Much has changed since the last time the LSU football team and Kentucky faced off in what was ultimately a 35-7 blowout victory by the Tigers in 2011. That will be evident when the two teams face off at 6:30 p.m. Saturday in Tiger Stadium.
Through the past decade, the Wildcats (5-1, 2-1 Southeastern Conference) have been a basketball school struggling to keep pace in the ever-growing SEC football powerhouse.
Dating back to 2002, Kentucky had a total of 23 SEC wins in 96 conference games played coming into 2014, which equates to a .240 winning percentage. Over the 12 year span, the Wildcats have reached only .500 in the conference once, in 2006 when they finished 4-4 in the SEC and 8-5 overall.
The Wildcats were struggling, and it was only getting worse after LSU (5-2, 1-2 SEC) and Kentucky’s latest game in 2011. Kentucky finished the 2011 season 2-6 in the SEC and went winless in the conference in 2012, prompting the program to make a head coaching change, electing to bring in former Florida State defensive coordinator Mark Stoops.
Stoops’ first year with the program was like the one before it — Kentucky finished the year 2-10 and 0-8 in the SEC. However, Stoops and his Wildcats have never looked back since the bumpy start to the new era.
In fact, Kentucky has completely turned around.
The Wildcats come into Tiger Stadium on Saturday with the program’s best start since 2007. This year is only the seventh time since 1950 that Kentucky has won five of its first six games.
The turnaround comes as a surprise to many, but junior offensive lineman Vadal Alexander said there’s a reason why Kentucky had a successful start to its season.
“I see [the game] as another SEC opponent. I see it as not Kentucky, but another great team,” Alexander said. “They’re in the SEC for a reason. They’re winning games. We’re ready to play a great team.”
Kentucky’s ball-hawking defensive unit is one reason for its improvement. Under Stoops’ guidance, the group ranks in the top 20 or higher nationally in passing yards allowed, scoring defense and team passing efficiency defense. The Wildcats are ranked eighth nationally in turnovers gained.
Kentucky has forced opponents to turn the ball over 16 times this season, 11 of those by way of interceptions. Kentucky’s 11 picks of the year ranks fourth in the nation and second in the SEC, which is a considerable jump for the Wildcats, who only had three interceptions all of last season.
During his weekly press conference, Stoops said his defense has stepped up with hard work and a hunger to get better day-in and day-out.
“The harder you work, the luckier you become,” Stoops said. “I think our guys have really bought into that and we’re working hard to put ourselves in position, and you have to have great structure and great position on the football to make plays.”
LSU coach Les Miles said Kentucky has a capable defense, and the Tigers will have to play well to win.
“They’re a zone concept in the secondary, and they play their safeties deep and they have nice adjustments to the ball,” Miles said. “They have a quality linebacking core that handles the underneath coverage well, and some talented corners. It’s a quality defensive concept.”
While turning the ball over only eight times this season, the Tigers have struggled, at times, holding on to the ball. Against New Mexico State, LSU turned the ball over four times in the 63-7 victory with two interceptions and two fumbles.
LSU senior running back Terrence Magee said ball security is the number one point the team emphasizes each week, and it’s important the Tigers keep at it against a fast-moving defense like Kentucky.
“They’ve got some big physical guys up front, and they do a good job of running to the ball on defense,” Magee said. “Ball security and protecting the quarterback and things of that nature is something we emphasis heavily every week, so we’re just going to continue the same things we’ve been doing and just try to eliminate turnovers and fumbles on
offense.”
The recent struggles in ball security, especially against a team like New Mexico State, is a cause for concern for the Tigers’ offense.
But after committing no turnovers against SEC opponents Auburn and Florida, LSU senior center Elliott Porter said the ball security will continue to be there when the team takes the field Saturday night.
“Ball security is the first on any kind of list on offense, so we have to make sure the ball security is there and it will be there,” Porter said. “Trust me, and we’re going to leave it at that. We’re going to fight our butts off just to drive the ball down field and score as many points as we can score.”

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Javier Fernández

LSU football players walk out of the tunel during Tigers' 30-27 victory against Florida Saturday, October 11, 2014 in Ben Hill Griffin Stadium.