Monday MRI to show extent of Locke's injury

By Chip Cosby / ccosby@herald-leader.com

Video highlights of UK-Arkansas

UK sophomore Derrick Locke left the game late in the second quarter after suffering a knee injury on a kickoff return. UK Coach Rich Brooks said Locke suffered an injury to his MCL and would have an MRI on Monday to determine the full extent of the injury. Locke carried nine times for 34 yards and caught one pass for six yards before getting hurt.

It was the second week in a row Kentucky lost a key playmaker to a knee injury. Senior receiver Dicky Lyons Jr. suffered a season-ending MCL and PCL tear in last week's lost to South Carolina.

Smith catches on

The UK coaches have questioned the receiving skills of junior tailback Alfonso Smith in the past, but Smith went a long way toward erasing those doubts Saturday night. Smith had a career-high five catches for 108 yards, including a 71-yard catch-and-run in the third quarter that got the Wildcats on the scoreboard.

"I just have been working hard on it every day after practice," Smith said. "Throwing it to the backs is a big part of our passing game, so I knew if I wanted to play and contribute, I had to show that I could do that."

Johnson, Kelley rack up tackles

Linebackers Braxton Kelley and Micah Johnson tied for the team lead with 15 tackles, career-highs for both players. Safety Marcus McClinton also tied a career-high with nine tackles and had his fourth interception and seventh of his career that clinched the game with 1:07 remaining.

Cats get rare one-pointer

Saturday's game was just the second one-point win for Kentucky in the last 20 years and the first since a 14-13 win over Vanderbilt in 2004 that tied Saturday's game for the biggest fourth-quarter comeback in school history. UK also beat Vanderbilt 14-13 in 1988.

Defense keeps turnovers coming

UK forced four turnovers for the second consecutive game and now leads the SEC with 20 forced turnovers on the season.