Kentucky could use Murray State matchup to flip worrisome after bye week trend

The 2024 college football season gave programs two bye weeks due to how the season fell on the calendar. That meant time for extra rest and multiple opportunities to have extra prep. The former was good news for Kentucky. The latter was not so good news.

Kentucky enters the Week 12 matchup with Murray State riding a woeful streak off the bye week. Following this season’s 20-13 home loss to Vanderbilt after the year’s first bye week, UK is now 5-9 outright after bye weeks under Mark Stoops and has has failed to cover in nine games since 2017.

• 2013: UK (+11) vs. No. 20 Florida | Lost 24-7
• 2013: UK (+11) at Mississippi State | Lost 28-22
• 2014: UK (-17) vs. Vanderbilt | Won 17-7
• 2014: UK (+12) at No. 24 Louisville | Lost 44-40
• 2015: UK (+1) vs. Auburn | Lost 30-27
• 2016: UK (+4) vs. Mississippi State | Won 40-38
• 2017: UK (+12) at Mississippi State | Lost 45-7
• 2018: UK (-11) vs. Vanderbilt | Won 14-7
• 2019: UK (-7) vs. Arkansas | Won 24-20
• 2019: UK (-1) vs. Tennessee | Lost 17-13
• 2020: UK (-17) vs. Vanderbilt | Won 38-35
• 2021: UK (PK) at Mississippi State | Lost 31-17
• 2022: UK (+11) at No. 3 Tennessee | Lost 44-6
• 2023: UK (+3) vs. No. 21 Tennessee | Lost 33-27
• 2024: UK (-12.5) vs. Vanderbilt | Lost 20-13

Despite only facing four ranked teams in these 13 matchups, Kentucky has had issues reaching expectations after the bye week. However, Murray State will be the first FCS opponent that UK has faced with in-season extra time to prepare in the Stoops era. During this nine-game cover streak for the opposing team, we’ve seen Kentucky be a double-digit dog, double-digit favorite, a small dog, and a small favorite. The Wildcats just cannot get over the hump since the big win over Mississippi State in 2016.

Can playing a 1-9 FCS team as a five-touchdown favorite bust this streak? We will find out on Saturday afternoon at Kroger Field.