The implications for the Governor’s Cup showdown between Kentucky and Louisville Saturday afternoon (3 p.m., SEC Network) at Kroger Field are HUGE.
Take a look at what it means for both teams.
For Louisville, eight wins during the regular season would be the most in coach Scott Satterfield’s tenure as the Cards leader. A win would break a three-game losing streak against the Wildcats in the series and give Satterfield (0-2) his first victory over Kentucky.
U of L (7-4) is going to a postseason bowl no matter what. A victory could push the 25th-ranked (CFP) Cards up the invitational chain. It would give Louisville another victory over a team that is or was ranked in the top 25. A total of nine of the Cards opponents this season have been ranked.
Kentucky, meanwhile, could assure itself a winning season and a four-game winning streak over Louisville. UK coach Mark Stoops is 4-4 versus the Cards over nine seasons. The two did not play in 2020. The Wildcats are seeking a higher-level bowl. The usually strong SEC will get preference even though the Wildcats are 3-5 in league play. UK's SEC victories are over Florida, Missouri and Mississippi State, while its losses are to Ole Miss, South Carolina, Tennessee, Vanderbilt and Georgia. All are ranked except Vandy.
In last year's UK-U of L game, Kentucky quarterback Will Levis scored four touchdowns, and ran for 115 yards and threw for 149 (14 of 18) in a 52-21 victory.
“I think Louisville is playing, very, very good,” said Stoops. “I know they are much more confident probably this year than they’ve been with the way they’re playing in some of the games we’ve had.
We have to be prepared and ready to go."
On the other hand, Satterfield knows how difficult this game could be. “Their defense is really good," he said of the Wildcats. "They’re big up front. They keep everything in front, and they swarm. Their corners are jamming and are all up in the receiver’s face. It’s going to be a physical game everywhere.”
“We all know about this game,” said U of L linebacker Monty Montgomery, who was stopped by a Louisville sports information director about expanding on his thoughts. He left the podium with a smile.
Prediction: Kentucky 20, Louisville 17. The Wildcats are due to play better and will after consecutive losses. The Cardinals offense has sputtered in each of the last two games.
Ed Peak has covered sports in Louisville, Kentucky since 1967. He started as a high school reporter for the old “Night Beat” program on WAVE Radio 970. He later worked as a high school sports reporter on WHAS TV’s “Here’s Now” (1969-1971). He produced the WHAS radio high school game of the week on the “Wayne Perkey” radio show and the WHAS Saturday Scoreboard following University of Kentucky football. Ed worked as a sports correspondent for the Courier-Journal & Louisville Times (1972-1982) and has assisted in covering The University of Louisville, University of Kentucky, many high school state football, basketball and other events for the Associated Press. He has covered the Kentucky Derby since 1973, and the Breeders Cup in Louisville and Lexington. Ed still writes for the AP, News and Tribune (Jeffersonville, Ind.) and UofLCardGame.com and CBS Radio News.
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