Tomorrow at noon, the Kentucky Wildcats travel to Baton Rouge to take on the LSU Tigers. Kentucky is 16-38-1 against LSU all time, and the last time we met the Tigers was in 2007 in Commonwealth Stadium. We all know the outcome of that game, but in case you somehow forgot, Kentucky upset the eventual national champions 43-37.
Here is the numerical on LSU:
1 -- The national ranking of the Tigers this game, and the number of times UK has defeated a top-ranked team in recent history.
2 -- The number of consecutive times Kentucky has played LSU when it was the #1 ranked team in America.
4 -- The national ranking of LSU's rushing defense and turnover margin. Also the number of sacks allowed by Kentucky per game in 2011.
-5 -- Kentucky's margin of victory in 2011 so far.
6 -- The number of consecutive years Kentucky has faced a #1 ranked team.
8.5 -- The number of tackles for loss by LSU per game. #5 in the nation.
18.4 -- The average margin of loss for Kentucky against #1 ranked teams, including the 63-5 debacle against Florida in 2008. UK has put up a very good fight in most games. Without that particular game, the average margin of loss is a very respectable 6.8 points.
29 -- The percentage of Kentucky third-down conversions this year.
37 -- The percentage of third downs Kentucky is allowing opponents to convert this year.
103 -- The national ranking of Kentucky's rushing defense, out of 120 teams.
Other than Florida, Kentucky has been competitive with #1 ranked teams four out of the last five times they have played. That doesn't do a lot to lend optimism to this upcoming game, but for whatever reason, it seems that Florida has UK's number in a big way, being responsible for most of the lopsided scores against Kentucky for the last five years.