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My oh my have the tides turned when previewing the 2022 Governor’s Cup.
For months leading up to the annual rivalry game between the Kentucky Wildcats and the Louisville Cardinals, it appeared as if recent history was destined to repeat itself.
The University of Kentucky has won the last three meetings by a combined score of 153-44.
Up until a few weeks ago, anyone who followed college football would have predicted that Mark Stoops’ team surely would enter this matchup as a heavy, double-digit favorite.
But that’s no longer the case — not even close.
According to the DraftKings SportsBook, the Cats are now just a 2.5-point favorite, and they’re only getting that nod due to the home-field advantage aspect.
You can’t really argue the logic of the spread considering Scott Satterfield has his team playing some of the best football since he took over as Louisville’s head coach in 2019. This year’s game will kick off at 3:00 pm ET and can be seen on the SEC Network.
The weather is trending to produce a potential washout with rain expected to start in the morning and continue throughout the day.
At one point this season, it looked as if the Scott Satterfield era wouldn’t even survive the season.
The Cards were 2-3 in their first five games which included a terrible loss to Boston College.
Sloppy, apathetic play would have best described Louisville. Down the road in Lexington, things were cruising.
Kentucky was 4-1 through their first five games with the lone loss being a three-point defeat on the road in Oxford. Then, for whatever reason, things changed for both programs, and they changed dramatically.
Louisville would go on to win five of their next six and even cracked the top 25 for the first time all year. The Big Blue Nation knows all too well that things really took a downward spiral after choking away a chance to beat Ole Miss on the road.
Their next game would produce an embarrassing 24-14 home loss to South Carolina, eliminating the idea that Kentucky could potentially have a special season that fans were counting on.
One of the biggest storylines to pay attention to will be the availability of UL quarterback Malik Cunningham.
The fifth-year senior has been a staple of Cardinal football for several years but has also battled injuries throughout his tenure on campus. This year has been no different as Cunningham has missed considerable time.
He couldn’t go the second half at Clemson and missed last week’s game against NC State because of a bruised right shoulder. However, coach Satterfield sounds optimistic that Cunningham would be available on Saturday.
“Malik is still going to be listed day-to-day,” I think we have a much better chance to have him back this week.” Satterfield said. If Cunningham can’t go, the Cards won’t be out of sorts by any means.
Brock Domann has gained a lot of valuable experience filling in for his injured counterpart and, for the most part, has done a fine job.
He presents nowhere near the same rushing threat that Malik Cunningham does but has already proven himself a viable option under center.
The theme of the last several Governor’s Cup matchups has been UK’s complete and utter dominance on the ground. In the last three meetings, Kentucky’s rushing totals were 340, 517 and most recently 362 a year ago.
Even without the presence of the Big Blue Wall, I would still expect Mark Stoops’ game plan to center heavily around the rushing attack. Louisville’s defense has been solid against the run, giving up 139 yards per game, but I still contend that Chris Rodriguez is poised for a monster afternoon.
If UK can’t move the ball on the ground, you can count on Kentucky’s three-game winning streak against the Cards being snapped on Saturday inside Kroger Field.
There’s no denying that the vibes around the football program are still suffering after an inexplicable loss to Vanderbilt at home, but beating your rival is always a terrific palate cleanser.
Kentucky Wildcats vs. Louisville Cardinals
Time: 3 pm ET on November 26h, 2022
Location: Kroger Field Lexington, Kentucky
TV Channel: SEC Network
Announcers: Dave Neal, Deuce McAllister and Andraya Carter will be on the call.
Online Stream: WatchESPN, ESPN+, the ESPN app, or you can use a free trial of fubo.tv.
Radio: Tom Leach and Jeff Piecoro have the UK radio network call on 630AM, 98.1 FM in Lexington, and the UK Sports Network.
Replay: WatchESPN and SEC Network (check local listings for replay schedule).
Weather: Partly cloudy skies. High 57F. Winds SE at 5 to 10 mph, with periods of rain, per weather.com.
Odds: DraftKings Sportsbook has Kentucky as a 2.5-point favorite. However, ESPN’s matchup predictor is favoring the Cards with a 56.1% chance of winning.
Score Projection: TeamRankings is going with a 23-21 victory, Kentucky!
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