Why Missouri football game this week could have prime-time, national TV implications

Missouri football’s game time against Kentucky has an evening slot on Oct. 14. When exactly that game will happen is still to be determined.

The Southeastern Conference announced Monday that Missouri-Kentucky will play at either 6 p.m. Central on ESPN or at 6:30 p.m. Central on the SEC Network.

The game time and network will officially be determined this Saturday night after the slate of games on October. 7. That means there’s prime time at stake for MU this weekend.

No. 22 Missouri (5-0, 1-0) will play host to No. 23 LSU (3-2, 1-1) at Faurot Field on October 7 at 11 a.m., while No. 20 Kentucky will visit No. 1 Georgia on the same day.

Should Missouri defeat LSU on Saturday, that will most likely set up a prime-time slot for the Tigers a week later, which only adds to their breakthrough season.

MU is 5-0 after defeating Vanderbilt 38-21 last Saturday in Nashville. Brady Cook threw for 395 yards and three scores, while Luther Burden torched the Commodores for 140 yards receiving and two touchdown catches. It’s the first 5-0 start for Missouri since the 2013 season.

Kentucky is enjoying similar success. Like Missouri, the Wildcats are off to a 5-0 start in 2023 and are fresh off a convincing 33-14 win over Florida. UK running back Re’Mahn Davis rushed for a staggering 280 yards and three touchdowns.

Both Missouri and Kentucky have ranked games this weekend. While the game will kickoff at Kroeger Field in Lexington, Kentucky, only time will tell when the two will play on Oct. 14 and if it’s a matchup of two top-25 teams.

The Star has partnered with the Columbia Daily Tribune for coverage of Missouri Tigers athletics.

This story was originally published October 2, 2023 at 6:20 PM.