Big Blue Preview: Kentucky at Texas A&M
Info to Know
| Kentucky vs. Texas A&M | When: Sat., Sept. 19, 3:30 p.m. ET | Where: Kyle Field, College Station, Texas | TV: ESPN | Radio: UK Sports Network |
Preview
After falling for the first time this season last weekend, Kentucky returns to action on Saturday, hitting the road for the first time. The Cats will battle No. 9 Texas A&M in College Station at 3:30 ET (ESPN).
Kentucky won its season opener over Youngstown State, but lost to No. 12 Alabama last week in Lexington. Through two games, quarterback Kenny Minchey has passed for 447 yards and five touchdowns, while Jason Patterson leads the Cats with 131 yards rushing.
Texas A&M is off to a 2-0 start, having beaten Missouri State (50-0) and Arizona State (48-20) both at Kyle Field.
Kentucky and Texas A&M have met just three times, with the Aggies winning two of the three contests.
Cat Scratches: Stein, Cats Must ‘Turn the Page’
Kentucky lost for the first time this season on Saturday, falling to Alabama at Kroger Field. UK head coach Will Stein has watched the tape and he knows that everyone in the Joe Craft Football Training Facility must get better, including himself.
“We’ve got to play better,” Stein said. “There’s lots to learn from the tape. It really starts with me. I’ve got to do a better job as head coach, get these guys really prepared to finish games. I think that’s the big thing – finishing games.”
After scoring 17 points in the first half against the Tide, the UK offense was blanked in the second half. Stein knows that his offensive unit must play better…Read More
Week Threee: Texas A&M
The Series
• Kentucky will hit the road for the first time this season with a trip Texas A&M.
• The Wildcats are 1-2 all-time versus the Aggies, including 1-1 in Bryan-College Station.
• Texas A&M has won the last two meetings, most recently a 20-14 overtime win in 2018.
• This will be just the fourth all-time meeting between Kentucky and Texas A&M and the second in eight years.
• In 1952 when UK earned its lone win in the series and visited Kyle Field, the stadium had a single deck and fewer than 40,000 seats. It now seats 102,733, making it the fourth-largest in the country and biggest outside the Big Ten.
• UK went 7-2-1 during that 1953 season, which was Paul “Bear” Bryant’s last in Lexington Ironically, Bryant left for Texas A&M after the 1953 season.
• The Aggies have opened to a 2-0 start, including a 48-20 win over Arizona State in their last outing.
• Texas A&M has outgained its opponents 328-152 in rushing yards.
• The Aggies have forced five total turnovers and have outgained opponents by 162 total yards of offense thus far.
By the Numbers
3
Number of Kentucky tight ends who have caught touchdown passes this season (Willie Rodriguez, Henry Boyer, Mikkel Skinner)
8
Receptions by Rodriguez against Alabama last week, setting a new career high
18
Where Kentucky ranks in sacks per game nationally (3.0 per contest)
68
Yards needed for C.J. Baxter to reach 1,000 career rushing yards
177
Career tackles for Ty Bryant, including a team-high 10 last week against Alabama
