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Kentucky will be looking to end a two-game winning streak when the Wildcats step out of Southeastern Conference play and take on Ohio on Saturday.

The Wildcats (1-2, 0-2) lost their first two conference encounters, including a 13-12 loss to No. 1 Georgia last week at Kroger Field. Kentucky has scored just 18 points — all field goals — in the past two games. Kentucky defeated Ohio 20-3 in the last meeting between the two teams in 2014.

“It’s a team that is very good,” Kentucky football coach Mark Stoops said. “Most of the time when I say that most fans don’t believe me, but I think this year you can tell by looking at the MAC (Mid-American Conference) and the very big victories that they’ve had this year, they’re not a joke.

“People think it’s coach-speak when you sit there and say they’re very – it’s just a good league, good teams, good coaches. … They play very hard. They mix it up up front, play both four down (linemen) and three down, and they make you earn every yard.

Kentucky’s defense ranks No. 9 in the nation and has surrendered an average of 215 yards through the first three games and just 62 rushing yards per game. The Wildcats rank No. 9 in the SEC and in points allowed per game at 14.7.

“I think they’ve done a good job of just continuing to show up with the focus to be the defense that we want,” Kentucky defensive coordinator Brad White said. “That’s what it comes down to. It doesn’t come down to anything but being the unit we want to be and to do that, it’s about showing up every day in the meeting room, coming with energy, coming with focus. And they’ve done that this week “

Ohio coach Tim Albin said Kentucky’s defensive unit will be one of the best his team has faced this season.

“It’s a huge challenge on the road,” Albin said this week. “An SEC school, they’re big everywhere and physical. Their defense — I don’t see a weakness. Without breaking them down, I don’t see a weakness in their defense. We’re going to have huge matchup problems.”

The task for Kentucky will be stopping Bobcats running back Anthony Tyus, a Northwestern transfer who has rushed for 367 yards through the first three games of the season. He rushed for 203 yards and two touchdowns in a season-opening loss to Syracuse.

“We play a game earlier than we have all season,” White said. “They’ve got to wake up, get their minds right, and be ready to play early.”