No. 24 Kentucky and Missouri look to bounce back from SEC losses in East Division matchup

Thu, Oct 12, 2023
NCAAF News (AP)

Missouri (5-1, 1-1 SEC) at No. 24 Kentucky (5-1, 2-1), Saturday, 7:30 p.m. ET (SEC)

Line: Kentucky by 2 1/2, according to FanDuel.com Sportsbook.

Series: Kentucky leads 9-4.

WHAT'S AT STAKE

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Both teams aim to put disappointing losses behind them for different reasons. Kentucky was overwhelmed from the start in a 51-13 rout by top-ranked Georgia, while Missouri yielded 14 points in the final three minutes to lose 49-39 to No. 23 LSU. The Tigers also look to avenge last year's 21-17 loss in Columbia.

KEY MATCHUP

Missouri quarterback Brady Cook vs. Kentucky's secondary. Cook completed 30 of 47 passes for 411 yards and two touchdowns with two interceptions in the LSU game. He's the SEC's No. 3 passer with 310.5 yards per game and is second with 13 TD passes. Kentucky was lit up for 389 yards by Georgia's Carson Beck and ranks a spot below Mizzou in SEC pass defense at 257 yards per contest. But the Wildcats rank second with six interceptions, including four by cornerback Maxwell Hairston, who returned two for TDs at Vanderbilt. Hairston is tied for the SEC lead in picks and has 131 return yards. Hairston's 41 stops (33 solo) lead the team.

PLAYERS TO WATCH

Missouri receiver Luther Burden III leads the nation with 132.2 yards per game and 793 total. The sophomore made 11 catches for 149 yards in the LSU loss and has caught at least 10 passes for 140 yards or more in each of the past three contests. Burden has five TDs.

Kentucky running back Ray Davis rushed for just 59 yards on 15 carries at Georgia but added a receiving TD to remain the SEC's scoring leader with 72 points. He has rushed for eight scores and is tied for ninth in FBS rushing with 653 yards.

FACTS AND FIGURES

Missouri sits just outside the AP Top 25 with 69 votes. ... Missouri running back Cody Schrader carried 11 times for 114 yards against LSU and is the SEC's No. 3 rusher at 96.2 yards per game. His 577 yards and six TDs are second to Davis. ... Missouri is outscoring opponents by 7.7 points per game. ... Kentucky has scored the second-most points in SEC play but allowed the third most (91-93). ... The Wildcats are top-45 in scoring (33.0 points, 41st) and scoring defense (21.2, 42nd). ... Kentucky has won 17 of its last 21 night games at home. ... The Wildcats have won seven of the past eight meetings.

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AP college football: https://apnews.com/hub/college-football and https://apnews.com/hub/ap-top-25-college-football-poll