Need this get-right game.
This season has been nothing short of disappointing thus far, but the Cats have a chance to get back in the win column on Saturday afternoon in Lexington.
Following their loss in Knoxville to the Tennessee Volunteers last Saturday, the Kentucky Wildcats are now 3-6 after suffering four straight defeats. Luckily, Kentucky was on bye this week and has a get-right game coming up against the Murray State Racers.
Obviously, this season hasn’t gone as expected and has been wildly below expectations, especially after what we’ve become accustomed to under Mark Stoops. Across Big Blue Nation, the negativity is far and wide, but hopefully, they’ll have something to cheer for on Saturday.
Kentucky gets the opportunity to take on one FCS school each year, and this year, it’s the Racers. Kentucky is 2-0 all-time vs. Murray State and they won both times pretty handily in Lexington—first, 37-6 in 2003 and then 48-10 in 2018.
Opening Odds
FanDuel Sportsbook has yet to release an official spread, so check back later. ESPN’s Football Power Index is giving the Wildcats an overwhelming 99% chance to win.
How to Watch
Kentucky vs. Murray State will be broadcast this Saturday, November 16th, on SEC Network+ at 1:30 PM ET. You can also listen to the game on the UK Radio Sports Network.
Prediction
Murray State went 2-9 last year, fired their coach, and things haven’t been any better this season. The Cats have never lost to an FCS team in their history, and 2024 is definitely not the time to start.
The Racers are 1-9 on the season and have lost seven in a row. The only Power 4 team they’ve played is the Missouri Tigers and they lost 51-0 in the season opener. Their lone win came against the Mississippi Valley State Delta Devils…they’re 0-10.
The Racers don’t present much of a challenge on either side of the ball. They average just 21 points per game and have virtually no passing game. They turn the ball over at a high rate, but they do have a solid core of running backs. Their lead back, Jawaun Northington from duPont Manual High School in Louisville, has similar stats to Kentucky’s leading rusher, Demie Sumo-Karngbaye.
Maxwell Hairston is expected to be back for the Cats, which will be a huge boost for the defense. And surprisingly, it’s looking like true freshman Cutter Boley may be making his first career start. With that being the expectation, I think we’ll see a lot of younger guys getting opportunities on Saturday.
The offense obviously needs a jump start. I’m sure Boley won’t look much better than Brock Vandagriff has looked, but it’s important for him to get some game reps. Kentucky’s defense has floundered a bit over the last few weeks, but when healthy and motivated, they’ve been good, and I am sure they will get back to their roots.
The Cats may have given up on the season at this point, but I truly don’t think it will matter. This is such an overwhelming mismatch that I believe Kentucky will take care of business. Whether it’s pretty or not is an entirely different question.
Final Score: Kentucky 48, Murray State 6