Inside The Numbers: Western Kentucky Hilltoppers

Tonight at 7 p.m. EST on ESPNU at Commonwealth Stadium, the Kentucky Wildcats will participate in an intra-state battle with the Western Kentucky Hilltoppers. Last week, Kentucky rebounded from a season-opening loss with a convincing 47-14 win over Kent State in Lexington. Western Kentucky last week got their first taste of SEC football with a 35-0 beatdown by Alabama down in Tuscaloosa. Here are some numbers and facts of interest heading into tonight’s game:Various Records

• Kentucky’s overall record vs. Western Kentucky: 3-0 (1.000)
• Kentucky’s record playing in the month of September: 137-102-7 (.571) (6-4 in the last 10 meetings)
• Kentucky’s record vs. schools currently in the Sun Belt Conference: 12-1 (.923) (9-1 in the last 10 meetings)
• Kentucky’s record vs. schools located in the state of Kentucky: 103-53-3 (.657) (8-2 in the last 10 meetings)
• Kentucky’s record playing on September 15th: 4-2 (.667)

Maxwell Smith In Select Company

With the new fast-paced, pass-happy offense that the Wildcats have implemented this season, the numbers have been impressive to say the least. And the numbers have been most impressive with sophomore quarterback Maxwell Smith. Maxwell has been put into some pretty select company amongst past Kentucky quarterbacks through his performance so far this season. First, Maxwell has thrown for 634 passing yards through the first two games this season. That is the 5th most passing yards for a Kentucky quarterback through the first two games of a season. Here are the top five:

1. 870 yards, Tim Couch (1998)
2. 785 yards, Dusty Bonner (1999)
3. 747 yards, Tim Couch (1997)
4. 704 yards, Jared Lorenzen (2000)
5. 634 yards, Maxwell Smith (2012)

Also, Maxwell has been efficient and mistake-free with the football in the first two games this season. Smith has completed 65 passes, completed 73% of his passes, thrown 6 touchdown passes, and no interceptions. With that performance, Maxwell became just the 2nd quarterback in school history to complete at least 60 passes, throw for at least 600 yards, complete at least 70% of his passes, throw for at least 6 touchdowns, and throw no interceptions in a two-game span. The other quarterback to accomplish this feat you may have heard of:

• Tim Couch vs. Louisville and Eastern Kentucky, 1998: 61 completions, 870 yards, 76.3% completion percentage, 12 passing touchdowns, 0 interceptions
• Maxwell Smith vs. Louisville and Kent State, 2012: 65 completions, 634 yards, 73% completion percentage, 6 passing touchdowns, 0 interceptions

Milestones Approaching

Raymond Sanders

• 94 all-purpose yards away from 1,000 career all-purpose yards

La’Rod King

• 1 reception away from 100 career receptions
• 1,348 career receiving yards (13th most in school history)
• needs 69 receiving yards to tie Jacob Tamme for 12th most receiving yards in school history

Team-By-Team Statistical Comparison (Ranking Out Of 124 FBS Schools)

• Scoring Offense: Kentucky – 30.5 PPG (T-64th) Western Kentucky – 24.5 PPG (T-81st)
• Rushing Offense: Kentucky – 139 YPG (79th) Western Kentucky – 145 YPG (72nd)
• Passing Offense: Kentucky – 317 YPG (18th) Western Kentucky – 265 YPG (47th)
• Total Offense: Kentucky – 456 YPG (45th) Western Kentucky – 410 YPG (61st)
• Scoring Defense: Kentucky – 23 PPG (T-63rd) Western Kentucky – 22.5 PPG (T-60th)
• Rushing Defense: Kentucky – 200.5 YPG (96th) Western Kentucky – 123 YPG (T-54th)
• Passing Defense: Kentucky – 237 YPG (T-75th) Western Kentucky – 118 YPG (7th)
• Total Defense: Kentucky – 437.5 YPG (89th) Western Kentucky – 241 YPG (11th)
• Punt Returns: Kentucky – 8 YPR (T-62nd) Western Kentucky – 14.83 YPR (27th)
• Kickoff Returns: Kentucky – 26.67 YPR (T-23rd) Western Kentucky – 20.17 YPR (66th)
• Punting: Kentucky – 48 YPP (T-8th) Western Kentucky – 42.5 YPP (45th)
• Punt Return Defense: Kentucky – (-2) YPR (T-5th) Western Kentucky – 7 YPR (T-63rd)
• Kickoff Return Defense: Kentucky – 23 YPR (T-94th) Western Kentucky – 22 YPR (T-84th)
• Penalties: Kentucky – 3.5 PPG (T-15th) Western Kentucky – 6.5 PPG (T-63rd)
• First Downs: Kentucky – 24.5 FDPG (T-34th) Western Kentucky – 21 FDPG (T-58th)
• Turnover Margin: Kentucky – (-.5) TOPG (T-73rd) Western Kentucky – (-2) TOPG (T-112th)
• Time Of Possession: Kentucky – 23:54 (118th) Western Kentucky – 32:40.5 (23rd)
• Sacks: Kentucky – 2.5 SPG (T-37th) Western Kentucky – 4 SPG (T-8th)
• Sacks Allowed: Kentucky – 1.5 SPG (T-45th) Western Kentucky – 2 SPG (T-68th)
• Tackles For Loss: Kentucky – 5.5 TFLPG (T-68th) Western Kentucky – 7.5 TFLPG (T-31st)
• Tackles For Loss Allowed: Kentucky – 4 TFLPG (T-20th) Western Kentucky – 5.5 TFLPG (T-57th)
• 3rd Down Conversions: Kentucky – 48% (T-32nd) Western Kentucky – 47.83% (35th)
• 4th Down Conversions: Kentucky – 0% (T-89th) Western Kentucky – 0% (T-89th)
• 3rd Down Conversions Defense: Kentucky – 50% (T-106th) Western Kentucky – 22.73% (13th)
• 4th Down Conversions Defense: Kentucky – 25% (T-32nd) Western Kentucky – 50% (T-57th)
• Red Zone Scoring: Kentucky – 62.5% (T-108th) Western Kentucky – 55.56% (T-116th)
• Red Zone Scoring Defense: Kentucky – 57.14% (T-11th) Western Kentucky – 100% (T-99th)

Individual Players In The FBS Top 25

• Passing Yards Per Game: Maxwell Smith, Kentucky – 317 YPG (T-12th)
• Passing Efficiency: Kawaun Jakes, Western Kentucky – 161.14 (24th)
• Passing Completions Per Game: Maxwell Smith, Kentucky – 32.5 CPG (6th)
• Receptions Per Game: Aaron Boyd, Kentucky – 7 RPG (T-25th)
• Punt Returns: Antonio Andrews, Western Kentucky – 18.2 YPR (11th)
• All-Purpose Yards Per Game: Antonio Andrews, Western Kentucky – 180 YPG (T-8th)
• Tackles For Loss Per Game: Andrew Jackson, Western Kentucky – 2 TFLPG (T-16th)

Kentucky Individual Game Records vs. Western Kentucky

• Passing: 213 yards, Mike Hartline (9/11/2010)
• Rushing: 102 yards, Derrick Locke (9/11/2010)
• Receiving: 98 yards, Randall Cobb (9/11/2010)

Western Kentucky Individual Game Records vs. Kentucky

• Passing: 97 yards, Kawaun Jakes (9/11/2010)
• Rushing: 184 yards, Bobby Rainey (9/11/2010)
• Receiving: 40 yards, Marcus Vasquez (9/11/2010)