Ole Miss transfer Jacquez Jones will lead the Kentucky defense in a SEC showdown Oct. 1 at Oxford, Miss. (Vicky Graff Photo)
With Kentucky and Mississippi both expected to be 4-0 and both already ranked in the top 16 of the Associated Press ratings, UK fans were expecting the UK-Ole Miss game in Oxford, Miss., on Oct. 1 to maybe be the 3:30 p.m. game on CBS or certainly the 7 p.m. game on ESPN.
Wrong.
Kentucky and Ole Miss will kick off at noon EST — 11 a.m. CST in Oxford — at Vaught Hemingway Stadium on ESPN. CBS will have Alabama-Arkansas, a matchup of top 10 teams, while the 7 p.m. game on ESPN will be LSU-Auburn, two traditional powers but neither one is regarded as highly as UK or Ole Miss this year.
Kentucky is ranked eighth this week while Ole Miss is 16th. Both are big favorites to win this Saturday with Ole Miss hosting Tulsa and UK hosting Northern Illinois (UK is a 25 1/2 point favorite).
So what happened?
I asked ESPN/SEC Network broadcaster Tom Hart for some insight.
“My best guess: Years and years of research showing that’s the best way to maximize ratings across all windows. Gonna have a great lead in with ESPN GameDay and will have highlights repeated ALL DAY Saturday on every other game. Lots of positives,” Hart pointed out.
He’s right and some others have told me that being the lead game on ESPN gets a lot of national eyes, especially from recruits. Network officials have “years of experience and predictive metrics” I was told that help determine where games are slotted.
While the 7 p.m. game on ESPN is a “bigger and better” window, ESPN officials also consider what games other networks are showing in various time slots and how to maximize exposure. Kentucky-Ole Miss should be the marquee early afternoon matchup.
The game has an intriguing storyline as that will be the first game back for UK running back Chris Rodriguez, who was suspended for four games. He was the SEC’s top returning running back and needs 1,134 yards to break Benny Snell’s all-time UK rushing record — something he could do only if he averaged almost 130 yards per game in UK’s eight remaining regular season games and a bowl game.
The game will also be a homecoming for UK linebacker Jacquez Jones and UK cornerback Keidron Smith, who both transferred from Ole Miss where they were roommates.
Ole Miss has a bevy of transfers playing big roles. USC transfer Jaxson Dart is the quarterback and has completed 65 percent of his passes for 543 yards and three scores in three games. TCU transfer Zach Evans leads Ole Miss in rushing with 317 yards while Mississippi State transfer Malik Heath is one of the team’s top receivers. Tight end Michael Trigg, another USC transfer, has three touchdown catches.
October 1 SEC TV Schedule
EWU at Florida – 12pm, SECN+/ESPN+
Kentucky at Ole Miss – 12pm, ESPN
SC State at South Carolina – 12pm, SECN
Alabama at Arkansas – 3:30pm, CBS
Texas A&M at Mississippi State – 4pm, SECN
LSU at Auburn – 7pm, ESPN
Georgia at Missouri – 7:30pm, SECN
2 Responses
Personally, the 7pm slot would suit me better, as I would be more likely to have the time to sit and enjoy it live… BUT there IS something good to be said for the Noon slot and especially if "Game Day" is involved, for the programs and their exposure.
This Noon Game will be a time to shine for all the players with aspirations of continuing play or achieving other goals in life. For some, this is one game where looking good early looks good forever, sort of like the having the best chance to make a lasting first impression. It’s worth the preparation.
"Noon game will be a time to shine for all the players with aspirations of continuing play or achieving others goals in life." Not even close ! The 3:30 CBS game and 7:00 ESPN game will have a ton more eyes.