History of MSU vs. UK

Kentucky leads the all-time series 21-18. This is the closest series Mississippi State has with any SEC team with a minimum of 15 contests (South Carolina, 6-8; Texas A&M, 3-2; Missouri, 0-2).

The series kicked off, and was played every year from 1914-1917 with both teams winning their home games for a 2-2 mark. Despite both teams being charter members of the SEC in 1932, they didn't play each other until 1944 - a 26-0 MSU win in Memphis, TN. They didn't play again until 1950, but they played frequently during the decade before skipping the 60s all together. The Wildcats own all four wins from the 1970s, but MSU did win the 1976 game on the field, 14-7.

Prior to 1990, the teams only played 17 times with Kentucky winning 11 + the forfeited game by MSU gave them 12. They played in '90 and '91, then the SEC expanded and this series was scheduled to renew each year as a permanent cross-divisional rivalry.

Here is video from the '92 game when State won a 37-36 shootout in Lexington..

1992 Mississippi State @ Kentucky (via sparky39762)

In another Lexington shootout, Tim Couch's 1998 team won 37-35 to be one of Mississippi State two losses that year in route to the Western Division Championship.

1999's game was one of Matt Wyatt's classic comeback victories often overshadowed by the Auburn game that year...

Mississippi State vs Kentucky, 1999 2-minute drill comeback to go to 8-0 (via thesportsdrive)

After the 2001 season State had won 8 of 11 vs. the Cats to bring the all time series to 16-13 in favor of Kentucky. The last 10 matchups have seemingly tightened things up even more...

Some memories from these games include the 2002 game being an abnormally cold day in Starkville, being up 17-0 in 2003 only to get blown away, 2004 was an exciting victory after the upset win over Florida. Kentucky and Mississippi State fans have blocked out the '05 game, '06 was really a game State could have won but didn't. UK was ranked #14 in 2007 when Wesley Carroll knocked them back, 2008 was an absolutely horrific performance by Adam Carlson - with the difference in the game being a missed extra point, and I believe he missed a chip shot field goal as well. Anthony Dixon broke the single game rushing record on Halloween in '09 with 252 yards. 2010 was a pretty exciting victory which went into the 4th quarter tied at 17 and featured a game sealing INT by Johnthan Banks. State got a ho-hum victory the last year at Commonwealth Stadium.

Kentucky leads the all-time series in Lexington 13-7, however, Mississippi State has won the last three games there, and 6 of 10. This will be the second straight game of this series in Lexington...getting the series back on the even/odd years track it had in the 1990s - the game was played in Starkville in 2001 & 2002.