THE GOOD

15: The number of explosive plays executed by the Kentucky offense through three weeks in 2014 (an explosive plays is defined as a run of more than 20 yards or a pass play of more than 30 yards). The Cats are tied for third in the nation with nine completions of 30 yards or longer, and they’re tied for first in the SEC in that same category along with Texas A&M. Kentucky ranks 22nd in the nation and is tied for fifth in the conference with six rushes of 20 yards or more.

0: The number of fumbles Kentucky has lost in 2014. The Cats did not commit a turnover in either of their first two games of the year, but quarterback Patrick Towles threw three interceptions in a triple-overtime loss to Florida, dropping Kentucky’s impressive turnover margin from plus-6 to plus-4 (UK also hauled in an interception of Florida’s Jeff Driskel). Still, UK’s skill players have been among the best in the nation in protecting the football, which has helped the offense shine during a 2-1 start to the season.

4.5: Tackles for loss registered by UK defensive end Jason Hatcher through three weeks. Head coach Mark Stoops has listed star defensive end Bud Dupree as a defensive end/linebacker hybrid on his depth chart since the start of the season, and many think he did so in order to include Dupree, senior defensive end Za’Darius Smith and Hatcher all in the starting defense. Hatcher has been Kentucky’s most disruptive lineman through three games, and he will be called upon to continue making an impact in the Cats final nine games.

THE BAD

3: Kickoff returns of 30-or-more yards allowed by Kentucky through three weeks, tied for the worst in the SEC. The Cats have also allowed two returns of 40-or-more yards, making them the only team to allow multiple returns of that length to this point in the season.

494: The number of rushing yards Kentucky has allowed through three weeks this season, an average of nearly 165 yards per game. The Cats rank 13th in the SEC in run defense, but have still kept opponents under four yards per carry for the year (3.95 yards per rush). The UK run defense has tightened up in the red zone, however, allowing just two rushing touchdowns in three games, which ranks seventh in the conference.

2: The number of Kentucky players who have rushed for at least 100 yards through three games (an average, obviously, of just 33.3 yards per contest). Those players are tailback Braylon Heard and quarterback Patrick Towles. Heard’s 155 yards on the ground were inflated by two carries for 116 yards to open the season against an FCS opponent, but the star tailback also missed UK’s Week 2 showdown with Ohio, bringing his numbers back down to earth a bit. Towles has rushed for 111 yards in three weeks, but aside from Heard no other tailback on the team has managed more than 95 rushing yards through three weeks.