This evening, Kentucky has an opportunity to go 3-0 for the first time since 2008. In 2008, the 'Cats went 4-0, but would win only 2 more games from there on out en route to a 6-6 regular season and a Liberty Bowl victory versus East Carolina.
Game particulars are as follows, courtesy of UKathletics.com:
| Akron Zips @ Kenucky Wildcats | |
|---|---|
| Game Notes | UK Notes  | UK Depth Chart UA Notes |
| Date & Time | Saturday, Sept. 18 7:00 p.m |
| Coverage | TV: Fox Sports South/Fox Sports Southwest/Sun Sports Radio: BBSN  Online Audio  Online Video via ESPN360 |
| Location | Commonwealth Stadium Lexington, Ky. Gameday Information |
Even though this game is a bit of a mismatch on paper, it needs to be a lopsided win for Kentucky. While the Kentucky offense has been stellar against lesser teams, the defense still has a lot of unanswered questions.
More on both teams after the jump.
| Team Stats Comparison | Advantage | |||||
| Team Statistics | Kentucky | Opponents | Akron | Opponents | Offense | Defense |
| Scoring: Points/Game | 43.0 | 22.0 | 20.0 | 33.5 | Kentucky | Kentucky |
| Scoring: Games - Points | 2 - 86 | 2 - 44 | 2 - 40 | 2 - 67 | Kentucky | Kentucky |
| First Downs: Total | 42 | 31 | 31 | 44 | Kentucky | Kentucky |
| First Downs: Rushing - Passing - By Penalty | 21 - 20 - 1 | 16 - 12 - 3 | 15 - 13 - 3 | 16 - 24 - 4 | ||
| Rushing: Yards / Attempt | 5.38 | 5.80 | 4.10 | 3.70 | Kentucky | Akron |
| Rushing: Attempts - Yards - TD | 81 - 436 - 7 | 65 - 377 - 3 | 68 - 279 - 4 | 82 - 303 - 3 | Kentucky | Kentucky |
| Passing: Rating | 186.42 | 91.17 | 90.15 | 140.14 | Kentucky | Kentucky |
| Passing: Yards | 512 | 224 | 276 | 519 | Kentucky | Kentucky |
| Passing: Attempts - Completions - Interceptions - TD | 50 - 37 - 0 - 4 | 44 - 22 - 2 - 1 | 56 - 26 - 1 - 1 | 70 - 42 - 2 - 5 | ||
| Total Offense: Yards / Play | 7.2 | 5.5 | 4.5 | 5.4 | Kentucky | Akron |
| Total Offense: Plays - Yards | 131 - 948 | 109 - 601 | 124 - 555 | 152 - 822 | ||
| Punt Returns: Yards / Return | 9.33 | 28.00 | 7.50 | 2.00 | Kentucky | Akron |
| Punt Returns: Returns - Yards - TD | 6 - 56 - 1 | 1 - 28 - 0 | 2 - 15 - 0 | 1 - 2 - 0 | ||
| Kickoff Returns: Yards / Return | 25.00 | 30.90 | 22.20 | 17.17 | Kentucky | Akron |
| Kickoff Returns: Returns - Yards - TD | 7 - 175 - 0 | 10 - 309 - 1 | 10 - 222 - 0 | 6 - 103 - 0 | ||
| Punting: Yards / Punt | 48.67 | 34.00 | 37.38 | 40.64 | Kentucky | Kentucky |
| Punting: Punts - Yards | 6 - 292 | 10 - 340 | 13 - 486 | 11 - 447 | ||
| Interceptions: Returns - Yards - TD | 2 - 6 - 0 | 0 - 0 - 0 | 2 - 46 - 0 | 1 - 17 - 0 | ||
| Fumbles: Number - Lost | 1 - 0 | 3 - 2 | 3 - 1 | 5 - 2 | Kentucky | Akron |
| Penalties: Number - Yards | 13 - 96 | 11 - 80 | 15 - 132 | 7 - 73 | ||
| Time of Possession / Game | 31:09.50 | 28:50.50 | 27:37.00 | 39:25.50 | Kentucky | Kentucky |
| 3rd Down Conversions: Conversion % | 56% | 28% | 34.48% | 53.85% | Kentucky | Kentucky |
| 3rd Down Conversions: Attempts - Conversions | 25 - 14 | 25 - 7 | 29 - 10 | 39 - 21 | Kentucky | Kentucky |
| 4th Down Conversions: Conversion % | 100% | 100% | 50% | 100% | Kentucky | Push |
| 4th Down Conversions: Attempts - Conversions | 2 - 2 | 1 - 1 | 2 - 1 | 1 - 1 | ||
| Red Zone: Success % | 80% | 100% | 60% | 87.5% | Kentucky | Akron |
| Red Zone: Attempts - Scores | 10 - 8 | 3 - 3 | 5 - 3 | 8 - 7 | ||
| Field Goals: Success % | 33.3% | 100% | 50% | 100% | Akron | Push |
| Field Goals: Attempts - Made | 3 - 1 | 3 - 3 | 4 - 2 | 2 - 2 | ||
| PAT Kicking: Success % | 91.7% | 100% | 80% | 87.5% | Kentucky | Akron |
| PAT Kicking: Attempts - Made | 12 - 11 | 5 - 5 | 5 - 4 | 8 - 7 | ||
| 2-Point Conversions: Success % | - | - | - | 0% | ||
| 2-Point Conversions: Attempts - Made | 0 - 0 | 0 - 0 | 0 - 0 | 1 - 0 | ||
Kentucky Team Statistics
Akron Team Statistics
Analysis
- Offense:
Akron has a serviceable ground game behind Alex Allen and Nate Burney, who tallied 229 yards together in last week's overtime loss to Gardner-Webb. But their passing game has been anemic at best, and the Zips are discovering that on one-dimensional offense will not win football games very often.
For Kentucky, the offense has been a well-oiled machine, currently ranking 22nd in the nation in total offense and 20th in scoring offense. The 'Cats are multi-dimensional so far, able to move the ball on the ground and through the air. Randall Cobb, Derrick Locke, Mike Hartline and the wide receiving corps have been pretty impressive so far this year. - Defense:
Akron's run defense has been downright stiff, allowing opponents only 3.7 yards/attempt, a respectable 77th nationally. Unfortunately, that has not equated to keeping teams out of the end zone, as Akron's scoring defense is struggling at 103rd nationally and their passing defense is anemic at 95th nationally.
For Kentucky, they have liberally allowed opponents to score in the red zone. Teams that have managed to get the ball into the UK red zone have scored 100% of the time. UK's scoring defense comes in at #62 nationally, #94 against the run, but an impressive 12th nationally against the pass.
Overall, the Kentucky offense looks way too powerful for the Akron defense, and is likely to score at will tonight in Commonwealth Stadium. The Zips have a serviceable running game that UK will need to stop in order to have a complete game, and if recent history is any guide, that's where the 'Cats will look suspect.
Lets get this one and go 3-0.
Go, 'Cats!!
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