Mississippi State was on a bye last week, but the Bulldogs maintained their No. 1 ranking and quarterback Dak Prescott maintained his position as the frontrunner in the Heisman race.

Prescott and the Bulldogs now turn the page to unranked Kentucky one week after the Wildcats were slashed 41-3 under the Death Valley lights. Kentucky has yet to play a ranked opponent this season, just one of the perks of playing in the SEC East. Mississippi State is coming off three straight wins over top 10 teams and two byes in the last five weeks. It’s safe to say the Bulldogs are as confident as they are rested, and their matchup with UK appears favorable.

So what does Prescott have to do to stay ahead of the Heisman pack? The answer is simple: play within himself.

Prescott doesn’t have to do anything but take what Kentucky’s defense gives him. Mississippi State matches up so well with Kentucky it’s scary, and all Prescott has to do is avoid silly mistakes and the gaudy numbers will come on their own.

Dakman and Robinson (tailback Josh Robinson, that is) lead the SEC’s second-best rushing attack, and they’re poised to torch a Kentucky defense that has allowed more than 270 yards per game on the ground to SEC teams that aren’t Vanderbilt.

It’s like clockwork — Robinson will break a few big runs, which will in turn open up a few running lanes for Prescott to break big gainers, which will in turn open up the middle of the field for the play-action passing game. The Bulldogs have executed that way in each of their six wins to open the season. Prescott is the best passer in the conference in play-action situations, and he and Robinson have both had their way with opposing defenses through the ground game.

Kentucky has not proven itself capable of stopping the run, and it’s greatest strength on defense – the pass rush – will be neutralized by MSU’s ground game. The Wildcats allowed Anthony Jennings to rush for 40 yards last week, marking the first time in five tries he’d rushed for more than 10 yards against an opponent from the power five conferences. Jennings is a great athlete, but he’s not Prescott, who has rushed for at least 77 yards in five straight games.

And the icing on the cake? Dan Mullen confirmed Monday Jameon Lewis is expected to return this week, adding yet another threat to the MSU offense. Lewis certainly isn’t going to hurt Prescott’s numbers, even if it takes the tandem a half to regain their rhythm on the field.

Lewis adds the imminent threat of the trick play every time he steps between the white lines, and he’s a great underneath receiver with an ability to pick up yards after the catch. Prescott and De’Runnya Wilson will both have more opportunities with Lewis in the lineup, putting Kentucky in even more of a bind this weekend.

It’s all set up for Prescott to shine on the CBS SEC Game of the Week, and although Kentucky is not good enough to consider the game a Heisman moment, he will have the opportunity to put up huge numbers before a huge audience.

All he has to do is play turnover-free, and there’s almost no way Kentucky can stop the MSU offense. Kentucky does have 17 takeaways this season, including 12 interceptions, and Prescott did throw two interceptions in his last outing against Auburn. However, Prescott only threw two interceptions in his first five games before the win over Auburn, so there’s no reason to think he will throw multiple picks for a second straight game.

Prescott even had two weeks to learn from his mistakes against the Tigers, so it’s more likely he’ll look as sharp as a tack than it is he’ll make mistakes that keep UK in the game. He’s set up to have a huge performance Saturday, and as long as he plays within himself, he’ll cash in on the opportunity on yet another national stage.

Expect Prescott to widen his lead in the Heisman race in Week 9.