With so many key components gone from last year’s 10 win season, many True Blue Fans weren’t sure what to expect in 2019. Throw in a game against the team picked to win the western division of the MAC and you had what many experts felt was an “upset special.” However after struggling in the first half Mark Stoops’ club played much better in the second as Kentucky Beats Toledo 38-24.
Kentucky Beats Toledo 38-24
Terry Wilson Looked Good
During the off-season much the coaching staff raved about Terry Wilson’s improvement from last year to this. Against Toledo it certainly showed. For the game, he went 19-26 through the air for 246 yards and two touchdowns. Most importantly he had zero turnovers. Of course last year, turnovers were his biggest problem. With today’s win he runs his record to 11-3 as Kentucky quarterback.
Before the game, Wilson had a very special moment as he met with Jared Lorenzen’s mother. Of course the much beloved Kentucky quarterback passed away earlier this summer and Wilson plans to wear special cleats in his memory when the Cats play Arkansas.
https://twitter.com/Scott_Charlton/status/1167864983876538368?s=20
The Secondary Played Pretty Well
If you read our preview of the game one of the biggest concerns was how would Kentucky’s rebuilt secondary perform. Overall the answer was very positive. They got off to a slow start as Mitchell Guadagni led the Rockets down the field on their first possession for a touchdown. However, after the first quarter they settled down holding Toledo’s quarterbacks to only 166 yards for the day and no touchdowns. In addition they intercepted one pass and speaking of that pick.
A New Force On Defense?
Much was made about who would replace first round draft pick Josh Allen. One of the names that came up consistently was DeAndre Square. Against the Rockets the sophomore from Detroit, Michigan was the defensive MVP. For the game he had 11 tackles including one for a loss. In addition he had a half sack and his first career interception.
Cass Tech grad – DeAndre Square with 11 tackles, 1.5 TFL, and 1 interception. https://t.co/UmsabTkmRV
— The D Zone (@TheD_Zone) September 1, 2019
Good Play From The Wide Receivers
As Kentucky beats Toledo 38-24 let’s look at one more area where the coaching staff is looking for improvement. Much like the secondary another big area of concern heading into 2019 was who will be that second receiver to step up along side Lynn Bowden. While Bowden led the Cats with six catches for 77 yards many other players showed they want to be that second guy.
On a day where Wilson hit eight different receivers, four other players had at least two catches. One of those guys was Ahmad Wagner who caught three balls and proved he can do much more than draw pass interference penalties. Probably the best catch of the day was made by Bryce Oliver on a 32 yard touchdown. The freshman went up and took the ball away from the Toledo defender to get the score.
Bryce Oliver making it look easy with his first catch of the year https://t.co/xQcoz34SJD
— Barstool Kentucky (@BarstoolUK) August 31, 2019
Looking Ahead To Next Week
On a Saturday where many teams in the Southeastern Conference struggled, to put it mildly, the Cats win over the Rockets looks pretty good. Next week they host another team from the Mid-American Conference in the Eastern Michigan Eagles. They come into Kroger Field also at 1-0 after rallying to defeat Coastal Carolina 30-23.
We’ll have an official preview of that game later this week. Until then thanks for checking out our recap as Kentucky beats Toledo 38-24 here at Last Word On College Football. Don’t forget to check out all the great content here at the site.
