In this Cats Illustrated "By The Numbers" feature, we take a look at some of the interesting figures heading into Kentucky's matchup with Missouri on Saturday night at Kroger Field...
1st - Play of the season for the Tigers was a 63-yard pass to senior wideout Boo Smith from Connor Bazelak.
2nd - Time since 2008 that Kentucky has opened SEC play against a team other than Florida or South Carolina. The Cats opened against Auburn last season in the pandemic-altered, league-only schedule.
3-5 - Mark Stoops' record in SEC openers at UK. The Cats beat South Carolina in 2015 and 2017, and defeated Florida in 2018.
4 - Sacks by Missouri linebacker Blaze Alldredge, a grad transfer from Rice, among his 10 tackles and 6.0 TFLs last week against Central Michigan. The Tigers recorded nine sacks as a team, their most in a single game in 21 years.
4/6 - Punts by former Wildcat Grant McKinniss were pinned inside the Central Michigan 20 last week. He also had two punts of 50 yards or more.
5 & 18 - Receptions and yards needed by Josh Ali to record 100 catches during his UK career and become the 31st player to join the program's 1,000-yard receiving club.
7-4 - All-time record, in favor of the Wildcats, between Kentucky and Missouri. UK has won five of the last six meetings, but the Tigers won 20-10 last year in Columbia.
9 - Mizzou players with a pass reception in the opening week. Six players had multiple catches.
14 - Tackles for loss by the UK defense last week against ULM, including six sacks.
25 - With a win, Mark Stoops would tie Fran Curci for the most SEC victories in UK history.
45 - Rushing yards needed by the Cats' Chris Rodriguez to move past Lynn Bowden Jr. for No. 22 on the UK all-time rushing list at 1,530 yards.
50-50 - Mark Stoops' record in nine seasons at Kentucky.
53 - Yard field goal by Mizzou's Harrison Mevis to close the first half last week. It was a career-long for the sophomore kicker. He's 4-for-4 from beyond 50 yards in the first 11 games of his college career.
87 - Total yards allowed by the UK defense last week against ULM; Mizzou surrendered 475 to Central Michigan.
248 - All-purpose yards by Missouri senior running back Tyler Badie in Week 1 versus Central Michigan. Badie needs 141 yards receiving to become the first player in program history to have more than 1,000 rushing yards and 1,000 receiving yards in a career.
.750 - Winning percentage of Missouri's Eliah Drinkwitz as a head coach spanning the last two seasons with the Tigers and the 2019 campaign at Appalachian State. He has won 18 of his 24 games.
