UK’s Snell 207 yards from career rushing record. How important is it to get it done Saturday?

Hanging over Benny Snell’s bed is a list of goals he has for the season.

Somewhere near the top of that list is to become Kentucky’s career rushing leader.

While that seemed like an abstract number a few months ago as the season was kicking off, Snell’s quest to chase down Sonny Collins’ 43-year-old record is now within reach this week.

The junior running back needs just 207 yards to best Collins and sit atop the record book at Kentucky with 3,836 yards.

When told just how close Snell is to that record, Cats Coach Mark Stoops said last week: “Well, we better get going.”

Snell doesn’t seem to be stressed about checking another goal off the list above his bed.

“I look at them and always keep them in my mind,” he said as Kentucky prepares this week for the regular-season finale at Louisville on Saturday. “I’m always thinking about them. I like letting stuff happen. When I’m on the field, letting Benny be Benny. … I don’t want to try and force it.”

While Snell has been prolific in his three seasons at Kentucky, he’s done it with consistency, not necessarily huge yardage games. The lone 200-plus yard game of his career came last season against Louisville when he totaled 211 yards and two touchdowns on 29 carries.

He got close at Missouri his freshman season when he amassed 192 yards on 38 carries with two touchdowns.

The most yards Snell has run for this season was 175 at Florida. He’s gotten more than 160 yards three times in 2018, versus Florida, Vanderbilt (169) and Mississippi State (165).

But is he concerned about getting 207 in one game?

“I’m not thinking about it like that because I know I still have another game,” said Snell, who has averaged 98.1 yards per game in his Kentucky career and 109.5 a game this season.

That begs the question: Is Snell planning to play in whatever bowl UK ends up playing in with a likely leap to the NFL Draft in his near future?

Snell said the NFL jump is a decision he hasn’t fully made and doesn’t plan to discuss until about a week after the Louisville game and then after the bowl game.

Players with professional hopes sometimes sit out their final bowl game to avoid serious injuries. Snell will consult with family, coaches and teammates, but sounded like a player wanting to play in the postseason.

“I want to play,” he said Tuesday night. “I like playing every game. I’m a football player, it’s what I do. I plan on playing.”

But right now Kentucky (8-3) is focused on getting a ninth win, topping a rival and getting into the best bowl game possible.

Eddie Gran said he won’t be worrying getting Snell extra carries to get the record.

“If he gains 80 yards Saturday and we win and we’re 9-3, he’s going to be ecstatic,” UK’s offensive coordinator said of Snell. “I don’t have to talk to him about that.”

However, if the record is close for Snell versus the Cardinals, and a UK staffer tells Gran that his star running back needs 22 yards to get there, “then we’re going to leave him in there and get it.”

Louisville (2-9) has struggled to stop the run this season, allowing 271.6 yards a game. Only five other teams in the country are giving up more.

Cardinals’ foes are averaging just short of 6 yards per carry and have scored 35 times on the ground.

Containing Snell is going to be a huge challenge, interim head coach Lorenzo Ward acknowledged.

“We’ve got to tackle better, that’s for sure,” Ward said. “We haven’t totally finished off plays with good tackles, and we’ve got to get a lot of hands to the ball, especially this week because we know they’re going to feed the ball to Benny, which they should.

“If you look at the way we stopped the run this season, then I’ll be running the running back as well. We’ve got to come up with a plan to make them have to beat us throwing the football.”

Ward has watched tons of tape on Snell through the past three seasons and sees a more complete running back this season.

“He’s just not ramming it up in there,” Ward said of the junior. “He’s trying to find open gaps, and then, he hits it. He has no problem balancing the football. He moves well. He’s physical. He drives his legs on contact.”

It’s clear that Snell has “worked on his patience,” Ward said.

That patience applies off the field, too, as the running back has patiently stalked a rushing record that is now in view.

Just 207 yards away.

“I try to hold myself back from being too excited” about it, Snell said. “I really look forward to it. … I’m focused on getting my offense, getting my team together and going to Louisville and playing our best football.”

Saturday

No. 15 Kentucky at Louisville

When: 7 p.m.

TV: ESPN2