LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) -- This has not been the most pleasant season for the University of Kentucky football program.
The Wildcats lost all four Southeastern Conference home games. They sit in next-to-last place in the SEC. They need to win their final three games to secure bowl eligibility.
No surprise that UK coach Mark Stoops was asked at a recent press conference if he considered walking away from the job at the end of the season, even though his contract extends through the 2031 season. (Stoops said he would not walk away.)
On Saturday, the Wildcats have their shot to unleash any frustration against Murray State, a struggling FCS program that will travel to Lexington carrying a seven-game losing streak.
The Time: Saturday, 1:30 p.m., Kroger Field (61,000), Lexington, Ky.
How to Watch/Listen: TV — ESPN+ and SEC Network+ (Richard Cross, play by play; Charles Arbuckle, analyst); Radio — UK Sports Network, 840 AM WHAS (Tom Leach, play by play; Jeff Piecoro, analyst; Dick Gabriel, sidelines).
The Line: Point spread has Kentucky favored by 37 1/2 points. Over/under total points scored 49 1/2 points.
The Last Time: The Wildcats beat the Racers, 48-10, six years ago.
The Series: Kentucky leads, 2-0, also handling Murray 37-6 in 2003.
The Records: Murray is 1-9 and has lost seven straight games, the last three by a combine score of 170-49. Murray's only victory was 59-8 over Mississippi Valley State on Sept. 14. Kentucky is 3-6 overall and 1-6 in the SEC. The Wildcats have lost four straight. Their last victory was at Ole Miss on Sept. 28.
Player to Watch for Murray State: Racers' quarterback Jayden Johannsen completed 21 of 24 passes last week for 249 yards against Missouri State. On the season the Murray quarterback has thrown 10 interceptions with only seven scoring passes.
Player to Watch for Kentucky: Despite the Wildcats' inconsistencies at quarterback, receiver Dane Key ranks seventh in the SEC, averaging 70 yards per game. Key has 41 catches for 630 yards and two scores.
Sideline Storylines:
- Murray kicker James London has converted seven field goals of 50 yards or longer in his career, including two last week.
- Murray lost at Missouri, 51-0, on the opening week of the season, dropping the program's all-time record against SEC opponents to 0-10.
- Murray halfback Jewaun Northington starred at Manual High School in Louisville. Northington leads Murray in rushing with 472 yards on 94 carries with six touchdowns.
- Kentucky director of player development Dean Hood served as Murray's head coach from 2020-2023.
- Kentucky's defense ranks in the nation's top 25 in three categories - red-zone defense (9th), fewest first downs allowed (10th) and punt return defense (13th).
- The Wildcats have won 18 consecutive non-conference games during the regular season. Only Georgia (26) has won more.
- UK coach Mark Stoops said that he expected Brock Vandagriff to start at quarterback against the Racers. Vandagriff did not finish the Tennessee game after suffering a head injury.
The Quote: Murray coach Jody Wright believes the Wildcats have been razor close to celebrating a successful season:
"They played a great game on the road against a great team like Tennessee, in a real hostile environment, it's hostile anywhere you go on the road in the SEC, and they were toe-to-toe right to the end. Right now there's not a hotter team that Ole Miss, they went on the road and beat them. They played Georgia to a one-point game.
"They're a powerful team. Being in-state, we've got some guys on our team that know some of their players, and might've played against them in high school, so that'll be interesting to see. It'll be a challenge."
The Pick: Kentucky 42, Murray State 0.
Kentucky Football Coverage:
- CRAWFORD | If Stoops isn't stepping down (and he isn't), Kentucky needs to step up
- CRAWFORD | Kentucky digs deep, but doesn't have enough in 28-18 loss at No. 7 Tennessee
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