Middle Tennessee @ Kentucky preview

Last Meeting ( Sep 13, 2008 ) Middle Tennessee St. 14, Kentucky 20

Rediscovering the formula that allowed No. 20 Kentucky to enjoy one of its best seasons in program history will be critical when it meets visiting Middle Tennessee State on Saturday in a non-conference game. A loss to the Blue Raiders, on the heels of two other defeats, would taint what coach Mark Stoops and the Wildcats have accomplished this season.

"We've got to play with the same mentality every week. It's who we are," Stoops, whose team is coming of an ugly loss at Tennessee, told the media. "We've played 10 games this year and we haven't been perfect in those 10, but I think in all but one, we had the right mentality." One of the keys to Kentucky's success the last two seasons is the running game spearheaded by Benny Snell, Jr., who was been held to fewer than 100 yards in three straight games and five out of the last six contests. The Wildcats are 13-3 over the last three seasons when Snell goes for 100 yards or more and 7-10 when he does not. The Blue Raiders and quarterback Brent Stockstill come in riding a four-game winning streak, their longest since 2015.

TV: Noon ET, SEC Network. LINE: Kentucky -16

ABOUT MIDDLE TENNESSEE (7-3): Stockstill, who plays for his father Rick Stockstill, owns every Middle Tennessee passing record and ranks in the top five all-time in Conference USA in career touchdown passes (98), completions (946) and 300-yard games (17). With two more touchdown passes, the senior will become the 25th quarterback in NCAA history and third in Conference USA to reach 100. Not surprisingly, he was held to fewer than 200 yards passing in losses to Vanderbilt (35-7) and No. 5 Georgia (49-7) earlier this season.

ABOUT KENTUCKY (7-3): Josh Allen, Mike Edwards and 14 other seniors will play their final home game for Kentucky and are assured of going down as one of the top classes in school history. The senior class has registered 26 wins in four seasons, the fifth most in program history and have locked up the school's first winning record in the SEC since 1977. Allen, a semifinalist for the Chuck Bednarik Award which goes to the nation's top defensive player, and Edwards have led a defense that ranks 11th nationally in points allowed (16.2 per game) and 16th in passing yards allowed per game (180.4).

EXTRA POINTS

1. With one sack, Allen will pass Oliver Barnett (26) for the most in school history and tie him with Dennis Johnson (12) for most in a season.

2. The Blue Raiders are 4-41 all-time against the current members of the SEC, including losses to Kentucky in 2002 (44-22) and 2008 (20-14).

3. The only other time Snell was held to fewer than 100 yards in three straight games was against South Carolina, Alabama and Vanderbilt in his freshman campaign.

PREDICTION: Kentucky 34, Middle Tennessee 13