Here are some interesting stats comparing UL and UK football from CFBStats.com. These stats are also filtered to get averages against POWER 5 teams only. This takes away Louisville’s game against Samford and Kentucky’s game against Charlotte. Stats in those games can be very misleading.
Total Defense
18 UL 325.2 ypg
50 UK 395.8 ypg
Total Offense
60 UL 381 ypg
75 UK 351 ypg
The common response when you tell a UK fan about these stats and how we are better is something about SOS or asking who we have played. Well……
Louisville has played 6 teams with better total defenses than UK’s defense.
Kentucky has only played against 2 teams better than UL’s defense.
Louisville has played against 7 teams with better total offenses than UK’s offense.
Kentucky has only played against 3 teams with better offenses than UL’s offense
Louisville’s offense has gained more yards than their opponent’s season average 7 times.
Kentucky’s offense has only done it twice.
Louisville’s defense has held their opponent below their season average 7 times.
Kentucky has done it 5 times.
OK…yards are nice….but the game is about scoring.
Scoring Defense
35 UL 25.7 ppg
47 UK 27.6 ppg
Scoring Offense
52 UL 25.8 ppg
87 UK 17.5 ppg
Same UK argument…same responses below:
Louisville has played 8 teams that score more points than UK.
Kentucky has only played 3 that score more than UL.
Louisville has scored more points than their opponent’s defensive average 5 times.
Kentucky has only done it once.
Louisville has held 3 teams below their scoring average.
Kentucky has only done it once.
The next UK argument will be about our weak O-line. We will hear about how they will sack us repeatedly and get a ton of TFL’s. Admittedly, that is our weak link. But what do the stats say? Sacks and TFLs are the surest sign of a weak line.
Sacks
11 UL 26 total
63 UK 9 total
Sacks Allowed
87 UK 27 total
128 UL 43 total (dead last)
Tackles for Loss
4 UL 69 total
64 UK 30 total
Tackles for Loss Allowed
95 UK 51 total
126 UL 76 total
Louisville’s O-line needs work. The stats prove it. But, Kentucky’s defensive stats in these categories are not troublesome at all. Most of Louisville’s opponents have been better than UK in these categories. On the other hand, Kentucky’s O-line is not much better and they will be facing the best defense in these categories that they’ve seen all year.
Louisville has played 9 teams with more sacks than UK.
UK has only played 1 team with more sacks than UL.
Louisville has played 8 teams with more TFL’s than UK.
Kentucky has never played a team with more TFL’s than UL.
Turnovers will be the difference!
INT
6 UL 11
60 UK 4
INT Thrown
96 UL 8
121 UK 12
Fumble recoveries
16 UL 6
29 UK 5
Fumbles lost
52 UK 3
125 UL 10
Neither team values the football. This looks like a push, but Louisville has played against much better defenses than UK in these categories. UK is 3rd from the bottom in INTs and UL will be the best INT team they have faced this year.
Louisville has played against 9 teams with more INTs than UK.
Kentucky has never played against a team better than UL at INTs
Louisville has played 4 teams with more fumble recoveries than UK.
Kentucky has only played against 2 better than UL.
Special Teams…..the game will be won by the better special team.
Extra point %
UL 100%
UK 93%
FG%
UK 84.6%
UL 75%
Punt Return
77 UL 4.38 avg 0TD
90 UK 2.44 avg 0TD
Punt Defense
Kickoff Return
34 UL 22.47 avg 1 TD
73 UK 19.60 avg 0TD
Kickoff Defense
It appears that UK has the better FG kicker. It should be taken in consideration that UL’s kicker has tried three 50+ yard FGs. UK’s kicker has never tried a kick beyond 50. Both kickers are 100% inside 30 yards.
After looking at all these stats, Louisville is statistically better at almost every phase of the game. Our weakness (o-line) is not matched up against a formidable defensive line.
Statistically, the team that Louisville has played that is most comparable to UK is Syracuse. The team that UK has played that is most statistically comparable to UL is Tennessee.
Teamrankings.com has Louisville’s SOS at 36 and UK’s at 64.
Stats are interesting and good conversation pieces. But the game still must be played on the field. It’s almost time for kickoff. Let’s do this!
