Halftime analysis: The three things Kentucky must do to beat Mississippi State
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Game day: Kentucky 24, Mississippi State 2
Click below for more of the Herald-Leader’s and Kentucky.com’s coverage of Saturday’s Kentucky-Mississippi State football game at Kroger Field in Lexington.
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With Kentucky leading Mississippi State 14-0 at halftime at Kroger Field, here are the three things that will determine whether or not the Wildcats win the game:
1. More of the same on defense. Kentucky has followed the “Washington plan” in defending Mike Leach’s Air Raid offense to perfection. The Cats are mostly dropping eight in coverage, keeping all of K.J. Costello’s pass completions in front of them and tackling very well.
Mississippi State has been turnover-prone this season and that has continued. A Josh Paschal interception and return set up UK’s second touchdown. A Jamin Davis pick in the end zone on the final play of the first half kept MSU off the scoreboard.
This was easily the best defensive half of Kentucky’s season. More of the same will get the Cats in the victory column in 2020.
2. Get the running game going. Kentucky ended the first half with only 85 yards rushing — and 51 of that came on a scramble by Terry Wilson on a called pass.
Mississippi State’s defense is stout against the run, but UK’s bread and butter is the run. The Cats have to find a way to move the ball on the ground in half two.
3. Get the passing game going. Wilson (3-of-9 passing for 37 yards) was a little off on several throws in half one. UK receivers had at least three drops, too.
MSU has had all 11 defenders within 7 yards of the line of scrimmage. Loosening them up with some vertical passing would really help.
This story was originally published October 10, 2020 at 9:10 PM.
