Kentucky Visits Top-Ranked Alabama Saturday
On the heels of an emotional week that culminated in a 38-35 victory over Vanderbilt the Kentucky football team draws a matchup with No. 1 Alabama in Tuscaloosa this Saturday afternoon. Game time is 4 p.m. EST (3 p.m. CST in Tuscaloosa) and it will be televised on the SEC Network.
Playing just two days after beloved offensive line coach John Schlarman died after a long battle with cancer, the Wildcats scored on their first five possessions and cruised to an emotional win that wasn’t as close as the final margin would indicate. The Cats improved to 3-4 overall and coach Mark Stoops became the school’s all-time leader in home victories.
UK running back Chris Rodriguez Jr. turned in his second consecutive bruising performance, rushing for a career-best 149 yards – his third 100-yard game of the season and second straight – while wearing No. 22 to honor teammate Chris Oats. Rodriguez also became the newest member of the school’s 1,000- yard career rushing yards club.
At Alabama, the train of sustained excellence continues to chug along. The Crimson Tide is undefeated, ranked No. 1 in both major polls and has piled up 156 victories since 2008, 15 more than any other program. The Tide has scored at least 38 points in every game this season.
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| Kentucky at Alabama | ||
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| Sat., Nov. 21 – 4 p.m. ET Bryant-Denny Stadium Tuscaloosa, Ala. Game Notes: UK | UA Digital Gameday Program Gameday App |
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TV: SEC Network |
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| UK | Team Stats | UA |
| 3-4 | Record | 6-0 |
| 3-4 | Conference Record | 6-0 |
| 23.3 | Scoring/game | 47.2 |
| 318.0 | Total offense/game | 555.2 |
| 195.0 | Rushing yards/game | 175.2 |
| 123.0 | Passing yards/game | 380.0 |
| 21.0 | Kickoff returns (avg) | 15.1 |
| 12.4 | Punt returns (avg) | 6.1 |
| 46.3 | Punting (avg) | 35.9 |
| 30:10 | Time of possession/game | 30:28 |
| 44.9% | Third down conversion | 57.4% |
| 37.5% | Fourth down conversion | 00.0% |
| 21.3 | Points allowed/game | 22.0 |
| 362.7 | Total yards allowed/game | 389.2 |
| 148.6 | Rush yards allowed/game | 160.6 |
| 214.1 | Pass yards allowed/game | 279.4 |
Cat Scratches: Football Cats Face Emotional Week, Ending with No. 1 Alabama
Kentucky is facing a challenging week in more ways that one.
On Monday, the team attended the funeral and a memorial service for offensive line coach John Schlarman who died last week. The emotions that go with that have been well-documented.
If that wasn’t enough to deal with, Kentucky also has a football game to play on Saturday. And the Cats happen to be visiting the number one team in the country, Alabama.
Kentucky head coach Mark Stoops addressed both issues during his Monday press conference…Read More
Series vs. Alabama
• Alabama leads the all-time series 37-2-1, including 10-0 in Tuscaloosa.
• Alabama has won the past six meetings, including 34-6 in Tuscaloosa in 2016, the last time these two programs faced each other.
• UK’s last win in the series was the epic 40-34 overtime victory in 1997 behind Heisman Trophy finalist Tim Couch.
• The first meeting between the schools came in 1917, a 27-0 Alabama win.
• The team also have played 12 total times in Birmingham (8) and Montgomery (4). Alabama is 11-0-1 in those meetings.
• Biggest UK win: 6 (twice; 1922, 1997)
• Biggest Alabama win: 45 (45-0) in 1980 in Birmingham.
• Games decided by eight points or less: Alabama leads 5-2-1.
• UK coach Mark Stoops is 0-2 vs. Alabama during his tenure.
Kentucky-Alabama Connections
• Kentucky has two players from state of Alabama: WR Allen Dailey Jr. (Pinson) and RB Kavosiey Smoke (Wetumpka).
• Alabama has one player from Kentucky: R-Freshman OL Tanner Bowles (Glasgow).
• UK defensive line coach Anwar Stewart had one of the most memorable plays in program history when he returned a blocked field goal 68 yards for a touchdown against No. 20 Alabama in 1997, helping send the game into overtime in UK’s dramatic 40-34 victory.
• UK co-offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach Darin Hinshaw and Alabama outside linebackers coach Sal Sunseri were on the same Tennessee coaching staff in 2012.
• UK inside linebackers coach Jon Sumrall and Alabama defensive line coach Freddie Roach coached together at Ole Miss in 2018.
A UK Win Would…
• Be UK’s second-ever win over a ranked Alabama team (1-18-1).
• Give UK its first win over a ranked Alabama team since 1997 when UK upset 20th-ranked Alabama, 40-34 in overtime in Lexington on Oct. 4.
• Give UK its fourth all-time win over a No. 1 ranked opponent and first since a 2007 victory over LSU in Lexington. UK also defeated No. 1 Oklahoma in the 1950 Sugar Bowl and No. 1 Ole Miss in 1964.
• Give UK its first win over a top-10 team since defeating No. 10 South Carolina in 2010, 31-28, in Lexington.
• Give Stoops 48 career victories at UK, moving him past Fran Curci (1973-81) for second on the school’s all-time list.
• Be the Cats’ second road victory of the season against a ranked opponent (34-7 win at No. 18 Tennessee, Oct. 14).
Kentucky vs. The Ranked
• Kentucky has played 254 ranked teams in the Associated Press Poll in its history. The Cats are 45-204-5 in those games.
• Since 2015, the Cats are 6-8 against ranked teams. The wins were over No. 18 Tennessee (2020), No. 12 Penn State, No. 14 Mississippi State and No. 25 Florida (2018), No. 11 Louisville (2016) and No. 25 Missouri (2015).
• UK is 1-18-1 vs. ranked Alabama teams, including 0-3 when the Crimson Tide is No. 1.
• UK’s last win over a ranked Alabama team was in 1997 on Oct. 4. The Cats defeated No. 20 Alabama, 40-34, in overtime on the strength of QB Tim Couch’s right arm.
• Alabama has been ranked No. 1 each of the past two times the teams have met (2013, 2016).
• UK’s last win over a ranked SEC team was at No. 18 Tennessee, 34-7, on Oct. 17, 2020 in Knoxville.
• The Cats’ last win over a top-10 ranked team was vs. No. 10 South Carolina in 2010 in Lexington (31-28).
• The Cats’ last win over a top-10 ranked team on the road was a 24-20 win over No. 4 Penn State in 1976.
• UK’s last win over a top-10 ranked SEC team on the road was in 1964 when the Cats upset No. 1 Ole Miss in Oxford, Miss., 27-21.
• UK is 3-13 vs. No. 1 teams. The Cats’ last win over a top-ranked team was in 2007 vs. LSU (43, 37 in 3 OT) in Lexington.
