The Kentucky Wildcats will host the Eastern Michigan Eagles on Saturday night at Kroger Field in Lexington. Kentucky took their first loss of the season last week in their SEC opener against Ole Miss. They will look to rebound against an Eastern Michigan team that has lost two straight games to start the year. For a full braekdown of this game, including my Eastern Michigan vs Kentucky prediction, continue reading my preview below.
Our Eastern Michigan vs Kentucky Pick
- Pick: Eastern Michigan +26.5
- Confidence: ★★★★☆
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Game Snapshot
- Matchup: Kentucky Wildcats vs Eastern Michigan Eagles
- Date & Time: Saturday, September 13, 2025, 7:30 PM ET
- Venue: Kroger Field, Lexington, KY
- Broadcast: ESPNU
Eastern Michigan vs Kentucky Odds
| Market | Odds |
|---|---|
| Spread | Kentucky -26.5 |
| Moneyline | Kentucky -3000 / Eastern Michigan +1200 |
| Total | 49.5 |
Key Storylines
- Quarterback Situation: Kentucky’s starting quarterback, Zach Calzada, suffered a shoulder injury during the loss to Ole Miss. Freshman Cutter Boley stepped in, leading a late-game comeback attempt. Head coach Mark Stoops has indicated that Boley may start against Eastern Michigan, depending on Calzada’s recovery.
- Eastern Michigan’s Offensive Struggles: The Eagles have yet to secure a win this season. Their most recent loss was a 28-23 defeat to FCS opponent LIU. Quarterback Noah Kim has shown promise, but the team has struggled to close out games, even against inferior competition.
- Defensive Performances: Kentucky’s defenseis led by Ty Bryant. Bryant recorded two interceptions against Ole Miss and will look to capitalize on Eastern Michigan’s offensive inconsistencies. The Wildcats gave up 30 points to Ole Miss but that is not a bad showing given how good Ole Miss is on offense under Lane Kiffin.
Quarterback Play
- Kentucky: Cutter Boley only threw three passes against Ole Miss. He completed one of those passes for 38 yards. His performance will be crucial in determining Kentucky’s offensive success in this game. He completed one big pass play and will need more of those this week.
- Eastern Michigan: Noah Kim has completed about two-thirds of his passes to begin the year. He is averaging just over 200 passing yards per game and has three touchdowns with no interceptions. Kim will face a tough test against a very good SEC defense and we will learn a lot about his capabilities against the Wildcats.
Betting Trends & H2H
- Kentucky’s Record Against MAC Teams: Kentucky has been dominant against Mid-American Conference opponents. They hold a 20-1 straight-up record in their last 21 games against MAC teams.
- ATS Performance: Kentucky is 1-1 against the spread this season. Eastern Michigan is 0-2 ATS to begin the year.
- Over/Under Trends: Both teams are 1-1 in the over/under market coming into this game.
Eastern Michigan vs Kentucky Model Projection
- Score Projection: Kentucky 38 – Eastern Michigan 14
- Win Probability: Kentucky 96%, Eastern Michigan 4%
Final Thoughts
I don’t see a scenario where Eastern Michigan upsets Kentucky, or even puts them on upset alert. But I do think that Eastern Michigan will cover the spread as 26.5-point underdogs on the road. Kentucky is content to play conservatively and lean on their defense and running game. With a backup quarterback in the equation, Kentucky won’t try to air it out too much, and the Eagles should keep the margin under four touchdowns.
