On face value, Kentucky has an easier road this week. The Wildcats (4-2, 2-2 in the Southeastern Conference), face a team that resides in last place in its division, after all.

Oh, but that division is the SEC West and that team is Mississippi State.

State is 5-2 on the year, 1-2 in league play and sitting at the bottom along with Arkansas and Auburn. But look at those two losses: LSU and at Texas A&M when both were ranked No. 14 in the nation.

It is safe to say Mississippi State is the best last-place team in the country.

“Looking forward to this week’s game, it will be a great challenge going to Mississippi State,” UK coach Mark Stoops said in his weekly news conference. “They are a very good football team that is used to winning a bunch of games and led by an incredible quarterback (Dak Prescott) who has great leadership skills. He is a very talented and can run. He is very durable and throwing the ball exceptionally well this year.”

Prescott is completing 65 percent of his passes this year for 1,700 yards and 11 touchdowns and he has yet to throw an interception.

Kentucky has picked off seven passes this year and only surrenders 252 yards per game. That could mean the Wildcats might force State to rely on its run game. Even there, Prescott is still the man to stop.

The senior has only run for 254 yards (which leads the team), but he averages 4.3 yards per carry.

Further hampering Kentucky is the loss of Melvin Lewis, who left the Auburn game with a gruesome leg injury that required surgery. Sophomore Matt Elam will replace Lewis, and Stoops is confident in his ability.

“Yeah, Matt will be ready,” Stoops said. “I thought he did some good things and this is a great opportunity for him. He needs to step up and play.”
Defensively, the Bulldogs give up 368 yards per game, so Kentucky will have the chance to move the ball and put up points.

Richie Brown is the bell cow (pun intended) for Mississippi State’s defense. He has collected 61 total tackles, five of them for loss. He also has an interception and 3.5 sacks. He is someone Kentucky QB Patrick Towles is going to have to account for all night.

On special teams, Fred Ross can be a killer. He has averaged 11.5 yards per punt return and took one back 77 yards for a touchdown against Troy. Brandon Holloway has run back kickoffs at a 29.4-yard clip. He also has a 100-yarder this season.
Mississippi State might be in last place in its division, but it’s only three games into the conference season. They are not a team people take lightly.
 “Again, it is just maturity as a program and maturity as an organization,” Stoops said. “We are getting better. The guys understand that. We will all respond better and the players will bounce back. They are resilient. We’ve got a great opportunity this weekend and a great challenge.”