Kentucky Wildcats football: Missouri Preview

No one likes to claim the infamous “moral victory.” While few will deny their existence, we like to simplify things to wins and losses. Whether the staff will admit to it or not, Kentucky’s loss to Mississippi State was a “good” loss. The young Wildcats played tough against the number one team in the country and their Heisman contending quarterback but just came up short in the end. Certainly nothing to be ashamed. That said, the season won’t stop or slow down, so now it’s time for the Kentucky Wildcats Football team  to prep for Missouri.

When Kentucky has the ball:

The Missouri defense is tough. While they don’t get the pub that other teams get, they are solid in all facets. They have a strong front seven and a ball hawking defensive backfield that prevents long drives and creates turnovers. The Wildcats will need to employ a balanced attack against Missouri and keeping drives alive will be as important this weekend as it has been in any game this season. The best bet for Kentucky’s offensive success is to try to use the run to set up the big play. If Heard, Kemp, and Company can keep the Tigers honest, Towles and his receivers can connect over the top if they can get on the same page.

When Missouri has the ball:

The Tiger offense has been relatively balanced compared to recent years. The running game has been solid yet unspectacular and is relied upon to keep defenses honest. A tandem of Hansbrough and Murphy will be used at running back and both are shifty runners. While accomplished, neither weighs more than 200 pounds though, so the Wildcats can expect the running game to focus on cutbacks and outside runs.Maty Mauk will lead the team at quarterback and he is a deceptively good runner for someone labeled as a pocket – passers-by by many. A good receiving corps is headed by seniors Bud Sasser, Darius Wright, and Jimmie Hunt, who account for all but two, of the team’s receiving touchdowns this season. The Wildcats should use an aggressive scheme to take advantage of their athletic pass rushers and force Mauk into mistakes. After a hot start, the Missouri signal caller has struggled mightily of late and has borderline imploded over the past four games. With accuracy hovering around 50% and a 2-9 touchdown to interception ratio, it would seem obvious that the Tigers went 0-4 over those contests. Only they didn’t. A solid defense and propensity to connect on big plays actually resulted in a ridiculous 3-1 record in those games. Stopping the big play and capitalizing on turnovers will be two of the main keys needed for Kentucky to win.

Outlook:

This game won’t be an easy one. Missouri’s defense is very good and their offense is explosive. While the Tigers have an unquestioned advantage in experience, I’m betting that the Wildcats want it more. After a battling Mississippi State to the very end, Missouri won’t scare them. With bowl eligibility on the line, Kentucky pulls out a narrow victory as the young team grows up on the road.

Score:

UK 38 – UM 34