Cutter Boley could join strong group of UK QBs who made first start against Louisville

For much of the modern history of the Governor’s Cup rivalry, the annual matchup with Louisville has served as a jumping off point for Kentucky seasons.

That dynamic has changed since the game moved from the opener (or Week 3) to the regular season finale, but the 2024 matchup could be something of a throwback for the Wildcats as Mark Stoops and company look to jump start an offseason rebuild by handing freshman quarterback Cutter Boley his first start. If it goes well, Boley could join some of the greatest quarterbacks in program history who had their coming out parties against the Cardinals.

But he will be the first true freshman quarterback to start in the rivalry for the Wildcats and the first freshman quarterback to play in the game at all since Tim Couch came off the bench in the 1996 season opener.

It has been rare for Kentucky to start freshman quarterbacks at all. Randall Cobb, Morgan Newton and Patrick Towles all played during their first season on campus but did not play the position against Louisville. The 2018 rule change that allowed players to appear in up to four games and preserve a redshirt season has made it more common for freshmen to get some game experience during their first year of college football, but only one freshman quarterback has started a game for Kentucky since that rule change (Destin Wade in the 2022 Music City Bowl).

Boley will be the first Kentucky quarterback to make his first career start against Louisville since Mike Hartline in 2008. The Wildcats did not need much from Hartline as the defense scored two touchdowns and prevented Louisville from scoring in a 27-2 victory where the only Cardinals points came on a safety, but he held his own by completing 16 of 31 passes for 147 yards.

After being named the starter following spring practice despite former starter Dusty Bonner still being on the roster, Jared Lorenzen showed why coach Hal Mumme had so much faith in him by completing 22 of 34 passes for 322 yards, three touchdowns and three interceptions while rushing for 38 yards and one touchdown in a 40-34 loss to Louisville in his collegiate debut in the 2000 opener against Louisville.

Lorenzen’s performance came one year after Bonner threw for 446 yards, then fifth most in a single game in program history, in his first career start in the 1999 opener against Louisville. Bonner added three touchdowns and two interceptions in the first game of the post-Tim Couch era.

Couch did not make his first start against Louisville, but he did make his college debut off the bench against Louisville in the 1996 opener. He completed 8 of 20 passes for 101 yards and one touchdown to ratchet up his already sky-high hype.

Couch and Lorenzen left Kentucky as the two most prolific passers in program history. Bonner led the Wildcats to a bowl in his only season as starter.

But all three quarterbacks lost their first game against Louisville.

Any scenario where Boley ends his UK career in the same tier of quarterback as Couch and Lorenzen would be a rousing success. He could even do much worse than duplicating Bonner’s 1999 season.

For now, Kentucky would settle for Boley playing well enough to lead Kentucky to a sixth straight win in the rivalry series. A loss would not preclude Boley from future greatness, but if he struggles there will be reason to wonder if Kentucky needs to at least add another transfer quarterback to compete with him for the starting job in 2025.

Retaining the Governor’s Cup would not erase the disappointment of Kentucky’s season, but it is no coincidence that so many of the program’s best players since the rivalry renewed in 1994 have had a marquee moment against Louisville. If Boley joins that list, there will be at least one reason to be excited heading into the offseason.

Next game

Louisville at Kentucky

When: Noon Saturday

TV: SEC Network

Records: Kentucky 4-7 (1-7 SEC); Louisville 7-4 (5-3 ACC)

Radio: WLAP-AM 630, WBUL-FM 98.1

Series: Kentucky leads 20-15

Last meeting: Kentucky won 38-31 on Nov. 25, 2023, in Louisville

This story was originally published November 26, 2024 at 9:09 AM.

Jon Hale

Lexington Herald-Leader

(859) 414-6776

Jon Hale is the University of Kentucky football beat writer for the Lexington Herald-Leader. He joined the Herald-Leader in 2022 but has covered UK athletics for more than 10 years. Hale was named the 2021 Kentucky Sportswriter of the Year. Support my work with a digital subscription