Six numbers ahead of Alabama vs. Kentucky

Alabama made a statement with its win over LSU last Saturday and set itself up for, at least theoretically, a relatively easy run to the SEC championship.

The No. 8 ranked Crimson Tide will book its trip to Atlanta with a win over Kentucky on Saturday. Alabama will also make the SEC Championship Game if No. 9 Ole Miss loses to No. 2 Georgia.

The Crimson Tide is playing its best football at a key point in the season but still cannot afford to sleepwalk through the rest of its schedule. Alabama faces a hungry Kentucky side Saturday, as the Wildcats are eager to build some momentum after going 1-3 in their last four games. The Crimson Tide take on the Wildcats at 11 a.m. Saturday at Kroger Field.

Here are six numbers ahead of Saturday’s matchup:

The number of days between Alabama kicker Will Reichard’s last two missed field goals. Following a miss in the Crimson Tide’s heartbreaking loss to Tennessee last season, Reichard was perfect until he missed two against LSU on Saturday. However, Reichard’s teammates and coaches remain confident in Alabama’s Mr. Reliable.

“I would never doubt him,” Alabama defensive lineman Justin Eboigbe said. “I think he’s automatic. I would trust him in that same situation 10 times out of 10.”

Reichard returned for a fifth season to become more well-rounded on both field goals and kickoffs, which will give him a better chance to make an NFL roster. His discipline and approach to the position is what has made him so consistent throughout his Alabama career, and has given him the ability to bounce back from rough outings like he experienced against the Tigers.

“Whether it’s good or not good, whether it’s after a single kick or after a game, you just have to sit there and evaluate, watch the tape and you just have to move on from it,” Reichard said. “Even if you play good, you still have plenty of games left in the season. You have to move on. You can’t dwell on what happened in the past. A lot of kickers talk about next-kick mentality. That’s very important. It’s very true. It’s something the elite kickers in the NFL do the best.”

Reichard’s next-kick mentality has him on track for another milestone in his already storied career. He became the all-time leader in scoring for a kicker after knocking six extra points through the uprights against LSU, and he's now chasing the all-time scoring record in NCAA history.

His extra points against the Tigers brought his total to 502, and third place among all players. He needs 29 more to pass former Navy quarterback Keenan Reynolds.

Alabama quarterback Jalen Milroe’s max speed on his 23-yard touchdown run against LSU, which tied the game at 7-7.

The clip without the metric looks like Milroe is on a leisurely jog to the end zone, but his burst when he chooses to tuck and run the football is frightening for opposing defenses.

Milroe’s breakout game on the ground against LSU saw him rush for 155 yards and four touchdowns. He’s playing his best football for Alabama at the right time and although he might not excel on the ground as well against a tough and physical Kentucky defensive front, his running threat should keep the Wildcats guessing Saturday.

If Milroe continues to find his stride and Alabama finds itself where it set out to be at the beginning of the season, its sophomore quarterback just might work his way back into the Heisman discussion, too.

The number of defensive touchdowns scored by Kentucky so far this season is tied for the most in Division I. While the Wildcats' offense hasn’t been consistently churning in 2023, its defense has created big plays to keep Kentucky in games.

Kentucky has returned three interceptions for touchdowns and took one fumble to the house so far this season. One of those pick-6s helped Kentucky take a two-score lead over Mississippi State, which helped the Wildcats end a three-game losing skid.

The Crimson Tide has only turned the ball over eight times this season, but Kentucky's ability to generate takeaways and quickly turn them into touchdowns means a mistake against the Wildcats could be costly.

The number of sacks for Kentucky defensive lineman Deone Walker so far this season. To say Walker is a monster might be an understatement. At 6-foot-6, 348 pounds Walker is obvious to spot for both fans and wary offensive linemen alike.

A former four-star recruit in the Class of 2022, Walker earned Freshman All-American honors last season, and has 30 tackles to go along with his 4.5 sacks in 2023.

Alabama offensive lineman Kayden Proctor has been a topic of debate for Crimson Tide fans all season and while he’s improving, Walker’s physicality is a tough matchup for anyone especially a young offensive lineman still finding confidence at the SEC level. Walker will be at the forefront of Kentucky’s efforts to limit Milroe running the ball and making him uncomfortable in the pocket.

Regardless of what happens against the Crimson Tide, I envy any offensive lineman who has to face Walker on Saturdays and eventually Sundays when he reaches the NFL.

Kentucky running back Ray Davis’ average yards per carry ranks No. 17 in the country. Davis has been a steady presence within an otherwise hot-and-cold Wildcats offense. He already has 903 and nine touchdowns this season, which rank second and third in the SEC respectively.

Alabama could attempt to bottle up the talented former Vanderbilt running back. In two of Kentucky's three losses this season, Davis struggled to get going. He had just 42 yards in Wildcats' loss to Tennessee and 59 in their defeat to Georgia.

Conversely, Alabama could allow Davis to run rampant and instead make Kentucky one-dimensional by shutting down its passing game. That worked for Missouri in its 38-21 win over the Wildcats, where Davis rushed for 128 yards, but Kentucky quarterback Devin Leary completed just 14 passes for 120 yards and threw two picks.

Alabama’s defense is capable of doing both. The Crimson Tide will likely be without linebacker Deontae Lawson and its strategy against Davis could depend on how Alabama coach Nick Saban feels about Trezmen Marshall filling in at the linebacker position to stop the run.

Alabama’s winning percentage against the Wildcats is the Crimson Tide’s best mark against an SEC foe. Saban has been in the heads of Kentucky fans for a long time, going back to his days at LSU and one of the most remarkable plays in college football history.

Alabama has never lost to Kentucky with Saban at the helm and the Wildcats have just two wins all-time against the Crimson Tide. The most recent win came in 1997 when former Kentucky quarterback Tim Couch tossed a 26-yard touchdown pass in overtime to seal a wild win for the Wildcats. This matchup also saw Anwar Stewart, who is now Kentucky’s defensive line coach, return a blocked a field goal 68 yards for a touchdown.

This season, Kentucky is facing a Crimson Tide team playing its best football, and with the College Football Playoff still in its sights. That should have Saban's side fired up to continue their dominance over the Wildcats barring some sort of reverse Bluegrass Miracle.