How Kentucky and Miami (Ohio) match up — with a game prediction

How the No. 20 Kentucky Wildcats (0-0, 0-0 SEC) and Miami (Ohio) RedHawks (0-0, 0-0 MAC) match up at each position — with a game prediction:

Quarterbacks

▪ Kentucky’s Will Levis (2,826 passing yards in 2021 on 66% completions with 24 touchdowns vs. 13 interceptions; 376 rushing yards with nine TDs) spent the offseason rising in the esteem of many NFL Draft prognosticators. The 6-foot-3, 232-pound product of Madison, Conn., enters 2022 perceived to have a legitimate shot to play his way into the first round of the 2023 draft. To do that, the senior will need to improve his passing accuracy and cut down on interceptions. Iowa transfer Deuce Hogan, a 6-4, 205-pound redshirt sophomore, enters the season as UK’s backup QB.

▪ Miami’s Brett Gabbert (2,648 passing yards, 59.5% completions, 26 TDs, six interceptions) was scalding-hot down the stretch last season. In the RedHawks’ final five games, the 6-foot, 205-pound St. Louis product threw for 1,705 yards (an average of 341 a game) with 17 touchdowns vs. four interceptions. Gabbert is the younger brother of former Missouri and current Tampa Bay Buccaneers QB Blaine Gabbert. Ex-Daviess County High School star Joe Humphreys, a true freshman, is not on the Miami depth chart and is expected to redshirt.

Advantage: Kentucky.

Running backs

▪ With Kentucky star Christopher Rodriguez (2,739 career rushing yards) unavailable for the season opener due to publicly undisclosed reasons, senior Kavosiey Smoke (1,306 career rushing yards) is No. 1 on the UK depth chart. The 5-9, 209-pound product of Wetumpka, Ala., has big-play capabilities. “I’m excited for him, to see what he does with it,” UK Coach Mark Stoops says. “I have a good feeling (about) what he’ll do.” Ramon Jefferson, a graduate transfer from Sam Houston State, was an FCS Second Team All-American last season after rushing for 1,155 yards and 13 touchdowns. Kentucky is hoping the 5-10, 215-pound Jefferson — oft described during the UK preseason camp as “a bowling ball” — can supply some of the physical running Rodriguez normally provides.

▪ Miami’s Jaylon Bester was the RedHawks offensive MVP in 2019 after running for 741 yards and 14 touchdowns. Subsequently, however, injuries have limited the 5-8, 180-pound senior to only a combined 44 rushing yards in the past two seasons. Miami Coach Chuck Martin is hoping a return to health brings back the Bester of 2019. Tyre Shelton also had his best season in 2019 (587 rushing yards, two TDs). Since then, the 5-11, 182-pound redshirt junior has also battled injuries, though he did manage 245 rushing yards and two touchdowns in seven games last year.

Advantage: Kentucky.

Wide receivers

▪ None of the three wideouts listed No. 1 on the UK depth chart were in the Wildcats’ program in 2021. Virginia Tech transfer Tayvion Robinson (44 catches, 559 yards, five TDs last year for the Hokies), a 5-11, 187-pound senior, is expected to emerge as Kentucky’s No. 1 receiver. True freshmen Dane Key, the former Frederick Douglass High School star, and Barion Brown, a dynamic playmaker out of Nashville, are both highly touted.

▪ Miami’s Mac Hippenhammer is a former college teammate of Will Levis at Penn State. Last season at Miami, the 5-11, 190-pound redshirt senior caught 48 passes for 786 yards and five TDs. At 5-8, 171-pounds, sixth-year senior Jalen Walker (31 catches, 398 yards, four TDs) is elusive. Indiana transfer Miles Marshall, a 6-4, 205-pound redshirt junior, caught 22 passes for 311 yards last season for IU.

Advantage: Even.

Tight ends

▪ Kentucky’s tight end room is so deep, the Wildcats list five players at the position on their two-deep depth chart. Redshirt freshman Jordan Dingle, the former Bowling Green High School star, has generated ample “camp buzz.” Veteran Brenden Bates (12 career catches for 84 yards and one TD) is UK’s most physical blocker at the position.

▪ Miami’s Jack Coldiron is a 6-5, 239-pound redshirt sophomore from Covington Catholic High School. Last season, Coldiron caught 16 passes for 293 yards and a touchdown. Backup Nate Muersch, a 6-5, 215-pound sophomore, caught only five passes last season for 81 yards — but four of his catches went for TDs.

Advantage: Kentucky.

Offensive linemen

▪ With veteran left guard Kenneth Horsey nursing an injury, Eli Cox is the only returning starter on the UK offensive front who is expected to start vs. Miami. Cox, a 6-4, 298-pound West Jessamine High School product, is switching from guard to center. Redshirt freshman David Wohlabaugh, a 6-6, 302-pound product of Stow, Ohio, captured the left tackle position with a strong preseason camp. Of those contending for the left-tackle job, “David has been the most consistent,” Mark Stoops says. “That’s why he’s getting the start.” Frederick Douglass High School product Jager Burton, a 6-4, 301-pound redshirt freshman, is slated to make his first college start at left guard in place of Horsey.

▪ Miami left tackle Sam Vaughn, a 6-7, 292-pound Lexington Catholic product, started all 13 games for the RedHawks last season. Ex-George Rogers Clark standout Ben Jackson, a 6-7, 316-pound redshirt sophomore, is the backup at right tackle. Junior center Rusty Feth has 22 career starts and was tabbed Preseason Second Team All-MAC by Phil Steele’s College Football Preview. Miami has four returning offensive-line starters and is expecting big things from this unit.

Advantage: Kentucky.

Defensive linemen

▪ Kentucky tackle Octavious Oxendine has slimmed down from 318 pounds last season to 281 this year. The 6-1 North Hardin product is hoping the reduced girth will make him lighter on his feet and harder to block. Oxendine (five tackles, 3.5 tackles for loss, two sacks) is playing for the first time since suffering a knee injury while earning SEC co-Defensive Player of the Week honors with two QB sacks in UK’s 42-21 win over LSU last season. True freshman tackle Deone Walker, a 6-6, 330-pound Detroit product, ginned up a massive amount of preseason excitement with his performance in UK practices.

▪ Carrying 290 pounds on a 6-2 frame, Miami defensive tackle Austin Ertl (37 tackles, 3.5 TFL, two pass breakups) is the most substantial player in terms of weight on what is a slight defensive front. Miami’s other three starting defensive linemen weigh 265, 249 and 235.

Advantage: Kentucky.

Linebackers

▪ Both super seniors, Kentucky WLB DeAndre Square (80 tackles, 9.5 TFL, the Citrus Bowl-victory-clinching interception) and MLB Jacquez Jones (team-high 86 tackles, four pass breakups) bring vast playing experience to the middle of the UK defense. Junior OLB/rush end J.J. Weaver (34 tackles, 10 TFL, six sacks, two ints.) could be sitting on a monster year. UK will be without starting SLB Jordan Wright (30 tackles, four TFL, six pass breakups), apparently due to the same unspecified reason that is sidelining Christopher Rodriguez.

▪ Miami’s Matt Salopek had a stellar season in 2021 as a redshirt freshman. The 6-1, 220-pound product of Kent, Ohio, recorded 112 tackles, seven TFL and six pass breakups. MLB Ryan McWood is a grizzled veteran — the seventh-year senior will turn 25 on Oct. 13.

Advantage: Kentucky.

Defensive backs

▪ Kentucky’s Carrington Valentine, 6-foot, 194-pound junior CB from Cincinnati, had 61 tackles and five pass breakups in 2021. A graduate transfer from Mississippi, CB Keidron Smith had 224 tackles, five interceptions and 19 passes defended in his four seasons with the Rebels. Andru Phillips, a 6-foot, 190-pound sophomore, is listed No. 1 at nickel back and should be on the field a lot vs. Miami’s passing attack.

▪ Miami’s Eli Blakey, a 6-2, 204-pound Manual High School product, will be the RedHawks’ starter at boundary safety. While redshirting last year, Blakey played in one game and recorded one tackle. CB John Saunders, a 6-2, 200-pound sophomore, intercepted three passes and broke up four last year.

Advantage: Kentucky.

Special teams

▪ Kentucky returns its entire kicking game in place-kicker Matt Ruffolo (10-of-13 field goals, long of 45 yards), punter Colin Goodfellow (45.9 yards a punt with 12 of 35 kicks stopped inside the 20) and kickoff specialist Chance Poore. The Wildcats’ return game could get a boost from Virginia Tech transfer Tayvion Robinson (13.1 yards a return) on punts and explosive true freshman Barion Brown on kickoffs.

▪ Miami place-kicker Graham Nicholson made 15 of 20 field goals last season with a long of 49 yards. Punter Dom Dzioban averaged 39.7 yards a kick in 2021 and stopped 14 of 32 kicks inside the opponents’ 20-yard line. Jalen Walker is effective as both a punt returner (8 yards a return last season) and a kickoff returner (19.7).

Advantage: Kentucky.

Prediction

Kentucky 41, Miami (Ohio) 23.

This story was originally published September 1, 2022 at 6:15 AM.

Mark Story

Lexington Herald-Leader

859-444-4731

Mark Story has worked in the Lexington Herald-Leader sports department since Aug. 27, 1990, and has been a Herald-Leader sports columnist since 2001. I have covered every Kentucky-Louisville football game since 1994, every UK-U of L basketball game but three since 1996-97 and every Kentucky Derby since 1994. Support my work with a digital subscription