Miami (OH) @ Kentucky preview

Last Meeting ( Sep 5, 2009 ) Kentucky 42, Miami (Ohio) 0

Mark Stoops will be looking for his first win as Kentucky coach on Saturday when his team faces Miami (Ohio) at home after dropping an in-state rivalry game to Western Kentucky last week. The Redhawks are also hungry for their first win of the season following a 52-14 beating at the hands of Marshall. Miami and Kentucky last met in 2009 at Paul Brown Stadium during the season opener - with the Wildcats cruising to a 42-0 victory.

Kentucky boasts a 5-3-1 record over Miami at home and is 7-4-1 all-time in the series. The Wildcats have strung together two consecutive victories over the Redhawks in the last two meetings and are looking to tack on their 28th victory over a MAC opponent. Don Treadwell will get his first crack at Kentucky since taking over as Miami coach in 2011.

TV: Noon ET, ESPN3. LINE: Kentucky -17

ABOUT MIAMI (0-1): Treadwell's squad was tied 14-14 at halftime last week but gave up 37 unanswered points to the Thundering Herd in the second half. Marshall more than doubled Miami's 239 yards of total offense and dominated the Redhawks defense courtesy of Rakeem Cato's five touchdown passes. Miami surrendered more than 50 points twice last season and is in danger of tying that mark unless its defense can pull together and halt opposing offenses.

ABOUT KENTUCKY (0-1): The Wildcats will be making a change at quarterback as Stoops announced he would start Maxwell Smith in place of Jalen Whitlow. Smith was inserted late in last week's loss and proved to be more effective than Whitlow, throwing for 125 yards and a score. "We just feel like Max gives us the best opportunity this week." Stoops said, according to The Courier-Journal.

EXTRA POINTS

1. RB Raymond Sanders needs just 74 more yards to tie Rod Stewart for 25th place on the Kentucky career rushing list.

2. Miami has won three of the last five meetings in games played in Lexington.

3. Kentucky has won seven consecutive home openers since 2006.

PREDICTION: Kentucky 35, Miami (Ohio) 14