How No. 9 Kentucky and Youngstown State match up — with a game prediction
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Preview: No. 9 Kentucky vs. Youngstown State
Click below to read more of the Herald-Leader’s and Kentucky.com’s preview coverage ahead of Saturday’s Kentucky-Youngstown State football game scheduled for noon at Kroger Field in Lexington.
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How the FBS No. 9 Kentucky Wildcats (2-0, 1-0 SEC) and the FCS No. 23 Youngstown State Penguins (2-0, 0-0 MVFC) match up at each position — with a game prediction:
Quarterbacks
▪ Kentucky senior Will Levis (505 passing yards, 60.7% completions, four TD throws, two interceptions) ran his record as UK’s starting QB to 12-3 when the Wildcats upset then-No. 12 Florida 26-16 last week in Gainesville. Levis completed 13 of 24 passes for 202 yards with a touchdown throw and an interception vs. the Gators. The 6-foot-3, 232-pound redshirt senior has now thrown at least one pick in 12 of the 15 games he has played for UK — but has thrown at least one TD in 13 of 15 games.
▪ Youngstown State sophomore Demeatric Crenshaw (384 passing yards, 54.4% completions, five TDs, zero interceptions) tied a school record in the Penguins’ 49-16 win over Dayton last week by throwing for five touchdowns. The 6-1, 221-pound sophomore from Pickerington, Ohio, was named Missouri Valley Football Conference Freshman of the Year last season after throwing for 791 yards and six TDs and running for 599 yards and seven touchdowns.
Advantage: Kentucky.
Running backs
▪ Kentucky senior Kavosiey Smoke was one of the unsung heroes of the victory at Florida The 5-9, 209-pound senior from Wetumpka, Ala., ran 14 times for 80 yards and picked up some tough yardage as the Wildcats wore down the Gators defense in the second half. Redshirt freshman La’Vell Wright got his first extensive action against an SEC foe and gained 27 yards on 11 carries.
▪ Youngstown State’s Jaleel McLaughlin is one of the best running backs in the country. The 5-9, 183-pound senior ran for 203 yards and three touchdowns on 20 carries in the Penguins’ 31-14, season-opening win over Duquesne. The Marshville, N.C., product came back last week against Dayton with 129 rushing yards and a TD on 13 carries, plus a 52-yard touchdown reception. Last season, McLaughlin ran for 1,139 yards and scored 12 TDs. Backup Dra Rushton is capable as well. He ran for 70 yards on 10 carries vs. Dayton and 41 yards on six attempts against Duquesne.
Advantage: Youngstown State.
Wide receivers
▪ Kentucky’s Dane Key was named SEC Freshman of the Week for his performance at Florida. The 6-3, 194-pound former Frederick Douglass High School star made an acrobatic catch for a 55-yard touchdown and finished with three catches for a team-high 83 yards. Redshirt freshman Chauncey Magwood has made an impact in both of UK’s wins. The 6-foot, 198-pound product of Albany, Ga., had two catches for 47 yards in the victory over Florida and had an 8-yard TD catch in Kentucky’s season-opening victory over Miami (Ohio).
▪ Youngstown State’s top receiver, Bryce Oliver, is a transfer from Kentucky. The 6-1, 212-pound Fort Lauderdale, Fla., product made eight catches for 125 yards and a TD in his time (2018-2020) at UK. Last season at YSU, Oliver caught 24 passes for 266 yards and eight touchdowns. So far this season, Oliver has 10 catches for 121 yards and two TDs. “Bryce is a good football player, just like we thought when we recruited him,” Kentucky Coach Mark Stoops says. “Bryce is doing a really good job, I’m really proud of him and happy for him.”
Advantage: Kentucky.
Tight ends
▪ Three different Kentucky tight ends combined to make five catches in the win at Florida. Senior Keaton Upshaw had two catches for 34 yards; redshirt freshman Jordan Dingle, the former Bowling Green High School star, had two receptions for 29 yards; and senior Brenden Bates had one catch for 11 yards.
▪ Youngstown State’s Jake Benio (one catch, 12 yards) is a 6-3, 250-pound senior. A product of Marietta, Ga., Benio caught 12 passes during YSU’s pandemic-created spring 2021 season. A transfer from Michigan State, Trenton Gillison had 18 career catches for 201 yards in three seasons (2019-21) with the Spartans. A 6-4, 247-pound junior, Gillison has two catches for 20 yards so far in 2022 for YSU.
Advantage: Kentucky.
Offensive linemen
▪ Kentucky veteran left guard Kenneth Horsey, a 6-3, 304-pound senior, made the start at left tackle for the Wildcats at Florida. “(Horsey) held up just fine at left tackle,” Mark Stoops reports. With Horsey playing tackle, redshirt freshman Jager Burton, the 6-4, 301-pound former Frederick Douglass High School standout, continues to start at left guard. With back-to-back non-SEC games ahead for UK, it will be interesting to see how much run prized class of 2022 offensive tackle recruit Kiyaunta Goodwin gets at left tackle.
▪ A 6-3, 308-pound senior, Youngstown State center Mike McAllister (19 career starts) leads a veteran offensive line that comes to Lexington with 72 total starts. Right tackle Jaison Williams, a 6-2, 298-pound sophomore, and left tackle David Metzler, a 6-5, 310-pound redshirt freshman, will face the challenge of blocking SEC athleticism off the edge.
Advantage: Kentucky.
Defensive linemen
▪ Kentucky true freshman tackle Deone Walker, the 6-6, 330-pound Detroit product, is tied with Octavious Oxendine for the team lead among defensive linemen with six tackles. Walker crushed Florida running back Nay’Quan Wright for a loss of a yard on a crucial third-down play late in the victory over the Gators.
▪ Youngstown State ends Dylan Wudke and Dawan Martin, both sophomores, have been disruptive. Wudke, a 6-4, 251-pound product of Miamisburg, Ohio, has made six tackles, two tackles for loss and a sack. Martin, a 6-2, 227-pound Youngstown product, has seven tackles and a team-high two sacks.
Advantage: Kentucky.
Linebackers
▪ Kentucky’s veteran linebacking corps was stellar in the win at Florida. SLB Jordan Wright earned SEC co-Defensive Player of the Week honors after recording six tackles, two TFL, a sack, an interception that set up a touchdown and a forced fumble. OLB/rush end J.J. Weaver had a team-high nine tackles. MLB Jacquez Jones (seven stops) and WLB DeAndre Square (six) combined to make 13 tackles.
▪ Youngstown State’s Griffin Hoak, a 6-1, 222-pound junior, is the younger brother of ex-Kentucky backup quarterback Gunnar Hoak. In two games, Griffin Hoak has seven tackles, an interception, a pass breakup and a QB hurry. Devin Johnson, a Johnson Central High School product, leads the Penguins with two interceptions and has made eight tackles.
Advantage: Kentucky.
Defensive backs
▪ Kentucky’s cornerbacks came up big at Florida. Keidron Smith, a 6-2, 204-pound super-senior from West Palm Beach, Fla., intercepted an Anthony Richardson pass and returned it 65 yards for the touchdown that put UK ahead to stay. Carrington Valentine, a 6-foot, 194-pound junior from Cincinnati, made five tackles and broke up three passes. “Carrington made some competitive plays, he won some one-on-ones,” Mark Stoops said. With the injury in Gainesville to free safety Jalen Geiger, Jordan Lovett, a redshirt freshman from North Hardin, is now the starter. Lovett made seven tackles in the win at Florida.
▪ A transfer from Florida, Youngstown State free safety Quincy Lenton leads the Penguins in tackles (13) and TFL (3.5). The 6-foot, 195-pound senior from Meridian, Miss., also has a pick. CB Jordan Trowers leads YSU in pass breakups with three.
Advantage: Kentucky.
Special teams
▪ After a boffo showing against Miami (Ohio), the Kentucky special teams had a rough go in Gainesville. An errant snap by long snapper Cade Degraw on a punt gave Florida a safety and a low UK snap foiled a PAT try. Place-kicker Matt Ruffolo made two short field goals, but missed a 38-yarder that would have put UK ahead by two scores in the fourth quarter. Punter Colin Goodfellow averaged only 38.8 yards on five punts.
▪ Youngstown State punter Paddy Lynch has been outstanding. The senior from Queensland, Australia, is averaging 48.6 yards and has pinned opponents inside their 20 on three of five kicks. Place-kicker Colt McFadden is off to a slow start, having converted only one of three field-goal attempts, a 39-yarder. For his career, McFadden is 21-of-29 on field-goal tries.
Advantage: Kentucky.
Prediction
Kentucky 41, Youngstown State 16.
This story was originally published September 14, 2022 at 8:27 AM.
