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Point Spread: Kentucky is an Underdog against Texas

Nick-Roush-headshotby: Nick Roush10/12/25RoushKSR
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Texas cornerback Graceson Littleton (Will Gallagher/Inside Texas)

It’s an uphill climb for Kentucky to snap its 7-game SEC losing streak. Following a bye week, the Wildcats return to Kroger Field this Saturday where they will host Texas for the very first time.

Over at BetMGM, Kentucky opened as a 12.5-point underdog against Texas, with a total of 43.5.

Mark Stoops’ 2025 Wildcats are 1-4 Against the Spread (ATS). The only cover happened in the SEC opener against Ole Miss. Under bettors cashed tickets in week one, but every Kentucky football game since has gone over.

Texas is 4-2 ATS this season after dropping the week one game in Columbus and falling on the road in The Swamp as a 4.5-point favorite. The under has hit in four of their six contests, including Saturday’s victory at the Cotton Bowl.

The debut of Arch Manning has not exactly gone according to plan. The first-time starter has looked more like a first-time starter, rather than God’s gift to football. He’s completing 63% of his passes for 1,317 yards, 12 touchdowns, and five interceptions. However, he took a step forward against the ferocious Oklahoma defense by throwing only six incomplete passes and zero interceptions.

It was an absolute slugfest in Red River between the Horns and the Sooners. The game started to turn Texas’ way in the third quarter when Manning connected with DeAndre Moore for a 12-yard score. Texas took complete control of the game when Ryan Niblett returned a punt 75 yards for a touchdown, ultimately leading to a 23-6 victory.

Even though Texas does not look like the preseason No. 1 team in the country, they’re still pretty darn good. The defense is dominant, allowing only 11 points per game (No. 3 in FBS) and 74.3 rushing yards (No. 4 in FBS) a contest. Kentucky’s inconsistent offense will have its hands full when the Horns make their SEC debut in the Bluegrass. Kickoff at Kroger Field is scheduled for 7 PM ET. You can catch all of the action on ESPN.

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2025-10-20