Samford @ Kentucky preview
Kroger Field
As its record indicates, Kentucky has had very little to celebrate this season. The struggling Wildcats will do their best to put forth a positive on Saturday when they host Samford in the final home game for the seniors. Although Joker Phillips was officially fired on Nov. 4, the coach elected to finish out the season once he was certain that he wasn't perceived as a distraction. Kentucky suffered its eighth consecutive loss in embarrassing fashion, dropping a 40-0 decision to Vanderbilt on Nov. 3. Samford, an FCS team, is singing a much different tune as Fabian Truss rushed for a career-high 219 yards and two touchdowns in its 26-15 triumph over Elon last week. The victory was the seventh this season for the Bulldogs - their most since 2003.
TV: 7:30 p.m. ET, CSS. LINE: None
ABOUT SAMFORD (7-3): Truss rushed 34 times against Elon - and the Bulldogs would be wise to give him an increased workload versus Kentucky. After all, the Wildcats have yielded 177.3 yards on the ground this season. Truss, who was named the Southern Conference running back of the week, has rushed for a career-high 1,026 yards on 194 carries with 11 touchdowns this season. Quarterback Andy Summerlin has shown strides of improvement in 2012, but was only an economical 17-of-26 for 111 yards and a score against Elon.
ABOUT KENTUCKY (1-9): With Maxwell Smith sidelined with a season-ending ankle injury, the Wildcats are liberally using two freshman quarterbacks in Jalen Whitlow and Patrick Towles. Neither has been truly effective as the Wildcats' offense has limped along in Smith's absence. Junior linebacker Avery Williamson leads the SEC with 115 tackles, but Kentucky's defense has seen far too much of the field this season.
EXTRA POINTS
1. Samford is an impressive 4-1 on the road this season.
2. Kentucky DT Donte Rumph is expected to return after a one-game absence with a knee injury.
3. Saturday's meeting will be the first between the schools.
PREDICTION: Kentucky 21, Samford 20