Big Blue Preview: Kentucky vs. Murray State
Info to Know
| Kentucky vs. Murray State | When: Sat., Nov. 16, 1:30 p.m. ET | Where: Kroger Field, Lexington, Ky. | TV: SEC Network Plus/ESPN Plus | Radio: UK Sports Network |
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Preview
After having last weekend off, Kentucky returns to action this Saturday, hosting intrastate rival Murray State at Kroger Field. Kickoff is set for 1:30 p.m. ET and the game can be seen on SEC Network Plus and ESPN Plus.
In its last game, Kentucky battled nationally-ranked Tennessee, in Knoxville, before falling 28-18. UK is now 3-6 on the season.
Murray State enters Saturday’s game at 1-9. The Racers lost to Missouri 51-0 in their season opener and they are currently on a seven-game losing streak.
Cat Scratches: White Hopes UK Defense Will Take ‘Pride in Performance’
Kentucky has three football games remaining in the 2024 season, and the Cats are hoping to finish the campaign strong. It starts with a game against Murray State on Saturday at Kroger Field (1:30 ET, SEC Network Plus).
UK defensive coordinator Brad White spoke after Wednesday’s practice, and he discussed the message he has communicated to his unit during last week’s open date and during this week of practice.
“Execution, it’s about execution,” White said. “Football, especially defensively, it’s about tackling. You’ve got to be a great tackling football team, you’ve got to run around, you’ve got to strain. We’ve got to fit our run gaps correctly. Obviously, the explosives this year have been way too high, the number of them. We’ve played well in spurts but we’ve got to play consistent and it starts on Saturday.”
White wants his defense to take pride in how they play this week, and for the rest of the season…Read More
Kentucky vs. Murray State
The Series
• The two teams have only ever played each other twice in the all-time series, with Kentucky leading Murray State, 2-0.
• Both contests were played in Lexington, as UK defeated MSU, 37-6, in 2003 and again, 48-10, in 2018.
The Ties
• Dean Hood, the Wildcats’ director of player development since January 2024, returned to Lexington after serving four seasons (2020-23) as the head football coach at Murray State.
• Prior to MSU, Hood spent three seasons on UK head coach Mark Stoops’ staff as the special teams coordinator, while also coaching outside linebackers (2017) and defensive backs (2018-19).
• He announced his retirement from coaching on Jan. 1, 2024, completing a coaching career that spanned 37 years.
By the Numbers
1
Time this season a UK player has rushed for at least 100 yards in a game (Jamarion Wilcox vs. Tennessee)
9
Kentucky’s defense is ninth in the country in red zone defense
18
Consecutive regular season wins for Kentucky against nonconference opponents, the second-longest streak in the country (Georgia, 26)
120
Career receptions for UK wide receiver Dane Key. He needs 11 more catches to break into UK’s all-time top 10
377
Career points for UK kicker Alex Raynor, which is second in the nation among active players
