Familiar Formula Dooms Cats
Coming off a “total systems failure” blowout loss to Georgia, the Kentucky football team needed a big bounce-back effort on Saturday. Their opponent was a very good Missouri club. The games between the two teams usually go down to the wire. However, this one was the exception. A fast start was quickly undone by a familiar theme as Missouri beat Kentucky 38-21.
A Hot Start
Last week and in several games this year the Cats have gotten out of the blocks slowly. However, it was just the opposite under the lights at Kroger Field. Following a Tigers’ three and out the Wildcats marched 65 yards in nine plays. A penalty nullified a Devin Leary touchdown run. Two plays later Leary hit Ray Davis on an eight-yard pass giving the Cats a 7-0 lead. For Davis, it extended his school record mark of seven straight games with a score.
On the next drive, Maxwell Hairston picked off a Brady Cook pass and the Cats were in business again. Following a nine-play drive that took up five minutes Leary ran it in himself and UK was up 14-0. In fact, the Cats totally dominated the first quarter outgaining Missouri 151-16.
Total Momentum Change
Eli Drinkwitz’s club’s next drive stalled at the Kentucky 39-yard line. However, he had a trick up his sleeve. On a fourth and ten punter Luke Bauer threw up a lob that Marquis Johnson caught for a score and the lead was 14-7. Following the big special teams play the Tigers had all the momentum. UK punted on their next two possessions while Missouri scored on both. A Harrison Mevis 25-yard field goal cut the lead to three. Then just before the half Cook connected with Theo Wease and it was 17-14 at the half. In a complete turnaround from the first quarter, the Tigers outgained Kentucky 171-16 in the second. It followed a troubling trend for the Cats.
Kentucky has allowed 34 points in the final 3 minutes of the 2nd quarter of their last 4 games
— Corey Price (@coreyp08) October 15, 2023
All Downhill From Here
Kentucky got the ball to start the second half and promptly fumbled which Missouri turned into another field goal. The Wildcats finally showed some life going ahead 21-20 when Leary hit Anthony Brown-Stephens with a five-yard pass.
That was pretty much the last UK highlight for the night as Missouri dominated the rest of the game aided by familiar themes, penalties, and turnovers. Cody Schrader put the Tigers up by five when he went untouched on a 19-yard run. Kentucky stopped them on the two-point try but, wait for it, was whistled for a penalty. Khalil Saunders managed to be flagged for both roughing the passes and unnecessary roughness. They converted on the do over giving them a 28-21 lead. Leary was intercepted on the Cats’ next two possessions as the Tigers tacked on some bonus points as Missouri beat Kentucky 38-21.
Looking Ahead
With the loss, the Wildcats fall to 5-2 on the year and 2-2 in the SEC. UK drops their second straight after starting 5-0. They now enter their bye week with a chance to rest up before a very difficult final five games. Up first is Tennessee on October 28th at Kroger Field. In addition, it is time for some soul-searching as the Cats continue to be undone by mental mistakes.
On the other side of the ball, Missouri moves to 6-1 overall and 2-1 in league play. As a result of the win, they’ve already secured bowl eligibility for this year. We’ll see if the win improves their bowl standing. They return home to Columbia next week to face South Carolina.
Final Thoughts
A season ago Kentucky started 4-0 then dropped a heartbreaker to Ole Miss. From there one loss became two then snowballed into a 7-6 final record. This is something that’s happened a few times in Mark Stoops‘ 11 years in Lexington.
In addition, no matter how good you are you aren’t beating quality teams by committing mental errors. For the game, Kentucky had 14 penalties for 122 yards, many of them pass-interference calls that kept Missouri drives alive. The Wildcats were missing two big cogs on defense with Trevin Wallace and Jalen Geiger out with injuries. Had they played would it have made a difference?
Taking it a step further UK had more penalty yards (122) than passing yards (120.) As we said in our game preview, this wasn’t the stout Tiger defense of years past and Leary needed to take advantage. Instead, it was a third straight game when the Cats didn’t get over 150 yards through the air. Throw in the recurring issue of receivers dropping passes and it’s no wonder why Missouri beats Kentucky 38-21.
After a strong start, there has to be some doubt about whether this club will get to six wins. After all the last five games are Tennessee, Mississippi State, Alabama, South Carolina, and Louisville. Only Tennessee and Alabama are at home. Of the five MSU is probably the best chance for a win however Stoops has never won in Starkville.
Thanks for checking out our recap as Missouri beats Kentucky 38-21 here at Last Word On College Football.
