No. 24 Kentucky plays host to Missouri in college football Week 7 action on Saturday, with the Wildcats opening as slight favorites. With both teams coming off their first losses of the season, it’s a big game for each squad. Kentucky found itself on the wrong end of a 51-13 blowout on the road against Georgia last week, and Missouri suffered a 49-39 loss at home against LSU.
Saturday’s game kicks off at 7:30 p.m. ET from Kroger Field in Lexington, Kentucky, and will be broadcast on the SEC Network. Below, we’ll take a closer look at the betting lines for Kentucky vs. Missouri, along with prop bet odds and the latest injury news. Kentucky sports betting is open for all users looking to wager on this game.
Kentucky looks for a rebound at home against Missouri
The Kentucky Wildcats are 5-1 after a lopsided loss at Georgia last week for their first defeat of the season. The team has not lost at home so far this season and is currently 2-1 in SEC play. QB Devin Leary struggled in last week’s game, going 10-of-26 with 128 yards passing and two TDs. The transfer from North Carolina State suffered a season-ending shoulder injury last year, and so far this season he has thrown 12 TDs and five interceptions while being sacked seven times.
The Missouri Tigers are also 5-1 and coming off their first loss of the season, against LSU at home. The squad is 1-1 in the SEC so far and is playing just its second road game of the season here after beating Vanderbilt 38-21 on the road on Sept. 30. QB Brady Cook is off to a good start with a completion percentage just north of 70% and 13 TD passes to go with three TD runs. Up until last week’s loss, in which Cook was picked off twice, he hadn’t thrown a single interception all season.
Running game likely key for Kentucky
While the Wildcats’ passing game hasn’t been as reliable as the team had hoped, the running game has been a force so far. RB Ray Davis has run for 653 yards and eight touchdowns this season while averaging 7.1 yards per carry. Missouri struggled to slow down LSU’s running game last week, giving up 274 yards on the ground. If Kentucky can break off rushing yards in steady chunks early, that could open up the passing game as well.
Missouri needs defense to step up
The Tigers have had a reputation in past years for having stingy defenses, but so far this season it hasn’t been the case. The unit has surrendered 27 points or more in four straight games, with opposing offenses amassing 400 yards or more in three of those. That has forced the offense to try to keep pace in some high-scoring shootouts, and thanks to a robust passing game, it’s largely been up to the task. But against better teams like Kentucky, Missouri may need more defensive stops to stay in the game.
Missouri vs. Kentucky odds and betting lines for NCAA Week 7
Missouri vs. Kentucky player props
Multiple prop bet options are available for Saturday’s game from the best college football betting sites. Here’s a look at a couple of key prop categories for this game:
Passing yards
If Kentucky can get the run game going, it may not have to rely so much on Leary, who’s averaging 209.5 passing yards per game so far. Missouri’s offense, on the other hand, is very much dependent on a pass-heavy approach producing some big plays. Cook is averaging 313.2 yards per game through the air, and if the Tigers find themselves in another offensive shootout, he could end up airing it out a lot this game.
Anytime touchdown scorers
Kentucky’s Davis has scored at least once in every game this season. For Missouri, Luther Burden III leads the receivers with five catches for TDs, while RB Cody Schrader has run for six TDs on the year so far.
Missouri vs. Kentucky injury report
Missouri CB Ennis Rakestraw appears likely to miss this week with a groin injury. WR Mekhi Miller has been dealing with a head injury and is questionable for this game.
For Kentucky, S Jalen Geiger is out with an elbow injury he suffered in last week’s game. OL Kenneth Horsey hasn’t played since Week 1, but the team is hopeful he could return for this game.
