kentucky offensive coordinator Bush Hamdan said. “I’ve got to look at it, but I don’t know if you have the initial reaction of, ‘The pass game versus the run game.’ I just know as the play caller, you feel too many times plays are being brought back, from penalties or your first and 15, first and 20. So again, I think the critical thing for us, as we know, is doing a deep dive on what we have to do to play as consistent as we can play, to play as clean as we can play, to put us in positions to go in football games.”
In just his fourth game as a college starter after transferring from Georgia, Vandagriff admitted he’s still trying to settle into his new role.
“But what I will say — with the stuff that coach Hamdan has done, the stuff he talks about — his main thing is he doesn’t want it to look like a first-year operation,” Vandagriff said. “He thinks that is definitely going to get better as we go. We’re just fine-tuning some stuff with personnel groups and the people we want out there. And the O-line is playing well, the running backs are playing well, stuff like that.”
Every unit on the offense, from Vandagriff and his receivers to the offensive line and running backs, will have to be at their best this week to upend the Rebels on the road.
Ole Miss’ offensive numbers this season are staggering.
Per ESPN college football analyst Cole Cubelic, the Rebels are the first SEC team ever to tally 600 or more yards in four straight games, while their 220 points are the most through the first four games of a season in program history.
Ole Miss paces the country in first downs (130), passing offense (422.8 yards per game), scoring offense (55.0 points per game) and total offense (670.8 yards per game).
Kentucky’s defense is stout, though. The Wildcats are sixth nationally in total defense (217.0 ypg), 15th in scoring defense (12.5 ppg), 10th in rushing defense (74.8 ypg) and 21st in passing yards allowed (142.3).
“They’ve just got to keep playing,” UK defensive coordinator Brad White said after his unit limited Ohio to just 223 yards. “We talked about it last week: the mentality of just coming out to practice — and it’s going to sound like I’m on repeat — (and) having a focused mindset at practice, focused execution, and then just taking it drive by drive.”
Cornerback Maxwell Hairston, who notched a pick six against the Bobcats, is eager to test himself against the Rebels.
“I feel like this defense is so close and tight that it gives us confidence,” he said. “It makes you go out there and play faster, because I know that my brothers to the left and to the right are going to do their job. They’re going to play hard and aggressive.
“I trust them and they trust me, so the belief system that we have with one another is just amazing.”
Brock Vandagriff, Fourth-year Jr., QB: While he didn’t find the end zone through the air Saturday, Vandagriff set personal bests in yardage (237) and completion percentage (70.8). Ole Miss allows a shade over 200 passing yards per game, while it ranks sixth in the 14-team SEC in pass efficiency defense.
Demie Sumo-Karngbaye, senior, RB: Sumo-Karngbaye had a workmanlike performance against Ohio, totaling 47 yards and two touchdowns on 12 carries. But now he’ll face a sizable challenge: The Rebels own the nation’s best rushing defense, giving up a miniscule 34.5 yards per game.
Deone Walker, Jr., DT: The oft-cited quote, “Big-time players make big-time plays in big-time games” comes to mind here. Walker is the Wildcats’ best overal player. Their most highly regarded NFL talent. And going against one of the nation’s most explosive offenses, UK needs its 6-foot-6, 348-pound superstar to showcase why he’s expected to be a first-round pick in next year’s draft.
Jaxson Dart, Sr., QB: Hard to play much better than Dart right now. He leads the FBS in pass efficiency (219.4), passing yards (1,554), passing yards per game (388.5) and is No. 4 in passing touchdowns (12). Dart has connected on 79.8% of his attempts, tossing just two interceptions this season. He’s added three TDs on the ground.
Tre Harris, Fifth-year Sr., WR: Though Dart has weapons everywhere, Harris is his most dangerous receiver. Harris is among the top three nationally in receptions (38), receptions per game (9.5) receiving yards (628) and receiving yards per game (157.0). He has hauled in four touchdowns this fall.
Chris Paul Jr., Fourth-year Jr., LB: Paul leads the Rebels in total tackles (29.0) and tackles for loss (6.0) to go along with 2.0 sacks, four quarterback hurries and two pass breakups.
Kentucky is a 17 ½-point road underdog against Ole Miss, according to the DraftKings college football odds.
WANNA BET? Top Kentucky sportsbooks and sports betting apps reviewed
Who: Kentucky (2-2, 0-2 SEC) at No. 5 Ole Miss (4-0, 0-0 SEC)
When: Noon Saturday, Sept. 28
Where: Vaught-Hemingway Stadium; Oxford, Mississippi
TV: ABC or ESPN
Radio: Tom Leach (play-by-play), Jeff Piecoro (analyst) and Dick Gabriel will have the UK radio network call on 840 AM in Louisville and both 630 AM and 98.1 FM in Lexington and online at UKAthletics.com.
Streaming: Authenticated subscribers can access SEC Network via TV-connected devices or by going to WatchESPN.com, the WatchESPN app or ESPN+.
You also can stream SEC Network on Fubo, which offers a free trial.
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Publish date : 2024-09-22 22:17:00
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