NCAA Football

2025-10-18 - Texas Longhorns at Kentucky Wildcats

A Sports Betting Pick by FirstDown

#21 Texas Longhorns @ Kentucky Wildcats
United States : College Football Week 8
Saturday 18th October 2025 - Scheduled 7pm
12am (British Time)

Preview

Losses to the Ohio State Buckeyes and Florida Gators have put the pre-season Number 1 Ranked team, the Texas Longhorns (4-2) in a difficult position. They will have taken a lot of confidence out of the fact that they were able to win the Red River Rivalry game against previously unbeaten Oklahoma Sooners and that means the Longhorns are 1-1 in SEC play.

The Playoff Committee are almost certainly going to forgive Texas for the loss to the Buckeyes, but the defeat to the Gators is more damaging.

It all means that Texas are likely going to need to win out to earn an invite into the College Football Playoff and they have to build on the momentum from beating Oklahoma.

This is a second road game to be played in the SEC after that loss in Gainesville, but Texas should be more comfortable against the Kentucky Wildcats (2-3) who have already been beaten in all three SEC games played this season. The most competitive defeat was at home against the Mississippi Rebels, but Kentucky were well beaten in road games at South Carolina and Georgia.

Kentucky have an experienced Head Coach and are coming into this one having been on a Bye Week in Week 7, but Mark Stoops is only 8-14 against the spread with his team having had rest.

One of the big issues that will have needed to be addressed is finding a consistent running attack to just ease the burden on Quarter Back Cutter Boley- the Wildcats Offensive Line have have really begun to struggle as the Conference play has gotten under way and they are not expected to have much success against this Texas Defensive Line.

That will mean Cutter Boley having to make plays from what could be a collapsing pocket around him and the Quarter Back will have noted the Interceptions that Texas have been able to pile up thanks to that pressure up front. The Longhorns Secondary have played the pass well enough to believe they can make stops if they can back up the Wildcats into third and long spots on the field and one of the pre-season favourites have a big edge on this side of the ball.

You cannot completely dismiss Kentucky's chances of making some plays and have some Offensive success, but it is unlikely to be consistent and the potential for turning the ball over is higher than they would like.

The Wildcats Defensive Line are going to have to play well to see if they can give their own Secondary some protection by making sure Texas are stuck in third and long spots. Over the course of the season, Kentucky have been pretty good at playing the run, but they will have some tough moments against this Longhorns Offensive Line.

Any time the Longhorns are in third and manageable spots, they will feel comfortable with much talked about Arch Manning at Quarter Back.

The young player will have time in the pocket considering the lack of pass rush success the Wildcats have had in recent games, and Manning will certainly have noted some of the passing numbers being given up by the home team. Playing on the road is a different test for most at this level and Arch Manning will have to show what he has learned from that defeat at the Florida Gators, but this is an 'easier' match up and Texas should make that clear with the way they manage things.

Texas have not really impressed as much as was hoped in pre-season, but they can keep the positives ticking over after the win over the Oklahoma Sooners. Games against Georgia and Texas A&M in November are going to be huge for the Longhorns, but they have to make sure they are riding a four game winning run when facing the Bulldogs and that means winning here.

With a turnover or two, the Longhorns can surpass the performance of the Mississippi Rebels, who won by 7 points here, and Texas are capable of covering this big line as the road favourite.