Kentucky Wildcats 4-0 @ Alabama Crimson Tide 5-0
Line: Alab -16.5
Both Kentucky and Alabama come into Saturday undefeated on the season, but with different levels of national respect. Kentucky has largely won their games against grossly inferior opponents. While Alabama has beaten two top ten teams at the time convincingly, including last weekend's domination of Georgia on the road.
Kentucky Offense vs Alabama Defense
Kentucky has not suffered from a lack of offense so far this season despite the heavy losses at the skill positions from last year. QB Michael Hartline has performed well, but he is aided by an improved Wildcat rush attack averaging 170 ypg. Kentucky out gained Western Kentucky by 241 total yards last week.
The Alabama defense has been dominant mostly because of their defensive line. DT Terrance "Mount" Cody is a force at 365 lbs on the inside. Last week, the Tide defense dominated a young Georgia offensive line disrupting both the running and passing games en route to shutting out the Bulldogs in the first half.
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Alabama is allowing just 55 rush yards per game due to their line and the fact that everyone has been playing from behind. The back seven is good, but not great and has yet to be tested.
Key: Will Alabama's D-Line dictate what Kentucky can do of offense just like they have done to everyone else?
Alabama Offense vs. Kentucky Defense
Just like on the defensive side of the ball, the Alabama offensive line is leading the way for a punishing ground game averaging 215 ypg. QB John Parker Wilson had the best game of his career against Georgia going 13-16. The running back tandem of Mark Ingram and Glen Coffee is averaging 5.2 yards per clip.
Kentucky is no slouch on defense and is giving up just 227 ypg total, 32 yards less than Alabama. But the Wildcats have done it against much less competition. Still, this defense is much improved over last years unit which had to rely on the offense to score 35 plus every game.
Key: Is this Kentucky Defense physical enough to match Alabama?
Prediction
Alabama 30-Kentucky 17
Kentucky Covers
Last Week: 2-1 ATS, 1-2 SU
Season: 13-5-1 ATS, 12-7 SU
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2 months ago
i think this 1 will be over i the first half with alabamas offense.
2 months ago
That is what LSU thought last year. Who won that again? I do think that Bama is more talented then last year's LSU team. I do not however think that it will be a blowout like some Bama fans think it will be. I happen to like how Bama fans love there football like UK loves there baseketball.
from 2 months ago
You can bet that Saban is reminding his players of the Kentucky game too.
2 months ago
I am banking on a physical let down for alabama. it is really hard to get up for two straight weeks, especially when you feel one opponent is inferior to you.
2 months ago
At the beginning of the week I was kinda worried about this game, but after reading all week what Saban has been putting the players through and their attitude towards this game, I doubt it will be close. I expect Alabama to take the lead early and roll with it, but if there is a let down it'll be late in the game when it's all over with. 38-20 with Kentucky scoring a late tocuchdown.
2 months ago
I don't understand the 16 point spread. Kentucky's defense has been very good. Alabama's offense has played well, but they are still young. I don't think they can just put it in cruise control and mow anybody down. They have to play with emotion, like they did against Georgia. I think Alabama is better than Kentucky, but they were probably better than La-Monroe last year, too. Bama wins, but it will look more like Tulane than Georgia.
from 2 months ago
Rob, Kentucky hasn't beat anybody yet. Let's see how the defense plays against Alabama today.
from 2 months ago
Lou: I'd say Kentucky's defense played pretty good!!! bama gets one fluke td on Coffee's 77 yard run and that's about it. Amusing that all the bama people razz Auburn over the Tenn qb fumbling into the endzone, and then the next week bama wins against Kentucky on almost the exact same play. Irony is a mighty sour mouthful, ain't it.
Congrats on being 6-0.
2 months ago
Everybody is underestimating this Kentucky team. Don't be surprised if it is a shocker. I don't see it happening but it can on any given Saturday. Look at what ole miss did last week. Did anybody think that Ole Miss would win? No they didn't.
2 months ago
I think people are getting a little too excited about John Parker Wilson. He's playing with a lead, that's all. Whenever a QB has a great defense and a solid O-line, his stats are going to go way up. When those two thing break down, any QB's stats go South in a hurry. JPW was never as bad as people used to say and he's not as good as people think now.
My point is this. Alabama has been winning this thing in the trenches. Their only skill player who looks like a grade A SEC competitor is Julio Jones, and he's young. JPW's not going to carry this team on his back if the defense or O-line falters. Just not that kind of talent.
from 2 months ago
I disagree with you Lou on the lack of skill players. I think that Coffee and Ingram and Upchurch have stepped up and shown their ability to produce. Who can forget the play of Nick Walker in the Clemson game. I haven't seen that kind of play from Walker sense he's been at Bama.
I'm not sure what your definition of a "grade A SEC competitor "is but I believe this Bama team is loaded with skilled players depending on what the defense throws at the Tide gives the opportunity for such players to excell.
I wouldn't call JPW a great Qb as much as I would call JPW a much improved QB who is playing smart football. Making good decisions and making few mistakes, with many thanks to the O-line.
2 months ago
Almost everyone outside of the state of Alabama (and some in the state) is expecting Alabama to come crashing back to "reality" on any given Saturday. No matter what happens, this team has been special. Nick Saban has done a great job with a very young team, and the future is bright for the Crimson Tide. Not many of the Alabama faithful really expected to be 5-0 going into the Kentucky game, but here we are. I believe the coaches will have the Tide ready to avoid a letdown simply because this is an important SEC contest, and Bama has the ever looming reminder of last season's demise after a pretty fair start. Lou's statement is true, JPW has played with a lead in every game. I do think he has matured, and I think this year's offense is better suited for him than any he has played in since his Hoover High days. He has played smart and under control, unlike the end of last season, and I hope that kind of play continues. The Kentucky defense will be the best defense Bama has faced all season, and this game will reveal much about the ability of the Tide offense. I look forward to a great game today. Roll Tide!
2 months ago
Jim Bob wrote:
"I disagree with you Lou on the lack of skill players. I think that Coffee and Ingram and Upchurch have stepped up and shown their ability to produce. Who can forget the play of Nick Walker in the Clemson game. I haven't seen that kind of play from Walker sense he's been at Bama.
I'm not sure what your definition of a "grade A SEC competitor "is but I believe this Bama team is loaded with skilled players depending on what the defense throws at the Tide gives the opportunity for such players to excell.
I wouldn't call JPW a great Qb as much as I would call JPW a much improved QB who is playing smart football. Making good decisions and making few mistakes, with many thanks to the O-line."
Wilson, Coffee, Ingram, Upchurch and Lester are very good players. Good enough to win a National Championship. My point is that Bama's skill position players don't "Wow" you. Just off the top of my head, I would list those players in the SEC as follows: Stafford, Moreno, Tebow, Harvin, Brandon James, Scott at LSU. I would put Julio Jones right in there with a lot of new exciting skill players like Snead at Ole Miss and Depp and Rainey at Florida.
Bama's is separating itself from the rest of the SEC with its play in the trenches. I mean this as a compliment. Skill players tend to be streaky. Dominating through line play is a more consistent winning strategy.
As far as JPW, its easy for a QB to make decisions when he plays with a lead. He has great protection and gets to pick his spots to make a long throw.
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2 months ago
alabama did what was necessary to win a game when the didn't play their best. this is what good teams do. it is so tough to get up every week to play at the level they were at last week at georgia. i don't necessarily think bama took kentucky lightly but, they just couldn't match the intensity level of last week. jpw was due for an off game, especially after last week arguably on his best performances ever. alabama got through a tough team with a win despite not playing their best. kudos to saban and company.
2 months ago
I understand you now Lou about the "wow" factor. I was WOWED today watching Bama play. I was wondering wow, is this the team that played Ga, Ark & Clemson so tough or the team that squeaked by Tulane. All your points well taken.
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