Big Blue Preview: Kentucky at Ole Miss
Info to Know
| Kentucky at Ole Miss | When: Sat., Sept. 28, Noon ET | Where: Vaught-Hemingway Stadium, Oxford, Miss. | TV: ABC | Radio: UK Sports Network |
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Preview
After beating Ohio 41-6 last week, Kentucky hits the road for the first time this season, visiting fifth-ranked Ole Miss at Vaught-Hemingway Stadium in Oxford, Miss.
Kentucky got a pair of touchdown runs from Demie Sumo-Karngbaye in the win over Ohio. Wide receiver Dane Key caught seven passes for 145 yards, which was a career high. With the win, the Cats evened their record at 2-2 on the season.
Ole Miss has won all four of its games and leads the nation in both scoring offense (55 ppg) and scoring defense (5.0 ppg). Lane Kiffin’s Rebels also lead the nation in total offense, averaging 670.8 yards per game.
Cat Scratches: Cats’ Defense Must Have Focus, Execution to Slow Down Rebels
Kentucky defensive coordinator Brad White knows that he and his unit have a big challenge in front of them this weekend. The Cats visit fifth-ranked Ole Miss, and the Rebels’ offense has been potent, to say the least, through four games.
Ole Miss averages 55 points and 670 yards per game. They lead the nation in both of those categories. White knows that the Cats will need to carry over their solid play from recent games as they face Ole Miss.
“It’s just another challenge, it’s another week. We’re going to have a lot of these throughout the year,” White said. “The goal is focus, execution, all the way through practice, in the meeting rooms, take it out, unwavering effort and take it series by series. We did that against Georgia, I thought we did a nice job carrying that over last week against Ohio. We need to continue to do that. I think the guys understand the challenge. When it’s 670 yards a game, 55 points, 420 in the air, 250 on the ground. They’ve got weapons all over the place, they’ve got a big offensive line, a quarterback that’s playing at a really, really elite level. We know we’ve got to be at our best.”
This will also be Kentucky’s first road game of the year, and it comes with an early kickoff. Those are both things that the Cats must account for in their preparation…Read More
Kentucky vs. Ole Miss
The Series
• Kentucky trails the series with Ole Miss, 30-14-1, including 9-2 in Oxford.
• Each of the past three meetings – 2017, 2020, 2022 – have been thrillers, decided by a combined 10 points.
• The last time the two teams played, which also was in Oxford, the Wildcats lost to the Rebels, 22-19, in 2022.
• The Wildcats have not won in Oxford since a 24-17 triumph in 1978.
The Ties
• Kentucky’s roster has one player from the Magnolia State in defensive lineman Josaih Hayes (Horn Lake).
• Ole Miss’ roster has one player from the Bluegrass State in Louisville transfer receiver Jordan Watkins (Louisville).
By the Numbers
2
Times that Kentucky has beaten Ole Miss in Oxford, in 11 tries (1949 and 1978)
6
Career interceptions for Maxwell Hairston, the most of any current UK player
11
Interceptions returned for touchdowns since 2020 by the Cats, tied for the most in the FBS over that span
17
Tackles for Zion Childress through three games, the most on the team
1,419
Career receiving yards for Dane Key, which is 15th in UK history. Key needs 89 yards to break into the top 10 of that list.
