Missouri vs Kentucky NCAA Football Picks and Tips 10/26/2019

Saturday, October 26, 2019

Kroger Field

Sawyer Smith and the Kentucky Wildcats host the Missouri Tigers at Kroger Field on Saturday, October 26, 2019. Kentucky opens this game as 9.5-point dogs. The Tigers are 4-3-0 ATS and 2-5-0 when betting on the total. The Wildcats are 3-4-0 when wagering on the over/under and 5-2-0 against the spread.

The last time they took the field, the Missouri Tigers took on the Vanderbilt Commodores and were defeated 21-14. Kelly Bryant paced the team on the ground for that game. He broke a long run for 26 yards but he wasn't able to run one in for a touchdown. He racked up a total of 72 yards via 16 carries which had him averaging 4.5 yards per run. Kam Scott led the team in receiving yardage with a tally of 69 yards on 2 catches. He notched an average of 34.5 yards per catch for that game. Leading the way at QB for the Tigers was Kelly Bryant who went 13/26 with 140 yards through the air and completed 1 touchdown. He threw 1 pick on the day. The Tigers ran the ball 40 times and generated 153 yards earning them an average of 3.8 yards per run. For the game, the Tigers got 18 1st downs and they had 12 penalties for 120 yards telling us that this team had an undisciplined week of practice. Overall, they ran 66 plays which added up to 293 yards. On the defensive side of the ball, Missouri allowed 10 completions on 19 attempts totaling 165 yards, and a completion percentage of 52.6%. For the game, they conceded a total of 315 yards and earned 1 turnover. Against the run, the Tigers allowed 150 yards on 42 tries which is an average of 3.6 yards per rushing attempt allowed.

The Tigers head into this matchup 5-2 this year. They are one of top scoring teams in the nation averaging 35.3 points per game, putting them 32nd in D-1. As a unit, they have an average of 192.9 yards on the ground per contest which is 5th in the conference. For total yards, they currently sit at 6th in the conference and 35th in D-1 with 3,139 yards. The Tigers have one of the best defenses in Division 1, giving up 16.6 points per game ranking them 4th in the conference. When it comes to passing yards, the Tigers have allowed 1,789 yards. Opponents are completing 49.3% of the passes they throw against them and averaging 5.4 yards per try. When it comes to yards on the ground, Missouri is allowing 114 yards per game putting them 4th in the conference and 28th in the country. They are allowing teams to run for an average of 3.2 yards per rush putting them 4th in the SEC and 23rd in the country overall. In total, they have allowed 798 rushing yards through 7 contests.

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In their last contest, the Kentucky Wildcats faced the Georgia Bulldogs and lost 21-0. Taking the lead at quarterback for the Wildcats was Lynn Bowden Jr. who went 2/15 with 17 yards through the air but wasn't able to throw a ball for a TD. He finished the game without throwing an interception. Lynn Bowden Jr. paced the team in rushing during the game. He tore off a long run of 21 yards but he never crossed the endzone by way of the rush. He scurried for 99 yards via 17 carries which meant he averaged 5.8 yards per carry. Bryce Oliver led the team in receiving yardage with a total of 9 yards on 2 receptions. He earned an average of 4.5 yards per reception during the game. The Wildcats rushed the ball a total of 34 times and generated 163 yards which had them averaging 4.8 yards per attempt. On the day, they totaled 50 plays for 180 yards. On the day, the Wildcats racked up 9 first downs and they totaled 7 infractions for 60 yards which tells us that they had an average outing in terms of discipline. When discussing the defense, Kentucky allowed 9 catches on 12 tries totaling 35 yards, and a completion percentage of 75.0%. In the game, they allowed a total of 279 yards but didn't force any takeaways. On the ground, the Wildcats allowed 244 yards on 40 tries which gave them an average of 6.1 yards per attempt allowed.

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The Wildcats head into this game 3-4. In terms of offensive proficiency, the Wildcats have one of the worst offenses in college football. Kentucky has built a respectable ground game this year by averaging 188.1 rushing yards per game, putting them 43rd in the country. As a team, they have compiled a total of 1,317 rushing yards through 7 games, so they will want to continue to try to improve on the run game so opponents will have to respect all facets of the game. The Wildcats average 355.1 yards per contest overall which has them at 101st in the nation and 12th in the conference. The Wildcats are giving up 23.3 points per game ranking them 8th in the SEC and 47th in Division 1. When it comes to points allowed, they have allowed 163 points in total. In regard to rushing yards, they are giving up 183.3 yards per contest ranking them 91st in the nation and 12th in the SEC. For this year, they have given up a total of 1,283 yards rushing and 16.8 rushing TDs. Their passing defense is one of the best groups in the nation. They are conceding 182.9 passing yards per game. For yards through the air allowed per game, the Wildcats are currently ranked 3rd in the SEC.

Who will win tonight's Tigers/Wildcats college football game against the spread?

Josh's Pick: Take the Tigers -9.5

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