B&S SEC Game of the Week: stellar Kentucky D takes on upstart Mizzou O
Missouri found a rhythm last week against LSU, but can they keep that going against one of the best defenses in the SEC?
By: Bossman Slim
Photo: Jamie Squire, Getty Images
This one has the makings of a complete...toss-up.
On paper, Kentucky seems to be the better team through five weeks, even though they have glaring issues. But Missouri is a total wild card. They got beaten handily by Alabama (given) and Tennessee (really?), then turned around and beat the defending national champs in a shootout they had no business being in (huh?). Connor Bazelak carved up the LSU secondary like a Thanksgiving turkey, and he’s been good at taking care of the ball. Rewatching that game (we “study film” here at B&S), Bazelak was finding guys WIDE open all day. Comparing the LSU secondary to swiss cheese would be an insult to swiss cheese everywhere.
Connor, meet the Wildcat secondary. This is not going to be the LSU field day you had two weeks ago. LSU is dead last in the SEC in pass defense, while Kentucky boasts one of the best defensive backfields in the nation, ranking second in the SEC (and second in the entire country) in interceptions with nine, and third in the SEC in passing defense (what world are we living in?). Three of those have been returned for touchdowns. Talk about a wet blanket secondary. Their defense is quite literally the reason they are winning games at all. Don’t forget that rush defense either - they’re 4th in the SEC, giving up just over 100 yards per game.
“You’re in the future Garth and Wayne. It’s 2020. LSU has one of the worst defenses in the SEC and Kentucky has one of the best. Oh, and you can’t go outside. And put on a mask!”
That brings us to the other side of the ball for Kentucky. This offense is one dimensional, once again relying heavily on the run due to the ineffectiveness of Terry Wilson through the air. Their deficiencies on offense have been covered up by their stellar defense. Kentucky is scoring 28 points per game as a team...but look a little deeper, and the offense is only averaging 21 points per game because the defense has those 3 INT returns for TDs. Their passing attack is almost non-existent, averaging just 142.5 yards per game. Against a Mississippi State defense that gave up 28 points and 325 total yards to Texas A&M last week, Kentucky was only able to muster 157 yards of total offense. Yikes. In today’s SEC, that doesn’t cut it.
But for all their problems in the passing game, Kentucky can pound the rock. This is the top rushing team in the SEC, averaging 4.8 yards per carry for 206 yards per game with 9 TDs. Chris Rodriguez Jr. is the real deal and Asim Rose Jr. gets plenty of carries, while Terry Wilson can still run with the best of them. This creates a three-headed hydra out of the backfield that has proven difficult for opposing defenses to keep in check.
Photo: Jacob Noger, SEC Photo
So, the questions become: Has Missouri turned a corner (and is LSU really just that bad) and can they score on Kentucky, and can the Tigers stop the Wildcat rushing attack?
I believe the answer is no. Missouri has found a solid QB in Connor Bezelak, and head coach Eliah Drinkwitz (who also takes on the OC role) found ways to get speed the ball in space last week against LSU. That won’t happen this week. Kentucky’s defense is too stout. Their secondary is white on rice. Their rush defense is top 5 in the conference and Missouri has a middling rushing attack.
The two strengths of Kentucky will again get them the win: Kentucky’s defense and their three-headed hydra rushing attack. Mizzou will score points, but the ‘Cats defense will bottle up Mizzou enough to pull out another win, and the rushing attack will go for over 200 again and push the Tigers aside for win number three.
Kentucky 30
Missouri 23