It took Kentucky a little time to get going but the Wildcats found a rhythm in the second half against Mississippi State on Saturday night. The defense was solid all night as they have been most of the season against an upper lechon offense, however, the offense started a little sluggish. It was when the Wildcats found an old friend that they were able to start rolling.
Of course, by old friend I’m referring to the running game. It makes it a lot easier when you have running back Chris Rodriguez going on all cylinders. Once coordinator Rich Scangarello fully committed to leaning on the superstar senior, the rest of the offense took off. With this, the Wildcats may have found their winning formula as they continue through the toughest and most crucial part of the schedule.
This will only make quarterback Will Levis’s job that much easier. The future pro has taken a beating all season and tonight was no exception, at one point needing to go to the locker room to get a shoulder injury checked out. Establishing the running game and leaning more on it will not only take some heat off of Levis, but it will open up the passing game as well.
The offensive line did look improved in this game, especially in the run game and in fairness, only allowed one sack. One improvement could be chalked up to what looked like a sprinkling in of more power and pulling concepts in with the traditional zone blocking this offense is known for. Credit that to the offensive staff for making the adjustments that led to the success of the offense against the Bulldogs.
Now Kentucky gets a much-needed bye-week as they prepare for Tennessee in two weeks. Speaking of the Volunteers, Josh Heupel’s squad made a statement on Saturday evening picking up an impressive win over the Crimson Tide of Alabama; the first in 15 years. With the Volunteers facing Tennessee-Martin next week the chances are high that they will be 7-0 and in the top five, quite possibly top three when the Wildcats come to Knoxville.
That leaves the question, what are Kentucky’s chances in two weeks? Tennessee will certainly be considerable favorites going into this game. The Volunteers have one of the best offenses in the country, seemingly scoring at will all season. That being said, the Wildcats have one of the better defenses in the SEC. Kentucky was able to stifle a Mississippi State offense that runs an Air-Raid scheme that is not that different than what they run in Knoxville.
However, as good as Will Rogers has been, Hendon Hooker is on another level. Tennessee also has better athletes in their skill positions than what the Bulldogs are able to boast. That being said, Brad White has been successful scheming against this style of attack. The frantic pace that Tennessee plays is troublesome for any defense in the nation, however, if there is one that matches up with the Volunteers, it is Kentucky.
Tennessee also shows some weakness in the secondary on defense which bodes well if your Kentucky, who boasts electric playmakers at wide receiver. Can the offensive line give Levis time to find his weapons? Can the Wildcats dominate on the ground the way they like to do? Those will be the biggest questions for Kentucky on offense.
If they can, they can give Tennessee a tough matchup, especially if the defense can find a way to slow down this Tennessee offensive juggernaut. Maybe Kentucky relies heavily on the running game, slows down the pace and keeps the Tennessee offense of the field as much as possible. Is that the formula for success for the Wildcats? Time will tell.
There is no sugar coating this for the big blue nation, beating Tennessee is going to be a tall task. However, this is an emotional game for both programs. One might say, the type of game where you throw the records out of the window. This game could go many different directions. That being said, no team is unbeatable, Alabama proved that today.
At the end of the day, you are looking at two top 25 teams that really don’t like each other. Rivalry games are unpredictable and this one is no exception. For Kentucky, this game is crucial in order to have any shot of competing for the eastern division crown. This is also a chance for the Wildcats to make a statement of their own. What a statement that would be to come out with a win in rocky top.
Larry Spicer will produce a weekly column covering both the University of Kentucky Basketball and Football programs for the L4 Security 13th Region Media Network. He is a resident of Corbin, and is married with two daughters. He is a communications major at Eastern Kentucky University and has covered football from the NFL to College since 2017.
