The Kentucky Wildcats are coming off one of the most embarrassing performances of the Mark Stoops era, losing 51-13 against Georiga. It wasn’t just that the Wildcats lost, as Georgia is the No. 1 ranked team in the country, but they were outplayed, outcoached, outschemed, and at times, even outclassed.
The Wildcats do not have an easy tune-up game to get back on track. Instead, they will face off against SEC East foe Missouri, who is not ranked in the AP poll after a loss to LSU, but is ranked 25th in the Coaches Poll.
In a make-or-break year for coach Eli Drinkwitz, his fourth as the Missouri head coach, the Tigers are off to a 5-1 start, which includes a win over a then No. 15 ranked Kansas State squad in Week three. The main catalyst for this impressive start has been an offense that is ranked top five in the SEC in total offense.
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The Kentucky-Missouri series has been one with a lot of close games, including four of the last six, which have been decided by one score or less. Will this year be another instant classic? Let’s dig into the matchup.
Slow Down Missouri’s Passing Attack
Averaging 322 passing yards per game, Missouri has one of the best passing attacks not just in the SEC, but in the country. They are efficient as well, completing over 70 percent of their passes for a total of 14 touchdowns and just three interceptions. That passing attack starts with quarterback Brady Cook and wide receiver Luther Burden, who are playing at an all-conference level.
“Quarterback is playing at a really high level. Really confident in his ball placement. He’s big, he’s athletic. I really think he’s one of the top QBs in this league and playing at a level that you can make the argument he’s as good as anybody in the country,” Kentucky defensive coordinator said of Cook. “Burden is playing at an extremely high level, you see by receptions, yards, what he does when the ball is in his hands. They have a lot of options to count on and that we have to account for.”
Of course, Kentucky is coming off a game where they could not defend any pass as Georiga completed nearly 80 percent of their passes. That is unacceptable given the standard that White and this program have set and they must respond with a better effort on Saturday.
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That said, you have to respect Missouri’s run game as well, with running back Cody Schrader averaging more than six yards per carry.
Show Discipline
Most Kentucky fans were not expecting a win over Georgia, but they were expecting a competitive game and to play clean football. At the end of the day, neither was the case.
Comparing the penalty numbers in the team stats, it can be a little misleading, as Georgia actually had more penalties and penalty yards. However, Kentucky benefitted from some declined and offsetting penalties. Also, a number of these penalties came at poor times, halting promising offensive drives or providing Georiga extra opportunities on third down. Due to that, any chance for Kentucky to capture momentum quickly evaporated.
When playing undisciplined football, it makes it incredibly difficult to beat any good team, especially in the SEC. This season Kentucky has received 40 penalties for 357 yards. That said, Missouri is not far off with 45 penalties for 325 yards.
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In a game where one drive could decide the game, Kentucky cannot afford to have many self-inflicted mistakes and must be better mentally prepared on Saturday.
Set the Tone for the Rest of the Season
With half the season played and a 5-1 record, there is still more to be learned from this Kentucky football team. They have beaten four easy opponents, beaten an inconsistent Florida team, and embarrassed by No. 1 Georgia.
Saturday’s game will be a true test, going up against Missouri, a team with a similar ranking and that has played you close for the better part of the last decade. The result could indicate which direction the season could be headed. If the Wildcats can win, a historic season is still on the table with just one loss. However, if they lose, it could spell trouble.
With basketball on the horizon, losing a second game in a row amidst a difficult stretch, could also lose the program some fan attention.
Time/Date: 7:30 pm ET on Saturday, October 14th, 2023 Location: Kroger Field in Lexington, KY TV Channel: SEC Network Announcers: Tom Hart, Jordan Rodgers, Cole Cubelic Online Stream:WatchESPN, ESPN+, SEC Network+, or the ESPN app. 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 | MIZ Stats To Know: UK | MIZ
Predictions: TeamRankings has Kentucky coming away with a 27-24 win, with DRatings.com also picking the Cats in a 27-21 victory. As history suggests, I’m predicting another close game, but feel like the Wildcats respond with a 30-24 win.
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 Name
Collective Funding
1
Texas
22,272,474
2
LSU
20,137,141
3
Georgia
18,326,566
4
Texas A&M
17,228,714
5
Alabama
15,995,406
6
Florida
15,802,237
7
Oklahoma
14,817,595
8
Tennessee
11,602,164
9
Auburn
11,588,953
10
Arkansas
11,544,039
11
Kentucky
11,254,204
12
S. Carolina
9,554,700
13
Ole Miss
8,872,378
14
Missouri
7,146,859
15
Mississippi St.
6,467,166
NR
Vanderbilt
Not 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.
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.
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.
Gerald Mincey walked from the sideline to the concession stand mid game…