Alabama Crimson Tide at Kentucky Wildcats: Live Game Thread

Welcome to the official A Sea of Blue Live Game Thread for the Alabama Crimson Tide at the Kentucky Wildcats. Today's game against the Tide is the final game in a brutal stretch for Kentucky that has seen the Wildcats play four top twenty teams in a row, both at home and away. A more brutal stretch in Kentucky football history is found nowhere in my memory.

Alabama comes into this game ranked #1 in the country, undefeated, and mostly unchallenged. Kentucky fans would love to see them get a challenge tonight from Mark Stoops' young Wildcats, but it is certainly possible that this game could get out of hand. I just don't happen to think so.

For Kentucky to pull the upset, all the following must happen:

• Alabama must find themselves unable to stop the Kentucky offense on at least three or four series. Needless to say, that has not occurred in a Tide game all year;

• Kentucky must win the turnover battle, and that is always possible;

• Kentucky must get an unaccustomed amount of pressure on A.J. McCarron, and the defensive backfield must take their game to another level to defend the Alabama wideouts.

• Kentucky's run defense must have by far the best game of their season so far.

This is asking an awful lot, but that's where we find ourselves tonight. Alabama is a supremely talented team that makes few mistakes, and Nick Saban is the kind of coach who doesn't take chances and doesn't let his team get cocky.

But if nothing else, this Wildcats team has been mighty feisty of late, and I don't expect that to stop. Here's hoping to a competitive game with no injuries for either team, and if UK happens to give themselves a chance to win, so much the better.

Go, 'Cats!