Big Blue Preview: Kentucky vs. Northern Illinois

Preview

No. 8/9 Kentucky will finish its two-game homestretch by taking part in host to Northern Illinois on Saturday for Household Weekend in Kroger Subject, when the Wildcats look to defend its nation-leading streak of 18 straight nonconference wins. Just like final weekend, it would mark the primary all-time assembly between the Wildcats and the Huskies. In the meantime, it’s Kentucky’s final non-Energy 5 opponent of the common season and its final nonconference matchup earlier than embarking on seven straight Southeastern Convention appointments, starting with a highway journey to ranked Ole Miss.

The Wildcat protection, which has restricted its opponents to zero factors over the past six quarters, will proceed to play a big position if Kentucky goes to outlast Northern Illinois. A 4-0 report on the season would mark simply the third time within the head coach Mark Stoops period that Kentucky has gotten off to pretty much as good of a begin.

Cat Scratches: White Is aware of UK Protection Nonetheless Has Room to Enhance

From the skin, it seems that the Kentucky protection is on the high of its sport. The Cats appear to be doing many, if not all, of the proper issues.

Kentucky shut out Youngstown State 31-0 on Saturday, the primary time UK has blanked an opponent since 2009 (Miami College). It was the Cats’ first dwelling shutout since blanking Vanderbilt in 1996.

Going again to the Florida sport, Kentucky has not allowed a degree in additional than six quarters. Actually, it has been 95 minutes and 49 seconds of sport time since anybody has scored on the UK protection.

The Cats are at present twelfth within the nation in scoring protection via three video games, permitting simply 9.67 factors per contest. UK is 14th within the nation in whole protection, surrendering simply 253.7 yards per sport.

All of that is unbelievable, however UK defensive coordinator Brad White is aware of that it’s nonetheless early and there are nonetheless loads of issues that his unit can do higher…Learn Extra

A UK Win Would…

• Be its first towards Northern Illinois, in its first all-time assembly with the Huskies.
• Enhance UK to 35-7-1 (2-0 this season) vs NIU’s Mid-American Convention. The Cats haven’t misplaced to a MAC workforce since falling to Ohio, 28-16, on Oct. 2, 2004 in Lexington. UK defeated Miami earlier this season, 37-13.
• Be the third timme within the head coach Mark Stoops period that Kentucky has gotten off to a 4-0 begin to the season, additionally 2018 and 2021.
• Prolong Stoops’ all-time successful report at Kentucky to 63 and his all-time successful report at dwelling to 44.
• Prolong UK’s nonconference win streak to 19 video games, longest energetic streak within the nation.
• Be UK’s fourth straight win at Kroger Subject, courting again to 2021

Nice Dane

• Via week three, freshman huge receiver Dane Key has caught 13 passes for a team-leading 226 yards and three touchdowns.
• Key’s three landing catches already ties this system’s freshman single-season report, becoming a member of Derek Abney in 2000 and Tommy Cook dinner in 2001.
• The final Wildcat with a landing catch within the first three video games of a season was La’Rod King in 2011.
• Key additionally turned the one true freshman at UK, since freshmen had been granted eligibility in 1972, to report receiving touchdowns in every of his first two collegiate video games and the primary freshman since Derek Abney (2000) to catch a minimum of two scores via his first two video games (Abney had a pair of TD catches vs. South Florida in his debut).
• The rookie is fifth within the Southeastern Convention in yards per reception with 17.38.
• Key snagged a 55-yard landing at Florida, with a extremely contested leaping catch, to earn SEC Freshman of the Week honors for his spectacular efficiency in The Swamp

By the Numbers

0
Factors allowed by Kentucky in final week’s 31-0 win over Youngstown State. It was UK’s first shutout since 2009 and the primary dwelling shutout since 1996

2
Touchdowns allowed by the UK protection via three video games

18
Consecutive non-conference wins for Kentucky, the longest streak within the nation

27
Interceptions by Kentucky since 2020, rating second within the SEC

200
Factors scored by UK kicker Matt Ruffolo, which ranks sixth in class historical past