This month we have talked about rivalries here at Last Word<\/strong> On College Football.<\/strong> The Battle for the Governor’s Cup<\/a><\/strong> is one of the best in the country. Since the Kentucky Wildcats<\/strong> and Louisville Cardinals<\/strong> resumed playing each other in 1994 there have been many great games. Which ones are the best? That\u2019s what we are going to answer with The Most Memorable Kentucky Versus Louisville Football Games. But first, a little history lesson on the two teams separated by only 78 miles.<\/p>\n The Cats and Cards first met on the gridiron way back in 1912. The two schools played six times between 1912 and 1924 with Kentucky<\/strong> winning them all. Not only did Kentucky shut out Louisville<\/strong> in every contest, but the combined scores were 220-0 and included a 73-0 win in 1922.<\/p>\n Following the 1924 season the series was discontinued for 70 years. In the early 1990s, then-Cardinal coach and former Cat\u00a0Howard Schnellenberger <\/a><\/strong> spearheaded an effort to revive the series. Finally the two teams met again on the field in 1994. The 2018 meeting will be the 25th straight contest since 1994. The all-time series is tied at 15 wins apiece, however, the Cards lead 15-9 since the rivalry was renewed.<\/p>\n Now with the history lesson complete let\u2019s begin the countdown of The Most Memorable Kentucky Versus Louisville Football Games.<\/p>\n Coming in at fifth on the list is the only overtime game in the series. Behind Jared Lorenzen<\/a><\/strong> Kentucky jumped out to a 19-14 lead in the third quarter. Notably, the game was stopped for 72 minutes due to lightning.<\/p>\n Following the delay things got wild in the fourth quarter. On the last play of the game Kentucky lined up for a chip shot field goal. Unfortunately for the Cats the kick was blocked and the game went into overtime.<\/p>\n The Cardinals\u2019 Tony Stallings<\/a><\/strong> ended things with a 25 yard run to give\u00a0John L. Smith’s <\/a><\/strong> team the 40-34 win. Following the game Coach\u00a0Hal Mumme <\/a><\/strong> had somewhat of a meltdown during the press conference.<\/p>\n Most notably he lashed out at Louisville complaining about having to play a team \u201cwho lives to beat us.\u201d He added that “by Monday we would already be over this game.” Mumme would be let go after a 2-9 season and the Cats ended up on NCAA probation.<\/p>\n As much excitement as there is for the annual Battle For The Governor’s Cup now, it was at a fever pitch 24 years ago. The story goes that tickets for the inaugural game were so hard to come by that as a UK alum Schnellenberger had to buy 10 sets of UK season tickets just so his family could watch the game.<\/p>\n As for the contest itself the Cats won in dramatic fashion as quarterback\u00a0Antonio O’Ferral <\/a><\/strong> scored on a draw late in the fourth quarter. Linebacker\u00a0Donte’ Key <\/a><\/strong> set up the winning score with a fumble recovery. Key sealed the 20-14 win with an interception of UL quarterback Marty Lowe<\/a><\/strong>.<\/p>\n Emotions ran high for this contest and Cats coach\u00a0Bill Curry <\/a><\/strong> presented the game ball to the family of Trent DiGiuro.<\/strong> The lineman had been murdered less than two months earlier.<\/p>\n Unfortunately for Kentucky the win over Louisville was the lone highlight of the season. The Cats dropped the final 10 games to finish at 1-10.<\/p>\n The first four games in the modern rivalry were all played in Lexington. Louisville finally got a chance to host with the unveiling of Papa John’s Stadium<\/strong> in the 1998 opener. The visiting Kentucky quarterback\u00a0Tim Couch<\/a><\/strong> and the “Air Raid” offense spoiled the party with a record setting effort.<\/p>\n In near-100 degree weather the Wildcat offense was nearly as hot. Couch threw for 498 yards as part of a school record 801 yards leading the Cats to a 68-34 victory. Additionally, Kentucky set a record for most passing yards in a game with 571 and tied a record with eight passing touchdowns. The 801 yards are the most given up by UL in program history.<\/p>\nThe Battle For The Governor’s Cup<\/h3>\n
5. Mother Nature Wreaks Havoc, September 2nd, 2000<\/h4>\n
4. The Rivalry Renewed, September 3, 1994<\/h4>\n
3. Total Offensive Domination, September 5, 1998<\/h4>\n