by Chuck Sommers
Friday, Sep 16, 2022
Game time: Noon ET
Venue: Kroger Field, Lexington, KY
Where to watch: SECN
Opening Odds at USA Sportsbooks
DraftKings: NL
FanDuel: NL
BetMGM: NL
Caesars: NL
Season record
Youngstown State: 2-0
No. 9 Kentucky: 2-0
Upsets galore in Week 2 of college football! We almost saw Alabama go down in Week 2, but that didn't stop the top-25 polls from shaking up a great deal. What does Week 3 bring for us? Sean Murphy had a 6-2-1 run this past Saturday and is on a 15-8 run. If you like those odds, make sure you're following Sean's best bets. Check out Sean's picks, as well as other choices from our champion handicappers in our Best Bets section.
Youngstown State - Kentucky preview, analysis and prediction
Last week
Youngstown State: won 49-16 vs. Dayton
Kentucky: won 26-16 at Florida
I think we can all come to an agreement that the Kentucky Wildcats, now in the top 10, will win this game on Saturday against the Youngstown State Penguins. That’s a good thing, and it has nothing to do with on the field.
I think we can all come to an agreement that the Kentucky Wildcats, now in the top 10, will win this game on Saturday against the Youngstown State Penguins. That’s a good thing, and it has nothing to do with on the field.
If Kentucky wins, we’re all but guaranteed the Wildcats will not eat penguin. You saw what Kentucky did with eating gator after beating Florida last week. Truly, one of the more bizarre and yet slightly appetizing moments we’ve seen this season.
Nevertheless, a great start for Kentucky to go to Gainesville and knock off a Florida team that was coming off an upset win over Utah. The Wildcats, for their efforts, now find themselves creeping to the top of the rankings with SEC brethren Georgia and Alabama dominating the top.
But when evaluating the talent at the top, could the Heisman Trophy winner reside in Lexington? Quarterback Will Levis is off to a great start with four touchdowns and two interceptions while throwing for 505 yards. He threw for 202, a touchdown and a pick in the win over Florida, and Dane Key led the way with 83 yards and a touchdown on three interceptions.
“You’ve got to be a tough son of a b to come into this place and win,” Kentucky coach Mark Stoops said, taking a shot at an SEC Network analyst who called his team soft earlier this week. “That’s what we showed. We may win or lose, but we’re tough.”
Stoops moved past Bear Bryant for the most wins in Kentucky’s history with 61, which tells you all you need to know about the direction of Kentucky. There hasn’t been success, or even consistent success for the longest time. But Stoops has created a culture that wins.
And while Levis is playing like a top-pick quarterback and potential Heisman frontrunner, the Wildcats are about to get a huge boost with the return of leading rusher Chris Rodriguez Jr., who was out due to an unspecified absence. Rodriguez will return Oct. 1 for the Wildcats’ SEC opener against Ole Miss. Rodriguez, who ran for 1,300 yards last year, pleaded guilty in July to a DUI charge.
“We’ve been prepared to handle the situation for weeks now,” Stoops said.
A win would give Kentucky its fourth 3-0 start under Stoops. Again, the direction of this program is trending in the right direction. Kentucky’s win over Florida was its fourth win in the last five against a ranked opponent. They’re not the ones getting stepped on anymore.
Kentucky has won 17 straight nonconference games, which is the longest active streak in the FBS.
We shouldn’t be throwing so much shade on No. 23 Youngstown State coming off a 49-16 win over Dayton last Saturday. Quarterback Demeatric Crenshaw tied a school record with five touchdown passes, and this is going to be a hectic two weeks on the road with Kentucky and North Dakota State on the schedule.
Prediction
If there’s a line, I expect it to be large and also expect Kentucky to run away with this one. Levis has a chance to bolster his Heisman candidacy with a big performance right before conference play. Kentucky by 28
Betting trends
Youngstown State 3-1-1 in its last five ATS.
Youngstown State 1-3-1 in its last five road games ATS.
Kentucky is 5-1-1 ATS in its last seven following ATS win.
Statistical leaders
Youngstown State:
Passing: Demeatric Crenshaw -- 384 yards, 5 TD
Rushing: Jaleel McLuaghlin -- 332 yards, 4 TD
Receiving: Max Tomczak -- 148 yards, 1 TD
Kentucky:
Passing: Will Levis -- 508 yards, 4 TD, 2 INT
Rushing: Kavosiey Smoke -- 112 yards
Receiving: Dane Key -- 136 yards, 2 TD
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Chuck Sommers
About the Author:
Chuck Sommers has camped outside of sportsbooks since he can remember, learning the tricks and nuances of the trade. He still has nightmares of betting $5,000 on the Raiders in the Tuck Rule game but has since turned that to 25 years of veteran handicapping greatness. You can find him mostly in the shadows at the Red Rock or Aliante casinos wondering if the over is cashing on any given Sunday.
