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Kentucky vs. Louisville: TV/Streaming Info, Keys to the Game, and Predictions

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1 year ago

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Kentucky Wildcats head coach Mark Stoops walks across the field before the game against the Alabama Crimson Tide at Kroger Field.
© Jordan Prather-USA TODAY Sports

It’s no secret, the Kentucky Wildcats have been disappointing this season. Entering the year with hopes of nine or even ten wins, Kentucky enters the regular season finale with six wins. However, they could salvage some positivity for the fanbase if they can retain the Governor’s Cup against Louisville.

As disappointing as things have been in Lexington this season, it has been quite the opposite for Louisville. Hiring former Cardinal quarterback Jeff Brohm to lead the program, the Cardinals have won ten games for the first time since 2013 in his first season. While they have taken nearly full advantage with an easy schedule, not playing a top-three ACC team in the regular season, the turnaround has been impressive.

That said, ten wins or a New Year’s Bowl is not their season goal, it is to beat Kentucky, something they haven’t done since 2017. In preparation of the game, Brohm has called the Kentucky game the “most important” game of the season, Brohm has called the Kentucky game the “most important” of the season.

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With Louisville having more to lose, let’s look at what Kentucky needs to do to play spoiler

Offensive Line

The Louisville defense’s strength is stopping in the run, ranking top 10 in the country in doing so, but also has one of the better pass rushes in the country. Meaning, that for Kentucky to have any offensive success the offensive line will have to provide good protection.

The Cardinals are more vulnerable against the pass, but Kentucky has failed to be consistent in the passing game this season. That said, the Wildcats are 13th in the country in rushing yards per attempt at 5.1 yards, but 129th in in rush attempts per game. A winning combination will be a mix of both, but as said, any offensive success will start in the trenches.

Will Kentucky come prepared?

At the end of a disappointing season, following a loss to a sub .500 South Carolina team, will Kentucky come out prepared? That is the worry. Kentucky has the talent to put up a fight, but they have the talent to win more than six or seven games this season, yet

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If you are hopeful, star defensive lineman Deon Walker went on a Louisville rant earlier this week. “I never liked Louisville even when I was getting recruited,” Walker said. “I just don’t like the Cardinals. Their fans are kind of snobbish and their players act entitled.”

If you are looking for reasons for skepticism, look no further than Ray Davis’s and Dane Key’s Twitter after the South Carolina loss. That was just a week ago. Can Mark Stoops and Co. regain the trust of the players in that span? Saturday will tell.

What is the difference between the ACC and SEC?

The SEC is the best conference in football, as shown by the sixteen championships since 2000. However, many just believe the conference is just top-heavy and carried by the likes of Alabama, Georgia, and LSU.

This is a contest against the top of the ACC and the middle of the SEC and should provide an example of the gap between the two conferences.

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Kentucky Wildcats (6-5) vs. #10 Louisville Cardinals (10-1)

  • Time: 12:00 pm ET on November 26th.
  • Location: L&N Federal Credit Union Cardinal Stadium in Louisville, KY
  • TV Channel: ABC
  • Online Stream: You can stream the game online using WatchESPN and the ESPN app.
  • Announcers: Joe Tessitore, Jesse Palmer, and Katie George will call the action.
  • Live Blog
  • Radio: Tom Leach and Jeff Piecoro have the UK radio network call on the UK Sports Radio Network.
  • Satellite Radio: XM Channel 203, Sirius Channel 98, Internet Channel 966
  • Replay: WatchESPN and SEC Network (check local listings).
  • Rosters: UK | UofL
  • Stats To Know: UK | UofL
  • Advanced Stats
  • Covers.com Weather Forecast:
  • Odds: DraftKings Sportsbook has Kentucky bet down to a 7.5-point underdog. ESPN’s matchup predictor gives the Cats a 1 in 4 chance of pulling off the win, at 25.7 percent.
  • Predictions: TeamRankings and DRatings.com have Louisville winning and retaking the Governer’s Cup with a 28-21 win. After losing to South Carolina and in the fashion in which they did, I just don’t see Kentucky beating a top 10 Lousiville team. For that reason, I pick Louisville to win 31-21.

Also published on A Sea of Blue.

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Kentucky Athletic Collectives Rank 11th of 16 Teams in SEC, Bring in over $11 Million

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2 weeks ago

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December 10, 2024

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Kentucky ranks 11th of 16 SEC teams in collective fundraising.
Jordan Prather | Imagn

For better or for worse of college sports, NIL is here to stay and it certainly gives an advantage to schools with more money. Just looking at the SEC alone, collectives raised more than $200 million in the 2023-24 fiscal year. Unfortunately, Kentucky is ranked in the lower half of that.

According to documents from the House v. NCAA proposed settlement, Kentucky raised $11,254,204 from athletics collectives for the 2023-24 fiscal year. That ranks 11th of the 15 public universities in the SEC and is just more than half of the top collective, Texas who raised over $22 million.

Full Rankings

Rank
School NameCollective Funding
1Texas22,272,474
2LSU20,137,141
3Georgia18,326,566
4Texas A&M17,228,714
5Alabama15,995,406
6Florida15,802,237
7Oklahoma14,817,595
8Tennessee11,602,164
9Auburn11,588,953
10Arkansas11,544,039
11Kentucky11,254,204
12S. Carolina9,554,700
13Ole Miss8,872,378
14Missouri7,146,859
15Mississippi St.6,467,166
NRVanderbiltNot Available (Private School)

While collective funding is low, Kentucky has been a top 20 athletic program in total revenue, partly thanks to being a school that profits from its basketball program. Looking ahead to 2025, Kentucky is expected to stay in the top 20 nationally in athletic revenue, fifth in the SEC by bringing in an estimated 131,139,792. Ahead of programs like Georgia, LSU, Florida, and Tennessee.

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With revenue sharing coming in the near future, even more money is going to be involved in roster and program building. Schools in the Big Ten and SEC have an even bigger advantage due to their new TV deals, giving them up to an extra $70 million or more.

A new era of college sports is here. It’s time to prepare and embrace it.

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Kentucky Wide Receiver Calls for “A Lot” More Leadership and Accountability from Staff

Published

3 weeks ago

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December 2, 2024

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Kentucky Wildcats head coach Mark Stoops walks onto the field before the game against the Louisville Cardinals.
Jordan Prather | Imagn

A poor offensive line. Inconsistent quarterback play. A lot of things led to Kentucky football’s abysmal 2024 season. However, they had the talent to finish better than 4-8, only defeating one power opponent this season. So what could have helped?

Kentucky wide receiver Ja’Mori Maclin was asked that question after the Wildcats’ loss to Louisville on Saturday. To his credit, he answered honestly and professionally.

“A lot more leadership,” Maclin said. “Holding guys accountable for things. A lot more discipline for all the guys… All around, players and coaches. We’re still a team, I don’t want to point at any one person or specific group. All around we need better leadership.”

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Maclin is a junior and could return for another season. Despite talking about Kentucky taking the next step, he has not made his decision and will be returning home to talk to his family to do so. If Maclin does return, it sounds like Kentucky will have a leader in the receiving room.

Despite being a 1,000-yard receiver at North Texas, Maclin was not targeted often. However, on his 13 receptions, he caught four for touchdowns, the most of any receiver on the team.

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Kentucky Player Seen At Concession Stand During Kentucky’s 41-14 Loss to Louisville

Published

3 weeks ago

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December 2, 2024

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A Kentucky football player was seen at buying food from the concession stand in Kentucky's 41-14 loss to Louisville.

Kentucky’s on-field product against Louisville was poor to say the least, sending 99% of Wildcat fans home early. It even sent an injured player from the sideline to get a snack…

Yes, offensive lineman Gerald Mincey, one of Kentucky’s most expensive transfer portal additions, was seen at one of the concession stands at Kroger Field during Kentucky’s 41-14 defeat.

Watching a 4-8 team is bad, but even worse to do on an empty stomach.

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Mincey is a senior and will not be returning next season, but it is nice to see him reinvesting some money back into the program.

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