Position Advantage: Running Backs

With the running game being such a crucial factor in this series, I say it’s likely that for the 14^th consecutive time, the team with the most rushing yards will come out on the winning end on Sunday. Not only has the team with the most rushing yards won the previous 13 games, in ten of the last twelve meetings, the leading rusher for the winning team has as outrushed the entire losing squad. With it still looking like a rainy day on Sunday, the running game will be just as crucial as always.

Advantage: Louisville

Even though Louisville hasn’t officially announced who their starting running back will be, rather its Dominique Brown or Jeremy Wright, Louisville would still have the advantage. If Kentucky’s Josh Clemmons was healthy, it may be a different story. Clemmons, a sophomore, is without a doubt Kentucky’s best option at running back, but he will miss Sunday’s game due to a nagging knee injury. Dominique Brown was the best running back in the game last year, so it’s hard to think Kentucky will have someone better on Sunday. Jeremy Wright has reportedly had the best fall camp of any running back on Louisville’s depth chart. Senorise Perry doesn’t have a lot of experience at tailback, but he’s proven he has some big play making ability.

Kentucky’s starting running back will be senior Coshik Williams, a former walk-on. Williams had a couple of decent games last season, but they came against Kentucky’s weaker opponents, such as Ole Miss and Jacksonville State. If Raymond Sanders has done anything in his career, he’s proven that he is a mediocre running back at best. Kentucky has a couple of freshmen that may see action, but in a game like that, I doubt Joker throws them out there.

Dominique Brown and Jeremy Wright are more experienced and just flat out better than Coshik Williams and Raymond Sanders. I don’t see how you could argue otherwise, unless one of them has drastically improved since last season.