First Scouting Report: Kentucky at Missouri

An early look ahead to Kentucky’s next football game:

The opponent

No. 14 Kentucky (6-1, 4-1 SEC) will travel to Columbia, Mo., to face Missouri (4-3, 0-3 SEC), Saturday, Oct. 27, at 4 p.m. (EDT) in a game that will be telecast by the SEC Network. Coach Barry Odom’s Tigers defeated Memphis 65-33 Saturday in Mizzou’s homecoming game.

UK leads the all-time series with Missouri 5-3 and has won the past three meetings.

Most recent meeting

Kentucky quarterback Stephen Johnson threw for 298 yards and two touchdowns and place-kicker Austin MacGinnis booted four field goals as UK held off Missouri for a 40-34 homecoming victory at Kroger Field on Oct. 7, 2017.

Know your foe

1. Missouri’s offense — now coordinated by ex-Tennessee head coach Derek Dooley — has been far more potent against non-league foes in 2018 than versus SEC opponents. In its four non-conference games, Mizzou is averaging 49 points and 603.3 total yards a game. In its SEC defeats, the Tigers have averaged 24.7 points and 365 yards a game.

2. Standout Mizzou quarterback Drew Lock will be playing against Kentucky for the fourth time and making his third career start vs. the Wildcats. In his career vs. UK, the 6-foot-4, 225-pound senior is 43-of-78 passing for 622 yards with five touchdown passes and no interceptions.

3. Of all SEC East teams, Missouri has had the least success in stopping star Kentucky running back Benny Snell. In two prior contests vs. the Tigers, Snell has averaged 154.5 yards a game and has scored four rushing touchdowns. The last time UK played at Mizzou in 2016, Snell ran for 192 yards on 38 carries.

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

This story was originally published October 20, 2018 at 10:52 PM.