The visiting Hilltoppers hope to send their backers to the pay window on Saturday as they look to cover the spread at Commonwealth Stadium against the Wildcats.

The Hilltoppers will try to spoil to the party on Saturday; they are 2-0 ATS against the number this season, while the Wildcats are 1-1 ATS. Western Kentucky is 0-1 on the totals; Kentucky is 2-0.



View Western Kentucky vs Kentucky Odds and Stats.

Betting Line: The Hilltoppers were listed as 5.5-point underdogs on the Sportsbook NCAA football line at most sportsbooks tracked by OddsShark, including Sportsbook. The total was 48.5 midweek at Sportsbook, where the spread had also moved to -7.

Power Rankings / Prediction: The power rankings show a disparity between these teams, with the Wildcats rated this week at No. 101 and the Hilltoppers sitting at No. 21. It may or may not play a role in OddsShark score prediction models that turned out a 33-27 result in favor of the Wildcats this week.



How They Match Up:
Offensively, the game matches up Kentucky's No. 64-ranked offense (30.5 PPG) against a Hilltoppers defense that ranks No. 60 at 22.5 PPG. The Wildcats passing attack has averaged 317 yards per game, more than the Hilltoppers give up through the air (118 YPG on average).

Defensively, the Hilltoppers feature the league's No. 20-rated road run defense, allowing 103 yards per game. Kentucky, meanwhile, ranks No. 50 in rushing offense at home.

In their last action, Western Kentucky was a 35-0 loser on the road against Alabama. They covered the 38-point spread as underdogs, while the combined score (35) was profitable news for UNDER bettors. Western Kentucky didn’t make much of a game of it last time out, losing to the Crimson Tide as Alabama blasted them 35-0 in Week 2 action.

Kentucky won its last outing, a 47-14 result against Kent State on September 8. Kentucky covered in that game as a 6.5-point favorite, while the 61 combined points took the game OVER the total. Maxwell Smith's 354-yard performance through the air was enough last time out, as Kentucky earned a 47-14 win over Kent State on Saturday at Commonwealth Stadium.


Western Kentucky Hilltoppers Trends:
When playing in September are 1-9
When playing on grass are 2-8
After being outgained are 5-5
When playing outside the conference are 1-9

Kentucky Wildcats Trends:
When playing in September are 6-4
When playing on grass are 4-6
After outgaining opponent are 5-5
When playing outside the conference are 7-3

A few Hilltoppers at Wildcats trends to consider:
Western Kentucky is 8-2 SU in its last 10 games
Western Kentucky is 4-2 SU in its last 6 games on the road
Western Kentucky is 6-18 SU in its last 24 games on the road
Kentucky is 4-1 SU in its last 5 games at home
The total has gone OVER in 6 of Kentucky's last 9 games
The total has gone OVER in 4 of Kentucky's last 6 games at home
Kentucky is 4-8 SU in its last 12 games


Next up:
Western Kentucky home to Southern Miss, Saturday, September 22
Kentucky at Florida, Saturday, September 22