Devin Leary

Kentucky quarterback Devin Leary, over center Eli Cox, calls a play in a 33-14 win over Florida.

 ERIC CRAWFORD

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) -- After a rousing 5-0 start, the University of Kentucky football team has lost back-to-back-to-back games.

It's the program's first three-game losing streak since Nov. 6, 2021. The Wildcats have not lost four straight since Nov. 14, 2015.

Head coach Mark Stoops will take his team to Mississippi State, a place where Stoops has never won. It will be his first meeting against an MSU team coached by Zach Arnett, who was elevated to head coach after the tragic death of Mike Leach last Dec. 12.

The Time: Saturday, 7:30 p.m., Davis Wade Stadium, Starkville, Miss.

How to Watch/Listen: TV — SEC Network. Tom Hart, play by play; Cole Cubelic, analyst; Alyssa Lang, sidelines; Radio — UK Sports Network, 840 WHAS. Tom Leach, play by play; Jeff Piecoro, analyst; Dick Gabriel, sidelines.

The Line: Point spread Kentucky favored by 5.5 points; Over/Under total points 46.

The Last Time: The Wildcats defeated the Bulldogs, 27-17, in Lexington last season, the eighth straight time the home team has won in the series.

The Series: The teams have evenly split all 50 games in the series as well as the last eight. Kentucky has lost its last six trips to Starkville.

The Records: Kentucky is 5-3, winning its first five against Ball State, Eastern Kentucky, Akron, Vanderbilt and Florida before losing to Georgia, Missouri and Tennessee. MSU is 4-4. The Bulldogs beat Southeast Louisiana, Arizona, Western Michigan and Arkansas. They lost to LSU, South Carolina, Alabama and Auburn.

Player to Watch Kentucky: Although he struggled for the second time in three games, UK halfback Ray Davis leads the Southeastern Conference in rushing with 823 yards and three 100-yard games. But Georgia limited Davis to 59 yards in 15 carries and Tennessee did an even better job defending him as Davis had 42 yards in 16 carries against the Vols.

Player to Watch Mississippi State: Bulldogs quarterback Will Rogers is a fourth-year senior who has thrown 92 touchdowns passes in his career. Rogers is a 61% passer who has 10 TDs and 4 interceptions this season.

Sideline Storylines:

  • State halfback Jo'Quavious Marks has averaged better than six receptions per game against UK, including a nine-catch game for 57 yards in 2021.
  • State receiver Tulu Griffin is the only receiver in the SEC with a 250 yard game this season. He caught seven passed for 256 yards and a touchdown against South Carolina.
  • Jett Johnson, State's senior linebacker, leads the SEC with 84 tackles.
  • State ranks 12th in the SEC in passing yards per game at 197.8. In the final three years of Mike Leach, State averaged 327.8 ypg.
  • Kentucky quarterback Devin Leary delivered his best game of the season against Tennessee last week, setting season highs in completions (28), completion percentage (71.8) and yards (372).
  • Kentucky limited the Bulldogs to 33 yards rushing last season. State has averaged 155.8 yards rushing this season.
  • Kentucky needs one win to become bowl eligible for the eighth-straight season.
  • Kentucky has forced 11 turnovers in its first eight games. The last time UK forced more than 11 turnovers in its first eight games was 2017, when they forced 13.
  • UK has scored three defensive touchdowns this season, tied for the second-highest total in the nation.
  • The Wildcats are 1-1 on the road, winning at Vandy while losing at Georgia. They have two remaining road games — South Carolina and Louisville. State is 3-2 at home.

The Quote: Arnett talked about UK's current slide:

"Kentucky is coming off as difficult a three-game stretch as any team in the country. They know exactly who they are. They are physical (and) incredibly fundamentally sound.

"(Davis) is as electric of a back as I have seen all year. He is as explosive of a runner as we'll have faced up to this point."

The Pick: Kentucky 24, Mississippi State 20.

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