Kentucky vs Eastern Kentucky football game first look: Story lines, key players, odds, more

LEXINGTON — So far, so good for Kentucky, with one game in the books.

While the Wildcats opened the season with a 44-14 win over Ball State, coaches and players still pined for more. They'll have their next chance to showcase improvement Saturday against Eastern Kentucky, which will make the trip up I-75 from Richmond to Kroger Field.

The Colonels are 0-1 after losing 66-13 at Cincinnati, the debut for new Bearcat coach (and former Louisville head man) Scott Satterfield.

Here are three story lines to watch heading into Kentucky's second game of 2023:

Connections everywhere between the two programs

From the players to the coaching staff, Eastern Kentucky's roster has a plethora of connections to UK.

It begins at the top. Fourth-year head coach Walt Wells spent two seasons (2018 and 2019) as a quality control control assistant with the Wildcats before taking over the Colonels' program.

The links filter down to Wells' coaching staff. Quarterbacks coach Maxwell Smith was a UK signal-caller for three seasons (2011-13, including Mark Stoops' first victory), while tight ends coach C.J. Conrad lined up at the position for the Wildcats from 2015 through 2018. Conrad was a graduate assistant and quality control coach at UK the last three years before being hired at EKU.

The associations continue with players. Running back Isaac Dixon was on UK's roster as a walk-on in 2022, while wide receiver Jakob Dixon was a member of the Wildcats' 2023 signing class before leaving the program in June. Defensive back Treyveon Longmire also was once a Kentucky commit before decommitting in December 2021.

Kenneth Horsey injury reshuffles Kentucky offensive line

Kenneth Horsey, UK's starting left guard and most experienced offensive lineman, departed Saturday's game in the second quarter with an undisclosed injury and did not return.

When the Wildcats released their updated depth chart Monday morning, Horsey no longer was part of the two deep.

But during Stoops' weekly press conference, he said Horsey shouldn't be out for the year.

"The good news is it will not be season ending at this point," Stoops said. "But he will be out for a couple of weeks, I think, at least."

With Horsey out, Dylan Ray — who transferred into the program from West Virginia after spring practice concluded and replaced Horsey on Saturday — will start at left guard Saturday. Third-year sophomore Paul Rodriguez, who played in nine games last season (all on special teams), is the backup.

Prior to last week's game, UK offensive line coach Zach Yenser praised Horsey and right guard Eli Cox. The pair "shored up the middle" of the unit, Yenser said.

After just one game, the line already will sport a new look. Reshuffling the deck so quickly is the last thing the Wildcats want for a group coming off a disappointing 2022.

Staying motivated

Week 1 for UK featured a Mid-American Conference foe. This week, an FCS program comes to town. Game 3 for the Wildcats is another MAC opponent in Akron.

Kentucky was a heavy favorite versus Ball State, as it will be Saturday and next week.

In games a team is expected to win without breaking much of a sweat — especially with three such contests in a row — it is crucial for the Wildcats to continually find ways to push themselves. The final score may not show how well UK played.

The Wildcats should use this time for fine tuning. Once it reaches October, beginning with an Oct. 7 date at top-ranked Georgia, Kentucky won't have time to work into form.

Three Kentucky players to watch

Devin Leary, Sixth-year senior quarterback: In his first game for UK, Leary was 18 of 31 for 241 yards and a touchdown and an interception. Leary wasn't pleased with his effort, acknowledging afterward it wasn't his "best performance." Now, he faces an EKU defense scorched in a record-tying effort from Cincinnati QB Emory Jones, who completed 82.6% (19 for 23) of his attempts for 345 yards and five touchdowns, with two scores on the ground.

Ray Davis, fifth-year senior running back: While Leary wanted more, Davis took no time acclimating in his maiden game as a Wildcat. The Vanderbilt transfer ran for 112 yards and two touchdowns in Saturday's win, the fourth time in the past five games he's broken the century barrier. The Colonels gave up 229 yards and three touchdowns on the ground to the Bearcats.

Alex Afari, sophomore defensive back: Linebacker Trevin Wallace stole most of the defensive headlines Saturday with a game-high 12 tackles, matching his career best. But Afari was next in line, with eight tackles of his own, setting a single-game personal best for the Ohio native. Afari also forced a fumble that led to a scoop-and-score touchdown for Jalen Geiger.

Three Eastern Kentucky players to watch

Parker McKinney, sixth-year senior quarterback: The preseason offensive player of the year in the United Athletic Conference, McKinney struggled versus Cincy, going 13 of 24 (54.2%) for 177 yards and one touchdown against two interceptions. But he has excelled during his time with the Colonels, entering Saturday's game just 105 passing yards short of 10,000 for his college career.

Jaden Smith, junior wide receiver: The 5-foot-10, 195-pound Georgia native was EKU's top receiver last season, logging 62 receptions. He also paced the team in catches (five) and receiving yards (81) against Cincinnati.

Logan Blake, sixth-year senior linebacker: In his first-ever game as a Colonel after spending five seasons at the NAIA level with Marian University in Indianapolis, Blake was a revelation. His 10 tackles, including 1.5 for loss, led all players Saturday.

Kentucky vs Eastern Kentucky odds

Kentucky is a 25 ½-point favorite against Eastern Kentucky, according to Vegas Insider.

How to watch Kentucky vs Eastern Kentucky game

Who: Eastern Kentucky (0-1) at Kentucky (1-0)

When: 3 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 9

Where: Kroger Field; Lexington

TV: Saturday's game will not air on television. It will be streamed live on SEC Network+.

Streaming: Authenticated subscribers can access SEC Network+ via TV-connected devices or by going to WatchESPN.com, the WatchESPN app or ESPN+.

'We've got to get better': 3 takeaways from Kentucky football's lopsided win over Ball State

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

This article originally appeared on Louisville Courier Journal: Kentucky football vs. EKU: Betting line, key players and connections