Kentucky football is 1-0 after a 44-14 opening weekend win over Ball State. The Wildcats impressed in a few areas of the game, leading to the 30-point win.
Devin Leary made a solid first impression. The NC State transfer passed for 241 yards, 1 touchdown, and 1 interception, with a 58% completion percentage.
On the ground, Ray Davis carried most of the weight. He rushed 14 times for 114 yards and a pair of scores.
Defensively, the Wildcats held Ball State to under 300 yards of offense and only 7 points in each quarter.
The win gives Kentucky football a 1-0 start for the third straight season. Overall, the Wildcats played well, but improvements must be made.
Takeaway 1: Thank the transfer portal!
Two of Kentucky’s biggest offensive stars in game one were players the Cats grabbed from the transfer portal. Leary and Davis were the clear leaders on offense, and while that may be obvious, it’s still a testament to how important the portal is.
It will be interesting to see how involved senior running back JuTahn McClain will be as the season progresses. McClain averaged about six carries per game last season but only got four on Saturday as the second-string RB behind Davis. McClain has given a lot of time and effort to the Kentucky football program, but it’s clear that the transfer portal can be an easier and faster way to improve and add talent.
Takeaway 2: Kentucky’s receivers are as advertised
Coming into the season, a lot was said about an experienced returning receiving core in Lexington. After game one against Ball State, it’s clear this group is legit.
Sophomore Dane Key led the way with 5 receptions for 96 yards and a TD. Barion Brown and Tayvion Robinson were also used often in the passing game. Together, those three receivers had 11 catches for over 160 yards. Throughout the season, Leary will likely depend on them, and against the Cardinals, they showed up.
Takeaway 3: Third down defense needs to clean up
If there’s one area of improvement that’s necessary to be fixed, it’s third downs. Despite only scoring 14 points, Ball State held the ball for over 38 minutes, to Kentucky’s 21. The reason? The Cardinals were 9 for 17 on third downs.
Against better football teams, that would put Kentucky in some deep trouble. You can’t expect to win games if you consistently allow teams to convert on third downs.
Obviously, the Kentucky defense isn’t the problem. They still only let up two touchdowns, and forced two turnovers. However, heading into week two against Eastern Kentucky, coming up with defensive stops on third downs will be crucial.