Mississippi State is back home for the first time in nearly a month Saturday as the Bulldogs (4-4, 1-4 Southeastern Conference) host Kentucky (5-3, 2-3) at Davis Wade Stadium for a 6:30 p.m. kickoff on SEC Network.
The Wildcats started the season 5-0, highlighted by a blowout win over former longtime nemesis Florida, but have lost their last three games against the top of the SEC East — Georgia, Missouri and Tennessee. To learn more about this Kentucky team, The Commercial Dispatch chatted with Jon Hale, who covers the Wildcats for the Lexington Herald-Leader.
Editor’s note: This conversation has been lightly edited for clarity and brevity.
The Commercial Dispatch: Kentucky started 5-0 and has now lost three straight as the schedule got a lot more difficult. Has anything changed for the Wildcats during this stretch, or is it just a product of the level of competition?
Jon Hale: Kentucky was definitely inconsistent even during the 5-0 start, so the level of competition has been the biggest issue. The defense in particular has looked much more vulnerable against better teams. The good news if you’re a Kentucky fan is there were some significant signs of progress against Tennessee. For the first time all season, the passing attack looked dangerous for a full game. The team has also shown impressive resiliency, refusing to roll over even after some early adversity in that game with the pressure of the losing streak mounting.
The Dispatch: What does Devin Leary bring to the table that makes him so tough to defend?
Hale: Before the Tennessee game, there was really no way to describe Leary’s season as anything but a disappointment. Dropped passes and protection issues certainly played into some of his inconsistency, but he had too many really troubling misses on passes to open receivers too. Against Tennessee, Leary finally looked like the quarterback Kentucky thought it was getting in the transfer portal. At his best, he has the accuracy to throw into tight windows. While he doesn’t have the same arm strength as Will Levis, he can make all the throws he needs to be successful. He’s not a threat to run often, but he scrambled a couple of times when plays broke down to keep the chains moving.
The Dispatch: Leary aside, what will be the biggest challenges Mississippi State’s defense will face on Saturday?
Hale: Tennessee clearly decided to sell out to stop Kentucky’s rushing attack. That strategy worked since the Volunteers won the game, but the passing attack was strong enough to make future opponents think twice about duplicating the plan. Otherwise, running back Ray Davis has looked like one of the best backs in the SEC. He still leads the league in rushing yards per game even after an off night against Tennessee and is a threat as a receiver. He’s on pace to shatter Kentucky’s single-season touchdowns record. The receiver play has been disappointing for much of the year, but sophomores Dane Key, Barion Brown, Jordan Dingle and Josh Kattus stepped up in a big way against Tennessee.
The Dispatch: What do you make of Kentucky’s defense this year, and what does it need to do to slow down the Bulldogs’ offense?
Hale: It’s a pretty typical Kentucky defense under Mark Stoops and Brad White, but injuries have taken a toll on the depth recently. They generally do a good job limiting big plays and stopping the run. Tennessee found success in both those areas though, so it will be interesting to see if that was a product of Tennessee’s unique scheme or struggles that will carry over for Kentucky. Defensive tackle Deone Walker might be a first-round draft pick in a year. Linebacker Trevin Wallace looked like a star early in the season when healthy but has been bothered by an injury recently. The secondary has been pretty boom-or-bust with some big interceptions but also mistakes in coverage.
The Dispatch: Kentucky will win if…
Hale: The defense bounces back and Devin Leary builds on his Tennessee performance.
The Dispatch: Kentucky will lose if…
Hale: If the defense plays like it did against Tennessee and the passing attack progress proves to be fool’s gold.
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Quality, in-depth journalism is essential to a healthy community. The Dispatch brings you the most complete reporting and insightful commentary in the Golden Triangle, but we need your help to continue our efforts. In the past week, our reporters have posted 28 articles to cdispatch.com. Please consider subscribing to our website for only $2.30 per week to help support local journalism and our community.
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