2022 [W4] Kentucky Looks Forward to Conference Opener

[Ezaco]

 

Kentucky Looking Forward to Top 10 Showdown

Kentucky is heading on the road for the first time this season as they open the 2022 season of the Southeastern Conference slate against Missouri. Kentucky is fresh off victories over Wake Forest and #1 Oklahoma, and now they are sporting the coveted titled of #1 in the nation. They're going to have a target on their back, though, as Missouri is going to be waiting with a fight, ranked #8 and with victories of their own over North Carolina and Rice. Both teams are going to be fully rested and ready to pounce after early Week 2 Byes.

 

Missouri, hosting the contest this year, looked absolutely dominant in their season opener against North Carolina. The 41-7 victory in Columbia featured an incredible 430 passing yards from Senior Quarterback Aaron Leamon, who paired up with Senior Wide Receiver Jakeem Erlin for a whopping 238 yards on just 10 catches. That rock star performance was followed up by another domination in Columbia over Rice. Leamon passed for 455 yards and 3 touchdowns, with two 100+ yard receivers in Erlin (again) and Senior Ryan DeLuca. If Missouri looked weak at all it was in 4 interceptions over those 2 games (3 against Rice), and a bit undisciplined with 9 penalties for 85 yards against North Carolina. They also gave up over 150 yards in rushing to the Tarheels, and over 200 to the Owls.

 

And this is the weakness Kentucky is going to look to exploit. Head Coach Jackson ("Jax") Payne announced early in the week a major change to the playbook for the Wildcats in a move from the old "Pro" style offense to a move into the Spread Option.

 

"You know last year we had one of the best quarterbacks in the country," Coach Jax said, "and Rashaan's off now to the NFL to do great things there. And we got Michael now who's stepped in to fill his shoes and we know he's ready, but Michael's got the legs to move around a bit more. And then, you know, we had Jalen as the best receiver in the country too, and he's graduated. I love our guys out there taking targets, but there's a Heisman candidate right there in the backfield in Kelvin Dupree. And we just need to put the ball in his hands, and Michael's hands, and trust them to do the right thing."

 

Even without that change, Dupree and Oliveros have made their mark. Dupree is coming off two straight 100+ rushing games against Wake Forest and Oklahoma. He even paired that with a 100+ yard receiving day against Wake Forest for over 200 total yards and accounting for 4 of Kentucky's 5 touchdowns that game. Against Oklahoma he accounted for all four of Kentucky's touchdowns, three on the ground and one in the air. Oliveros had almost 300 yards passing against the Demon Deacons, and did get more than 300 against the Sooners. But on the devil's side of that is a combined 5 interceptions as well. So Kentucky will look to pound the rock on the ground instead, where they have no turnovers yet this season.

 

For Kentucky they've already faced their first major test. Defeating the number one team in the country in the Oklahoma Sooners shakes off the 2021 Playoff Hangover that's already felled the national champion Tulsa Golden Hurricanes. But they're facing an opponent just as tough, now, and this time on the road. Missouri is rested and ready, with two games having prepped them. Kentucky has had a stuttering start, with a strong Week 0 game, then waiting a week for everyone else to catch up, then the toughest game of the year they'll probably play, followed by another stop and wait. The Wildcats are experienced and ready, but they're also young and chomping at the bit for a fight. Could the youngsters get overzealous and overplay themselves into a loss? Or will they keep the SEC at their mercy and open this year with an unheard of (in the Bluegrass at least) 10th straight SEC win.

[Piercewise1]

Great media! Love that graphic too!

[Ezaco]

UPDATE: Due to the recent poll and Kentucky taking an apparent loss during the Bye Week, this matchup will no longer be a #1 vs #8. Instead Kentucky has been dropped to #2, while Missouri has been upgraded to #7. Kentucky will continue to seek to play its first game as the #1 ranked team in the country, but it will not be versus Missouri.

 

We regret this error in the polls in our reporting and they should will endeavor to do better in the future.