Early Kentucky Football preview: New Mexico State

We’re almost at the end of our previews, which means we’ve almost reached the start of the season! Kentucky’s penultimate opponent, the New Mexico State Aggies, will be their final home game, Senior Day, and another 30+ point pasting of a mid-major school.

It is safe to say that Kentucky will be favored by double-digits in this game, as the Aggies are usually one of the worst teams in the country. How bad exactly are the mustachioed cowpokes with pistols? Well here are some honors and distinctions the program touts:

• Annual member of ESPN’s Bottom 10, where they either reside in the Waiting List or the 9 positions of putridness under the club name “Whew, Mexico State”.
• Annual member of CBSsports’s data-driven Bottom 25, which uses a computer to prove a team’s futility rather than the musings of ESPN’s Ryan McGee.
• Finished 2-10 in 2019 (they didn’t play in 2020).
• Is a 7-point home underdog in their opener against the UTEP Miners, who have improved a little bit but also won the Bottom 25 Playoff in 2018 and 2019.

So yeah, they’re a pushover. Every time someone uses the word “pushover” they are like “that team’s no pushover,” but I think SEC teams justly call teams like New Mexico States pushovers (especially when the running backs get the ball).

After UK mops up they’ll only have one game left—Louisville in Cardinal Stadium. UK’s record going into that one could be anywhere from 7-4 to 8-3 to 9-2. I think they’ll be 8-3 going in, just like three years ago. I’m wondering what their home record will be though, with this being the last home game. Maybe 6-1? That would be pretty nice. That’s what they did in 2018 as well, so yeehaw. Buy those tickets, they’ll be worth it!

Prediction: UK 56, New Mexico State 10