Fourth down decisions backfire for Kentucky football in loss to Tennessee
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Game day: No. 21 Tennessee 33, Kentucky 27
Click below for more of the Herald-Leader’s and Kentucky.com’s coverage of Saturday’s Kentucky-Tennessee football game at Kroger Field.
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Kentucky football’s passing game finally found its groove Saturday against Tennessee, but a season-best performance from quarterback Devin Leary and the Wildcat receivers was not enough to prevent the latest in a long line of frustrating losses to UK’s border rival.
Tennessee never trailed on the way to a 33-27 victory that extended Kentucky’s losing streak to three games. Leary completed 28 of 39 passes for 373 yards and two touchdowns while sophomore wide receivers Dane Key and Barion Brown combined for 12 catches, 171 yards and two touchdowns, but Tennessee was able to take advantage of three fourth down decisions that did not work for Kentucky.
While Kentucky’s offense posted one of its best performances of the season, the game started slow for the Wildcats with no first downs on the first two drives. The second drive ended when Kentucky failed to convert a fourth-and-1 from its own 34-yard line.
The UK defense limited Tennessee to a field goal on the following drive, but the early 10-0 advantage proved to be all the breathing room the Volunteers needed.
“Fourth and a yard or a half yard right at the start of the game there and punted it away,” UK coach Mark Stoops said. “They scored quickly. You know, probably got impatient and went for it with the second one. That’s on me.”
Twice Kentucky had the ball with a chance to take the lead in the second half. The first possession in that scenario saw UK advance the ball to the Tennessee 34-yard line before failing on its second fourth down attempt of the game. Tennessee scored three points on the next drive.
The second time Kentucky had a chance to take the lead, Stoops elected to try a 53-yard field goal that would have been kicker Alex Raynor’s career-long early in the fourth quarter, but it missed wide left. The Wildcats’ hopes of pulling off the comeback were dashed when Tennessee answered with a touchdown to stretch the lead back to nine with 7:30 remaining on the possession after Raynor’s miss.
“If I knew he was going to make it, I would kick it,” Stoops said. “But we had the same distance (on the last fourth down), and it wasn’t close. Those are not give-me’s, when they are over 50. With them, you need to score points. I don’t regret the (fourth downs) down in the high red (zone). I regret the early one, pressing a little bit.”
TURNING POINT
Tennessee led throughout, but all the momentum was actually with Kentucky early in the third quarter after the Wildcats forced a three-and-out to open the half then drove into Tennessee territory. Mark Stoops elected to go for a fourth-and-6 play at the Tennessee 34-yard line rather than attempt what would have been around a 50-yard field goal. Leary’s deep throw to running back Demie Sumo-Karngbaye into tight coverage was batted away, ending the scoring threat.
Kentucky’s defense was able to keep Tennessee out of the end zone on the ensuing drive despite the Volunteers having a first down at the UK 11-yard line, but a 35-yard field goal bounced in off the left upright to stretch the lead back to nine points.
MVP
While Josh Heupel’s high-octane offense is typically known for explosive pass plays, the Tennessee run game has been more dangerous this season. That was on full display on the Volunteers’ first drive when running back Jaylen Wright went 52 yards for the first touchdown of the game. Kentucky struggled to slow the Volunteers’ rushing attack for most of the night. That was especially evident down the stretch when Kentucky’s defense could not get off the field when it needed one last possession. Wright finished with 120 yards and one touchdown on 11 carries. The Volunteers finished the game with 254 rushing yards.
KEY STAT
While Kentucky’s defense deserves some credit for stepping up in the red zone, holding Tennessee to field goals instead of touchdowns on four drives, the Volunteers scored points on each of their first five first half drives. That included a field goal just before halftime after a controversial replay review allowed a third-down catch from a Tennessee receiver on the sideline to stand. When Kentucky needed another field goal in the fourth quarter, Tennessee found the end zone for the clinching touchdown.
This story was originally published October 28, 2023 at 10:21 PM.
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