SEC Preview: No. 1 Alabama vs. Kentucky

Coming off of a 48-0 rout of Kent State, Alabama head coach Nick Saban said that was the most well-rounded he’s seen his team play this season. Heading into an SEC game against Kentucky on Saturday, he hopes they can keep up that style of play to take home their fifth win of the season.

The Wildcats (2-2, 1-1 SEC) are coming off a 17-10 win against South Carolina last week where star UK running back Stanley “Boom” Williams rushed for 123 yards and one touchdown. Williams has quickly emerged as a legitimate threat in the SEC and is in the midst of a breakout campaign. Saban went as far to call him the best running back they might play this season. This season, Williams is averaging eight yards per carry and 113 yards per game.

Unfortunately for UK though, Alabama’s vaunted defense might be too much for Kentucky’s run-heavy offense. The Tide has only allowed one rushing touchdown this season and an average of 67 rushing yards per game, fifth-best in the country. It’ll be up to Williams, who has 16 runs of 10 yards or more, to penetrate and move the chains for the Wildcats.

Unlike Alabama, the Wildcat run defense can’t close its porous holes fast enough. They rank 13th in the SEC, surrendering an average of 205 yards a game on the ground. This is good news for a Saban squad that is averaging 246 yards a game, led by RB Damien Harris and his 345 yards on the season.

Harris, along with receivers ArDarius Stewart and Robert Foster, represent the main storyline for Alabama. Harris, who left the Kent State game with an ankle sprain, is expected to play. Even if Stewart and Foster, who are game-time decisions, don’t play, the team can easily fall back on dual-threat QB Jalen Hurts linking with WR Calvin Ridley to cause more chaos that UK is ill-equipped to handle.

All odds are simply stacked against the Wildcats. They’re 0-9 in Tuscaloosa and haven’t beat Alabama since 1997. Their last meeting with Alabama ended with a 48-7 loss.

The Kentucky-Alabama series is one of the most lopsided in SEC history. The Crimson Tide hold a 36-2-1 all-time… https://t.co/kFe7crvtm3

— ESPN Stats & Info (@ESPNStatsInfo) September 28, 2016

Kick off is scheduled for 7 p.m. on ESPN.