Akron @ Kentucky preview
Kroger Field
Undefeated Kentucky and winless Akron enter Saturday's game heading in opposite directions, and they are getting there with two distinctly different styles.
Kentucky football has caught the attention of hoops-crazed fans in the Bluegrass State with a fast-paced offense that closely resembles basketball on turf.
Wildcats quarterback Mike Hartline went 16-for-20 for 213 yards, with three passing touchdowns and one rushing touchdown in last week's 63-28 victory over Western Kentucky. After two games, Hartline has a quarterback efficiency rating of 171.8 with no interceptions on the season.
But the real head-turner has been do-it-all specialist Randall Cobb, who tallied 207 all-purpose yards and three touchdowns - one receiving, one passing and one on a punt return - last Saturday to earn national honors for his special teams play.
First-year head coach and former offensive coordinator Joker Phillips is going with a more wide-open attack than last year. The Wildcats are averaging 43 points and 474 yards per game.
Akron's defense doesn't appear in any shape to mount a challenge following its embarrassing 38-37 overtime loss to Gardner-Webb, a low-level FCS school out of the Big South Conference. The Zips' defense ranks 103rd nationally in points allowed at 33.5 per game.
Akron's best chance of beating Kentucky comes in one favorable matchup between its rushing attack and the Wildcats' somewhat soft run defense. Kentucky ranks 11th in the 12-team SEC in rushing yards allowed, giving up 188.5 yards per game on the ground this season. That plays into the hands of Akron running back duo Nate Burney and Alex Allen, who both rushed for more than 100 yards against Gardner-Webb. Burney and Allen are averaging a combined 139.5 rushing yards per game behind a strong offensive line, helping make up for a passing game that ranks 106th nationally behind quarterback Patrick Nicely.
Kentucky tight ends Nick Melilo and Jordan Aumiller are questionable.
This will be the first meeting between the two schools in football, as Kentucky tries for its third 3-0 start over the past four seasons.
Kentucky football has caught the attention of hoops-crazed fans in the Bluegrass State with a fast-paced offense that closely resembles basketball on turf.
Wildcats quarterback Mike Hartline went 16-for-20 for 213 yards, with three passing touchdowns and one rushing touchdown in last week's 63-28 victory over Western Kentucky. After two games, Hartline has a quarterback efficiency rating of 171.8 with no interceptions on the season.
But the real head-turner has been do-it-all specialist Randall Cobb, who tallied 207 all-purpose yards and three touchdowns - one receiving, one passing and one on a punt return - last Saturday to earn national honors for his special teams play.
First-year head coach and former offensive coordinator Joker Phillips is going with a more wide-open attack than last year. The Wildcats are averaging 43 points and 474 yards per game.
Akron's defense doesn't appear in any shape to mount a challenge following its embarrassing 38-37 overtime loss to Gardner-Webb, a low-level FCS school out of the Big South Conference. The Zips' defense ranks 103rd nationally in points allowed at 33.5 per game.
Akron's best chance of beating Kentucky comes in one favorable matchup between its rushing attack and the Wildcats' somewhat soft run defense. Kentucky ranks 11th in the 12-team SEC in rushing yards allowed, giving up 188.5 yards per game on the ground this season. That plays into the hands of Akron running back duo Nate Burney and Alex Allen, who both rushed for more than 100 yards against Gardner-Webb. Burney and Allen are averaging a combined 139.5 rushing yards per game behind a strong offensive line, helping make up for a passing game that ranks 106th nationally behind quarterback Patrick Nicely.
Kentucky tight ends Nick Melilo and Jordan Aumiller are questionable.
This will be the first meeting between the two schools in football, as Kentucky tries for its third 3-0 start over the past four seasons.