Kentucky Wildcat Football: Know Your Enemy – #20 Mississippi State Bulldogs

GAME 6

#20 MISSISSIPPI STATE BULLDOGS 4-0 (1-0)
OCTOBER 6, 2012 – 12:21 PM
COMMONWEALTH STADIUM – LEXINGTON, KY

TV – SEC NETWORK

SERIES TIED 19-19

LAST 5 MEETINGS
10/29/2011: Mississippi State 28 KENTUCKY 16
10/30/2010: Mississippi State 24 KENTUCKY 17
10/31/2009: Mississippi State 31 KENTUCKY 24
11/1/2008: KENTUCKY 14 Mississippi State 13
10/27/2007: Mississippi State 31 KENTUCKY 14

If you are looking for a scapegoat as to why Kentucky never fully evolved to consistent 7 or 8 win status during the bowl run, look no further than the Mississippi State Bulldogs. Kentucky had their way with some truly bad Bulldog teams from 2002-2006, going 4-1. Once the bowl streak began, Kentucky has gone 1-4 against the Bulldogs and those loses in reality, cost Kentucky “better bowls”. The fact that the Bulldogs have won the past three games in LExington has been a continuing source of frustration.

Now, with Dan Mullen at the helm, Kentucky and Mississippi State have totally switched places. The Bulldogs are 4-0 and ranked in the top 25 while Kentucky seems destined to a season where four wins would be a success. This is probably the most even series in Kentucky football history as the teams have split 38 meetings. Both teams own 12-7 records on their home turf and the average score of all games is 21.34 to 21.34. The game is the ultimate rubber match and the Bulldogs were an early 14 point favorite. That said, let’s meet the Bulldogs.