Murray State seems unamused by UK’s ‘horsey’ mascot caper

Quick hitters from the Walker Buehler fan club meeting:

21. The Murray State “mascot.” Twitter was aflame last Saturday during Kentucky’s 48-10 football victory over Murray State when video was tweeted out of a goofy-looking “horse” walking the sidelines at Kroger Field that was portrayed by some as the Racers’ mascot.

20. Setting the record straight. During the game, the MSU Athletics’ Twitter feed quickly disavowed the mystery mascot that looked like something from a 1950s TV children’s show. “We don’t know this horse,” @MSURacers tweeted.

19. The real Murray mascots. Two days after the football game, @MSU Sports tagged ESPN, “SportsCenter” and the SEC Network while tweeting out pictures of the school’s two actual mascots, one a costumed character known as “Dunker” and the second a real horse known as “Racer 1.”

18. Who was the fake mascot? The University of Kentucky student newspaper, the Kentucky Kernel, reported that the mystery “horse” was the work of UK’s cheerleading mascots. A Kentucky sports publicist told the Kernel it was all “a good-natured effort to have fun and engage our fans.”

17. Murray State not amused? On Wednesday, I called a Murray State publicist to get the Racers’ view on the great “horse costume caper.” He refused public comment.

16. Mark Stoops. If Kentucky can upset No. 14 Mississippi State on Saturday night at Kroger Field, it would do more than give the sixth-year UK head coach his first signature victory in Lexington. It would also allow Stoops to break a tie with Hal Mumme in a significant Kentucky coaching statistical category.

15. Wins over ranked teams. When Kentucky upset No. 25 Florida two Saturdays ago, it was Stoops’ third victory as Kentucky head man over a foe ranked in The Associated Press Top 25. Under Stoops, UK also beat No. 25 Missouri in 2015 and won at No. 11 Louisville in 2016.

14. Joker Phillips. Had one victory over a ranked opponent in his three seasons (2010-12) as UK head man, a win over No. 10 South Carolina in 2010.

13. Rich Brooks. In seven seasons (2003-09) as Kentucky head man, Brooks beat two ranked foes — No. 9 Louisville and No. 1 LSU in 2007.

12. Guy Morriss. Had one win against a ranked team in his two seasons (2001-02) as UK coach, winning at No. 17 Louisville in 2002.

11. Hal Mumme. In four years (1997-2000) at Kentucky, Mumme also had three victories over ranked teams — No. 20 Alabama in 1997; at No. 21 LSU in 1998; No. 20 Arkansas in 1999.

10. Bill Curry. Over seven seasons (1990-96) as Wildcats coach, had one Top 25 win, beating No. 25 Mississippi in 1993.

9. Jerry Claiborne. Had two wins vs. ranked foes — No. 19 Wisconsin in 1984, No. 11 Georgia in 1988 — in eight seasons (1982-89) as Kentucky head man.

8. Fran Curci. You have to go back to Curci’s tenure (1973-82) to find a Kentucky coach with more victories over ranked foes than the three Mark Stoops has now. Curci had nine such wins, with four in 1976 and three in 1977.

7. Bobby Petrino. It seems unnatural to see Petrino-directed Louisville ranked No. 119 in the country this week in total offense (307.7 yards a game).

6. Russ Yeast. Through three games, the U of L sophomore cornerback and son of ex-UK star wide receiver Craig Yeast has one tackle.

5. Louisville basketball. I was among those who thought the uncertainty hanging over the Louisville men’s basketball program due to U of L’s link to the FBI probe of shady financial practices in college hoops recruiting would make it all but impossible for the Cardinals to attract talented players before that investigation is resolved.

4. Chris Mack. In landing class of 2019 verbal commitments from four-star prospects in guard Josh Nickelberry and forwards Jae’lyn Withers and Samuell Williamson, the new U of L head coach is doing exceptional work.

3. Walker Buehler. In a crucial National League West showdown between the Los Angeles Dodgers and Colorado Rockies on Wednesday night, the ex-Henry Clay High School pitching star started for the Dodgers and struck out 12 in six innings of work in a 5-2 L.A. win.

2. The Dodgers’ “co-ace.” An ESPN.com headline Thursday referred to the 24-year-old Buehler as the co-ace on the Los Angeles staff with three-time National League Cy Young Award winner Clayton Kershaw. In his last 10 starts, Buehler’s ERA is 1.58.

1. Eric Crawford. Best wishes to the sports journalist for Louisville’s WDRB.com. The former Courier Journal sports columnist is recovering from a stroke.

Mark Story: (859) 231-3230; Twitter: @markcstory