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MISSISSIPPI ST
KENTUCKY |
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Final
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| 121 | MISSISSIPPI ST | -14.5 | -14 | | 122 | KENTUCKY | 59 | 59.5 |
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| All Games | 6-0 | +5.6 | 5-1 | 3-3 | 41.8 | 25.8 | 529.7 | (6.8) | 2.2 | 20.0 | 8.2 | 428.8 | (5.4) | 2.7 | | Road Games | 2-0 | +3.2 | 2-0 | 1-1 | 34.5 | 22.5 | 542.0 | (7.6) | 2.0 | 16.0 | 3.0 | 387.5 | (5) | 2.5 | | Last 3 Games | 3-0 | +4.6 | 3-0 | 2-1 | 40.0 | 24.3 | 532.7 | (7) | 2.7 | 27.7 | 8.7 | 465.7 | (5.7) | 2.7 | | Grass Games | 5-0 | +4.6 | 4-1 | 3-2 | 43.2 | 25.4 | 532.8 | (6.7) | 2.2 | 23.4 | 9.2 | 445.6 | (5.6) | 2.4 | | Conference Games | 3-0 | +4.6 | 3-0 | 2-1 | 40.0 | 24.3 | 532.7 | (7) | 2.7 | 27.7 | 8.7 | 465.7 | (5.7) | 2.7 |
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| Offense (All Games) | 41.8 | 25.8 | 25.3 | 30:12 | 48-266 | (5.5) | 18-29 | 60.9% | 264 | (9.1) | 77-530 | (6.8) | (12.7) | | Opponents Defensive Avg. | 24.3 | 14.6 | 19.7 | 30:53 | 39-172 | (4.4) | 17-31 | 55.7% | 214 | (7) | 70-385 | (5.5) | (15.8) | | Offense Road Games | 34.5 | 22.5 | 23.5 | 29:23 | 47-295 | (6.3) | 15-24 | 64.6% | 247 | (10.3) | 71-542 | (7.6) | (15.7) | | Defense (All Games) | 20.0 | 8.2 | 21.5 | 29:48 | 35-120 | (3.4) | 23-44 | 52.3% | 308 | (7) | 79-429 | (5.4) | (21.4) | | Opponents Offensive Avg. | 32.5 | 17 | 23.1 | 30:07 | 42-194 | (4.6) | 19-32 | 59.0% | 253 | (7.8) | 75-447 | (6) | (13.7) | | Defense Road Games | 16.0 | 3.0 | 21.0 | 30:36 | 31-73 | (2.3) | 24-45 | 52.7% | 314 | (6.9) | 77-387 | (5) | (24.2) |
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| All Games | 5-2 | +2.8 | 5-2 | 4-3 | 31.7 | 16.6 | 415.4 | (5.9) | 1.1 | 21.9 | 9.7 | 354.1 | (4.8) | 2.4 | | Home Games | 5-0 | +4.8 | 4-1 | 3-2 | 37.8 | 22.0 | 448.2 | (6.4) | 1.0 | 15.2 | 7.6 | 304.8 | (4.3) | 3.0 | | Last 3 Games | 2-1 | +1.8 | 2-1 | 2-1 | 32.0 | 14.7 | 338.7 | (5.4) | 0.7 | 31.0 | 19.3 | 395.7 | (5.2) | 2.3 | | Grass Games | 5-2 | +2.8 | 5-2 | 4-3 | 31.7 | 16.6 | 415.4 | (5.9) | 1.1 | 21.9 | 9.7 | 354.1 | (4.8) | 2.4 | | Conference Games | 2-2 | +0.8 | 2-2 | 2-2 | 23.7 | 10.0 | 374.5 | (5.2) | 1.7 | 30.5 | 13.5 | 398.5 | (5.5) | 2.0 |
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| Offense (All Games) | 31.7 | 16.6 | 20.4 | 29:11 | 36-168 | (4.6) | 20-34 | 60.0% | 247 | (7.4) | 70-415 | (5.9) | (13.1) | | Opponents Defensive Avg. | 31.4 | 16.9 | 20.2 | 29:48 | 36-165 | (4.6) | 19-33 | 59.8% | 252 | (7.7) | 68-417 | (6.1) | (13.3) | | Offense Home Games | 37.8 | 22.0 | 21.6 | 30:11 | 39-205 | (5.3) | 20-31 | 63.6% | 243 | (7.9) | 70-448 | (6.4) | (11.9) | | Defense (All Games) | 21.9 | 9.7 | 20.1 | 32:56 | 41-173 | (4.2) | 17-32 | 54.0% | 181 | (5.6) | 73-354 | (4.8) | (16.2) | | Opponents Offensive Avg. | 23.9 | 10.9 | 19.9 | 32:30 | 39-159 | (4) | 18-32 | 56.7% | 213 | (6.6) | 71-371 | (5.2) | (15.5) | | Defense Home Games | 15.2 | 7.6 | 18.6 | 29:48 | 37-134 | (3.6) | 18-33 | 53.9% | 171 | (5.1) | 70-305 | (4.3) | (20.1) |
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| | Average power rating of opponents played: MISSISSIPPI ST 37.8, KENTUCKY 28.6 |
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| 8/30/2014 | SOUTHERN MISS | 49-0 | W | -30.5 | W | 54.5 | U | 44-201 | 23-34-349 | 2 | 33-71 | 20-42-212 | 3 | | 9/6/2014 | UAB | 47-34 | W | -29 | L | 58 | O | 57-292 | 14-31-224 | 1 | 43-113 | 16-34-435 | 1 | | 9/13/2014 | @ S ALABAMA | 35-3 | W | -14.5 | W | 54.5 | U | 45-288 | 16-24-226 | 2 | 27-57 | 28-55-288 | 4 | | 9/20/2014 | @ LSU | 34-29 | W | 7 | W | 48 | O | 49-302 | 15-24-268 | 2 | 36-89 | 20-36-341 | 1 | | 10/4/2014 | TEXAS A&M | 48-31 | W | -2.5 | W | 71 | O | 51-289 | 20-26-270 | 2 | 31-161 | 37-62-365 | 3 | | 10/11/2014 | AUBURN | 38-23 | W | 3 | W | 61.5 | U | 44-223 | 18-35-246 | 4 | 43-232 | 17-35-209 | 4 | | 10/25/2014 | @ KENTUCKY | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 11/1/2014 | ARKANSAS | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 11/8/2014 | TENN-MARTIN | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 11/15/2014 | @ ALABAMA | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 11/22/2014 | VANDERBILT | | | | | | | | | | | | |
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| 8/30/2014 | TENN-MARTIN | 59-14 | W | -21.5 | W | 51.5 | O | 28-234 | 22-33-422 | 0 | 47-183 | 23-34-215 | 5 | | 9/6/2014 | OHIO U | 20-3 | W | -13 | W | 52.5 | U | 52-232 | 17-31-170 | 0 | 28-74 | 14-32-149 | 1 | | 9/13/2014 | @ FLORIDA | 30-36 | L | 18 | W | 55 | O | 33-81 | 24-45-369 | 3 | 50-237 | 25-44-295 | 1 | | 9/27/2014 | VANDERBILT | 17-7 | W | -17 | L | 48 | U | 50-183 | 23-30-201 | 3 | 22-54 | 8-25-85 | 3 | | 10/4/2014 | S CAROLINA | 45-38 | W | 5 | W | 55 | O | 36-239 | 20-30-208 | 1 | 48-282 | 23-37-218 | 3 | | 10/11/2014 | LA MONROE | 48-14 | W | -19.5 | W | 51.5 | O | 29-136 | 16-30-216 | 1 | 40-77 | 22-39-187 | 3 | | 10/18/2014 | @ LSU | 3-41 | L | 11 | L | 49.5 | U | 27-71 | 19-36-146 | 0 | 51-303 | 7-15-120 | 1 | | 10/25/2014 | MISSISSIPPI ST | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 11/1/2014 | @ MISSOURI | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 11/8/2014 | GEORGIA | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 11/15/2014 | @ TENNESSEE | | | | | | | | | | | | |
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| |  | MISSISSIPPI ST: Dual-threat QB Dak Prescott (1,940 pass yds, 10 TD, 829 rush yds, 13 TD) has the starting job all to himself this year. If he can avoid injuries, he should emerge as one of the SEC's top playmakers. He showed plenty of chemistry with WR Jameon Lewis (923 rec yds, 5 TD), who went for 220 yards in the Bulldogs' Liberty Bowl win over Rice. RB Josh Robinson (459 rush yds, 5.9 YPC) is poised for a breakout year if a rebuilt offensive line holds up in front of him. LB Benardrick McKinney (70 tackles, 3.5 sacks) anchors a strong run defense. MSU's pass rush is lacking, but has the kind of quality cover corners in CBs Taveze Calhoun (3 INT), Jamerson Love (3 INT) and Will Redmond (23 tackles) to hold opposing passing games in check. | | KENTUCKY: Neal Brown brought the Air Raid offense to Lexington, and improved QB play will allow UK to soar in 2014. Sophomore QB Patrick Towles (5.8 YPA in 2012), a former four-star recruit, has the edge over freshmen QBs Drew Barker and Reese Phillips. The Wildcats should be able to run behind a veteran O-Line and talented backs, including RB Jojo Kemp (482 rush yds, 3 TD) and Nebraska transfer RB Braylon Heard (6.0 YPC in career). DC Mark Stoops brings back the bulk of last year's unit, one that was overmatched at times but has some raw talent. The pass-rush duo of DEs Za'Darius Smith (6 sacks) and Alvin Dupree (7 sacks, 2 FF) could be one of the SEC's best, and the return of CB J.D. Harmon from academic suspension bolsters the secondary. Replacing MLB Avery Williamson will be a challenge. |
| | ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ PA SPORTSTICKER COLLEGE FOOTBALL PREVIEW (MISSISSIPPI ST-KENTUCKY) ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
*Mississippi St.-Kentucky Preview* ==================================
Mississippi State (6-0) at Kentucky (5-2), 3:30 p.m. EDT
(AP) - Mississippi State has spent the past month obliterating stereotypes about the program, ignoring a mediocre history and rising to the top spot in the national rankings for the first time in school history.
Now the Bulldogs are learning to embrace life as the favorite.
No. 1 Mississippi State (6-0, 3-0 Southeastern Conference) travels to face Kentucky (5-2, 2-2) on Saturday, which will be the program's first game as the top-ranked team after the Bulldogs were off last weekend.
"We're going into a game with a target on our back," Mississippi State coach Dan Mullen said. "Having to go on the road in a hostile environment ... against one of the most improved teams in college football this year. Our guys better learn how to handle that and make sure we have unbelievable focus about how big of a game this really is."
Life in the SEC is almost never easy, but Mississippi State's next three weeks are relatively forgiving. The Bulldogs travel to face the Wildcats on Saturday - which lost to 41-3 to LSU last weekend - before home games against Arkansas and UT-Martin.
The previous off week has allowed the Bulldogs time to rest and now they're close to having everyone healthy.
Star receiver Jameon Lewis, who has missed the past two games with a leg injury, is expected to  Kentucky. The 5-foot-9, 183-pound senior caught 15 passes for 223 yards and a touchdown in the first four games and was the team's leading receiver a year ago.
The Bulldogs' biggest fear at this point might be an emotional letdown. It's been an intense four weeks for the program, with wins over LSU, Texas A&M and Auburn catapulting them into the national spotlight.
Because of that, Mullen said that last week's rest came at a good time, but he'll be watching his players closely this week to make sure they bounce back from the down time.
He expects veterans like quarterback Dak Prescott and linebacker Benardrick McKinney to take the lead and bring emotion to the practice field.
"If we're going to be successful, I don't need to be the one doing that," Mullen said. "That comes from within - the leadership within the team. I think our guys understand how much we have to improve and get better. If I have to be a cheerleader out at practice, we're going to have some problems."
Mullen said one look at the conference statistics proves Mississippi State has plenty of places to improve. Despite a perfect start to the season, the Bulldogs rank last in the league in pass defense (308.3 yards per game) and total defense (428.8).
Kentucky has a promising young quarterback in sophomore Patrick Towles, who has thrown for 1,687 yards, 10 touchdowns and four interceptions.
The Wildcats would like nothing more than to ruin Mississippi State's dream season. Kentucky has a 3-11 record against No. 1-ranked teams.
"They're playing red hot and it starts with (Prescott)," Kentucky coach Mark Stoops said. "He's as talented of a guy as there is in the country. He can run it, he can throw it. He's making great decisions and their offense puts stress on you."
Mullen said it's up to the Bulldogs to prove they can handle the scrutiny that comes with being No. 1 and handle Kentucky's best shot.
"We tell them `It's pretty easy, if you don't like the attention then go out there and play really poorly and nobody will ever talk about us again,"' Mullen said. "If you like the attention, continue to work hard, get better and play well."
Mississippi State has won five in a row in the series, though none of those victories were by more than 13 points. The Bulldogs have won four straight in Lexington.
Kentucky has dropped 15 consecutive games to Top 25 opponents and 26 of 27.
Game Notes: |
| | Last Updated: 4/18/2024 6:23:46 AM EST. |
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