Coming off a bye week, Mississippi State is set to play its first game as the No. 1 team in the country. They meet up with a Kentucky team that had its momentum halted in a 41-3 loss to LSU in Death Valley. Let’s take a look at some of the interesting numbers behind the matchup.

THE GOOD

  • 274. The Bulldogs roll into Lexington with the second-ranked rushing offense in the SEC, just a yard behind Georgia for the top mark in the league. MSU is averaging 264.3 yards on the year, a number that rises to 268.3 in the SEC. Kentucky is allowing ever more than that in SEC play, with opponents rushing for 274 yards per game in three SEC tilts. The SEC’s top rushing duo, Dak Prescott and Josh Robinson, should be able to run free.
  • 90.5. Mississippi State has been solid in the red zone this year, although their 80 percent conversion rate (21 touchdowns, 3 field goals in 30 red zone possessions) has room for improvement. Kentucky presents a good opportunity to boost that, as the Wildcats are giving up scores 90.5 percent of the time their opponent gets inside the 20-yard line.
  • 3-11. Mississippi State is taking their No. 1 ranking for a spin for the first time against Kentucky. The Wildcats are just 3-11 all-time against top-ranked teams, including a 48-7 home loss to No. 1 Alabama last season. Kentucky’s last win against a top-ranked team came against LSU in 2007.

THE BAD

  • 12. The Wildcats are good at generating big plays through the air, with Patrick Towles leading a strong passing attack. Kentucky has hit on 12 passing plays of 30 or more yards this season, putting them in position to take advantage of Mississippi State’s biggest weakness; the Bulldogs are tied for 13th in the conference with 11 such plays given up.
  • 12. Kentucky has been strong in taking the ball away from opponents, especially when it comes to interceptions. The Wildcats have 12 picks this season, including 8 interceptions in SEC play. Prescott was intercepted three times against Auburn, breaking a three-game interception-free streak.
  • 0. Mark Stoops has yet to record a win over his ranked team in his two years at Kentucky, and the Wildcats have dropped 15 straight against ranked foes. Their last win came back in October 2010, when they upset 10th-ranked South Carolina in Lexington. The Cats are hungry for a win to bolster their resume, but do they have the talent to bounce back and shock the Bulldogs?