College Football – Kentucky in Tough Against Top Ranked Mississippi St.

(1) Mississippi State Bulldogs (-13.5, 59 o/u) at Kentucky Wildcats

The dream season for No. 1 ranked Mississippi State (6-0, 3-0 SEC) continues as the Bulldogs travel to Lexington to face a Kentucky Wildcats team (5-2, 2-2 SEC) that lost 41-3 last weekend against LSU (Saturday, October 25, at 3:30 p.m. Eastern).

Still, Mississippi State coach Dan Mullen knows anything can happen in the SEC.

“We’re going into a game with a target on our back, having to go on the road in a hostile environment against one of the most improved teams in college football this year. Our guys better learn how to handle that and make sure we have unbelievable focus about how big of a game this really is,” said the coach.

After high-profile wins against LSU, Texas A&M, and Auburn, the Bulldogs face the Wildcats on the road before taking on Arkansas and UT-Martin at home. After that, the rubber meets the road with a road game at Alabama.

Mullen knows the team’s defense – ranked last in the SEC in pass defense (308.3 yards per game) and total defense (428.8 yards per game) – needs to improve before facing the Crimson Tide.

Naturally, Kentucky is hoping sophomore quarterback Patrick Towles takes advantage of that porous defense. So far this season, the Wildcats signal caller has passed for 1,687 yards with 10 touchdowns and only four picks.

Still, Kentucky head coach Mark Stoops knows what his team is up against.

“They’re playing red hot and it starts with (Prescott). He’s as talented of a guy as there is in the country. He can run it. He can throw it. He’s making great decisions and their offense puts stress on you,” said Stoops.

While the Bulldogs should come away with an easy win, look for this game – featuring questionable defenses – to hit the over.

(Photo credit: JGlover [CC-BY-3.0-us (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/us/deed.en)], via Wikimedia Commons.)