‘We’re defending Kroger Field.’ UK’s defense holds strong in win over Toledo
AI-generated summary reviewed by our newsroom.
- Kentucky defense limited Toledo's offense to no touchdowns for three quarters
- Pass coverage issues emerged in final quarter as Toledo added two late scores
READ MORE
Gameday: Kentucky 24, Toledo 16
Click below for more of the Herald-Leader and Kentucky.com’s coverage of Saturday’s Kentucky-Toledo football game at Kroger Field in Lexington.
Expand All
For those across the college football landscape banking on preseason MAC favorite Toledo to upset Kentucky on Saturday afternoon, the Wildcats’ defense played spoiler.
En route to a 24-16 victory, Kentucky’s offense put up 305 total yards — 24 fewer than the Rockets — and managed to squeak out the win despite a disappointing passing game that produced a hard-to-watch interception, zero touchdowns and just 85 yards on the day.
On the other side of the ball, Kentucky’s defense largely took all it wanted from the Rockets, who received votes in the Associated Press preseason poll.
Besides a seven-play, 95-yard blemish late that led to Toledo’s second touchdown, the Wildcats held the Rockets at bay.
For the first three quarters of the game, Toledo’s touted offense remained scoreless, which defensive coordinator Brad White described as his defense “just (playing) the next play.”
“They really did,” White said. “They just kept going. Toledo, it’s a really good football program, good offense. We talked about it going in, and we knew what kind of receiver (Junior Vandeross III) was. I thought the front did a really nice job of dominating the run game. I think that’s where it started, taking away their ability to run the football.”
Vandeross, a senior named to the 2025 Biletnikoff Award Watch List, finished Saturday’s game with 88 yards on seven receptions for an average of 12.6 yards per target and scored the Rockets’ final touchdown.
Former Kentucky running back Chip Trayanum, who due to injury, didn’t play much during his single season in Lexington last year, was limited to 83 all-purpose yards on 17 touches. He carried the ball 14 times for 41 yards, the leading rusher on a Rockets offense UK held to 59 yards on the ground.
“The big thing, we gave up too many explosive pass plays,” White said. “And so, we’re gonna have to get that fixed in a hurry.”
Toledo quarterback Tucker Gleason threw for 270 yards on 23-of-40 passing. He had one touchdown and an interception, plus two net yards rushing in the game and a score in the fourth quarter. Gleason had four completions in the game for 20 or more yards, and he connected on 11 of 18 fourth-quarter passes for 149 yards.
White, when asked about his group’s pass rush during the day, said he felt “there were some good things.”
Kentucky’s defense combined for three sacks and six tackles for loss. The Wildcats also forced two fumbles — both courtesy of Steven “Sack ‘em” Soles Jr. — and came up with one interception.
Senior linebacker Alex Afari Jr. led the way with 13 total tackles, including nine solo stops, a sack and two tackles for loss. Though Afari noted he’d like to see the defense “tighten up the little things in the pass game” so as not to leave the secondary to their own devices, he felt it was overall “a good performance from the defense.”
Afari was particularly impressed with the Wildcats’ pass rush, which entered the season with significant turnover and inexperience.
“I thought we did a great job,” Afari said. “Steven Soles did a great job today. D-line in general, we did a great job, getting after the quarterback.”
Soles recorded three solo tackles, two tackles for loss and two strip sacks.
The Wildcats’ defense held strong even through the team’s offensive woes.
Though UK narrowly won the time of possession battle (31:41-28:19), 11 of the Wildcats’ 13 drives clocked in at less than five minutes, including a consecutive safety-fumble combo in the second quarter and back-to-back punts in the third.
Through fatigue and frustration, Kentucky’s defense answered the call — a testament, per Soles, to White’s preparation.
“Coach White does an amazing job preparing us for these moments,” Soles said. “We’ll be in practice, we’ll get a three-and-out. (White) gon’ tell ‘em, ‘No, go ahead, keep moving the ball or push ‘em back further.’ … .He hits us with a lot of pressure, shock moments in practice for moments like that where, punt, go back out, come back in. We’ve gotta be ready.”
The Kentucky defense will surely see no relief next weekend when the Wildcats welcome SEC foe Ole Miss to Kroger Field. The Rebels, whose typically hot offensive style went cold last season in UK’s upset victory in Oxford, Mississippi, entered the 2025 campaign ranked No. 21 by the AP.
Soles said the defense’s goal is to get out to a strong start in each game, which will be necessary against Lane Kiffin’s offense.
“We’re defending Kroger Field,” Soles said. “We’re defending our end zone. We’re defending our fans. We’re defending this whole area.”
This story was originally published August 31, 2025 at 7:50 AM.
