Kentucky football is looking for its third straight 2-0 start to a season and will have a good chance against FCS team Eastern Kentucky.
The Wildcats will also look to stay undefeated in their all-time series against EKU. Currently, Kentucky leads it, 5-0.
Although Eastern Kentucky started playing in Division I-AA in 1979, they didn’t actually first play Kentucky until 1998. Those games back in the day might have been close. The Colonels played in four straight FCS Championships from 1979-82, winning it all in 1979 and 1982.
However, by the time the Colonels and Wildcats began facing off occasionally, it’s been all UK, every time.
Kentucky football should have an easy path to a 2-0 start if history with the Colonels is any indication.
In the five games these teams have squared off in, the Wildcats have never lost. However, some games have been closer than expected.
The first three times they played, it was all Kentucky. In 1998, the Wildcats won, 52-7. The teams wouldn’t face off again until 2007, with UK again winning big, 51-10. EKU closed the gap two years later, with the Wildcats on top, 37-12.
However, things have started to change recently. In 2015, Eastern Kentucky put the Wildcats on upset notice, taking them to overtime. Kentucky prevailed, 34-27, partly thanks to 329 yards passing from Patrick Towles, but not without a major scare.
If that wasn’t enough of a scare, in 2017, Eastern Kentucky actually led at the half, 13-3. Of course, the Wildcats would push through in the second half, winning 27-16.
This year’s Kentucky football team won’t be prone to an upset alert.
Despite the last two meetings being surprisingly close, this year shouldn’t bring any worry. The Wildcats are listed as -31.5 favorites and if I’m being honest, even that seems pretty small. After a 30-point win over Ball State, who plays in the MAC, and given how much EKU lost by to Cincinnati, it seems like the Wildcats could win this game by 40+ points.
Of course, anything is possible, but based on the series’ history and Kentucky’s talent this season, an EKU win would be far-fetched.
Saturday’s game won’t be nationally broadcast, so click here if you need to know how to watch!