Kentucky football vs. Missouri: Betting line, 3 things to know before you pick

LEXINGTON — The Kentucky football program is in a rough patch, having dropped three of its past four outings. There's some good news for the Wildcats, though: at nearly this exact point last season, they had just lost their third straight game, a 45-42 home setback to Tennessee.

UK turned it around, though, and ended the season on a four-game win streak, topping Vanderbilt, New Mexico State, Louisville and Iowa (in the Citrus Bowl).

Of course, year to year, things vary.

Vandy had just two wins when it faced Kentucky last season. NMSU was 1-9.

Compare that to the Wildcats' remaining four remaining foes this fall: Missouri (4-4), Vanderbilt (3-5), top-ranked Georgia (8-0) and Louisville (5-3, on a three-game win streak and coming off its best victory of the season — a dominant 48-21 triumph over then-No. 10 Wake Forest).

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The contest versus the Commodores is the only game where the Wildcats should feel safe penciling in a victory.

Another difference from last season: while the Wildcats lost to the Volunteers by just a field goal in 2021, UK is coming off a blowout loss last week at Neyland Stadium, where Tennessee rolled to a 44-6 victory.

Frustrating as last week's lopsided result was, Kentucky coach Mark Stoops said the only thing his team can do is turn the page.

"We always address that and look at things and self-evaluate and try to get better, win or lose," Stoops said Monday during his weekly press conference. "That’s not going to change. …. Do you just fold the tent? Just give up after some tough losses?"

After back-to-back losses last month to Ole Miss and South Carolina, respectively, Kentucky rebounded to beat Mississippi State.

Stoops hopes to see a similar response Saturday at Missouri — aware that's easier said than done.

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"(Missouri) bounced back from some tough losses and really has done a good job," said Stoops, alluding to an overtime loss at Auburn where Missouri fumbled the potential winning touchdown on the goal line, followed by a home setback to Georgia in which the Tigers coughed up a 10-point fourth-quarter lead.

As if last month's outcomes aren't enough motivation — UK went 1-3 in October — for Stoops' squad, all the coach has to bring up to his players is the Wildcats' previous trip to Columbia, Missouri. In 2020, the Wildcats finished with 145 yards of total offense in a 20-10 loss. It also snapped a five-game win streak for UK in the series.

"I didn’t like our approach (in 2020), and we got our butts kicked. … The situation is what it is," Stoops said. "So we’re going to pick it up, we’re going to work, we’re going to punch the clock this week."

Staying upbeat

If a team's season appears on the cusp of heading south, the fan base becomes irritated. Panicked. Reporters begin asking tougher questions. Snark abounds on social media.

Stoops, while not oblivious to outside noise, pays it no heed.

"I feel surprisingly freaking jacked up and great," he said Monday. "Why? Because you have to be. You have to be. Yeah, I felt like crap all night Saturday night and all day Sunday, but today I’m freaking jacked up, ready to go.”

On two separate occasions during that presser, Stoops said, "You're not going to get a headline out of me," feeling that questions were trying to bait him into uttering something he didn't truly mean — or saying something that could be taken out of context.

At the same time, he said, he understands why fans are upset with recent on-field results.

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"We still need them. … But just come back and cheer again," he said. "You can throw darts at me after the next one. Just keep on being fans. I appreciate them. They’ve been awesome this year, and I’ve never shied away from it — the criticism that comes with the territory. I’d be condescending if I said I liked it, because I want to win. It doesn’t deter me. I know what it is. Nobody needs to be harder on us than us.”

And make no mistake: Stoops said the short trip back from Knoxville, Tennessee, Saturday night was awful. Sunday wasn't much better, agonizing over the film of the 38-point defeat. But keeping spirits up as a coach is easier with support in your corner — especially when that backing comes from one of your bosses.

Grinding away in his office Sunday night, Stoops received a surprise visitor: university president Eli Capilouto.

"I was in there half-dreary and he was like, ‘I just want to pick (you up)," Stoops recalled Capilouto saying. "'Just pat you and say get back in the fight.' I appreciate that.”

Stoops said he immediately grabbed another cup of coffee and redoubled his efforts.

"As the leader of this football team, you’ve got to set the tone," he said. "I’m fortunate to have great leaders in the administration to help me and pick me up that way. We’re all in this together, so it meant a lot.”

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The Will (Levis) question: Will he or won't he (bounce back)?

Will Levis, UK's starting quarterback, won't have fond memories of last week's game. That's because it was, without question, the worst game of his college career.

He failed to reach 100 yards passing. (He finished with 98.) It's just the second time as a Wildcat he's failed to throw a touchdown. (The other was last season versus South Carolina.) And his three interceptions tied a career high. (He also had three picks in last year's loss to Mississippi State.)

The NFL draft hopeful has had some rough outings before, sure.

But none quite like that.

Stoops isn't worried about his field general, though.

"He’ll be ready to go. He already addressed it after the game," Stoops said. "He didn’t point fingers. He knows he can play better, he knows the unit can play better, he knows the team can play better. That’s the type of leadership we’re looking for.”

Levis admitted he forced the issue at times against the Volunteers, making throws he wouldn't dare to chance if the game had been closer down the stretch.

"But it’s not all on him," Stoops said. "I think it’s the situation we were in — and we certainly need to do a better job putting him and all of our players in a better position — we all share in that and players have to step up and make plays."

UK hopes Levis' performance Saturday is a blast from the past: one week after his three-INT showing last season versus Mississippi State, he threw for 372 yards and three touchdowns in the 45-42 loss to Tennessee.

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Injuries piling up at linebacker

Kentucky already was without Jacquez Jones, a fifth-year senior who joined the program in 2021 after beginning his college career at Ole Miss. He injured his foot against his former team Oct. 1, and when he'll return this season is up in the air.

Then on Monday, Stoops said fellow linebacker DeAndre Square is "doubtful" to play Saturday.

That's 598 career tackles — 299 apiece — the Wildcats likely won't have available against the Tigers this weekend.

If Square isn't cleared to play, sophomore Trevin Wallace will take over starting duties at weakside linebacker. It's the same thing junior D'Eryk Jackson has done the past three games at middle linebacker to fill the void left by Jones.

Jackson has made the most of his opportunity, particularly last week, when he recorded 14 tackles versus the Volunteers — the most by any player last week, and also the highest tally he's ever had in a single game.

Unquestionably, Jackson is a talented player. As is Wallace, who earned a spot on the SEC's All-Freshman team last season.

But what they both lack is what Jones and Square possess in abundance: experience.

Missouri's offense will look to exploit their absences come 11 a.m. Saturday.

What is the betting line on the Kentucky-Missouri football game?

Kentucky is favored by 1.5 points, according to the VegasInsider.com consensus line.

Prediction: Kentucky 28, Missouri 24

The Tigers just beat the Gamecocks on the road last week — the same South Carolina team Kentucky lost to, by 10 points, last month. But in that setback, UK was without Levis, who had injured his foot the week before against Ole Miss. Plus, prior to last week's road win over USC, Mizzou barely squeaked by Vanderbilt, a team that hasn't won a conference game since 2019. The early kickoff, combined with the Wildcats' desire to get last week's disappointing loss out of their mouths, helps them pull out a narrow victory at Memorial Stadium.

Reach Kentucky men’s basketball and football reporter Ryan Black at rblack@gannett.com and follow him on Twitter at @RyanABlack.