The rivalry report: Chris Mack became a video star but UK again topped U of L overall
COVID-19 robbed us of some of the best parts of the Kentucky-Louisville sports rivalry in 2020-21.
Due to the impact of the coronavirus on sports scheduling, there were no UK-U of L games in football, women’s basketball or volleyball during the current school year.
Chris Mack’s pivot to video helped fill the rivalry void.
Two videos featuring the Louisville men’s basketball coach — one released intentionally, one not intended for public consumption — put some verve into this year’s abbreviated edition of the Cats-Cards all-sports rivalry.
The first video was released by Mack in September as a sarcastic rejoinder to Kentucky Coach John Calipari during a scheduling dispute over when and where to play the UK-U of L game during the pandemic. Whatever is most convenient for Coach Cal, we’ll do it.
Mack’s second video foray was revealed in February via the Twitter feed of Kentucky Sports Radio’s Drew Franklin. It showed the U of L coach exulting with ex-Louisville football standout Eric Wood after the Cardinals’ 62-59 victory over Calipari and the Cats on Dec. 26.
In the video, Wood maintains that Calipari’s prior mastery of the Cardinals (even with this season’s defeat, Calipari is 11-3 vs. U of L at UK) as Kentucky coach had been due to the presence of ex-Cards player Kenny Payne as a UK assistant. Kenny Payne won those games.
Subsequently, Mack said the video had been filmed as a gag among friends to gig Payne, now in his first season as a New York Knicks assistant.
The Louisville coach apologized to Calipari for the trash-talking performance.
“I wanted him to know it was a joke at Kenny Payne that obviously went sideways,” Mack said at the time.
Even as Mack was the central figure in the Kentucky-Louisville athletics rivalry in 2020-21, UK ultimately came out with overall bragging rights.
In men’s sports, the Cats and Cards fought to a 3-3 draw.
Kentucky won once in baseball, soccer and tennis.
Louisville won once in baseball, basketball and swimming.
UK, however, went 2-0 vs. U of L in women’s sports.
The Cats won in swimming and softball.
That gave Kentucky a 5-3 head-to-head record vs. Louisville in all sports for the current school year.
Over the past four years combined, UK is now 20-16-1 head-to-head vs. U of L across all sports.
Rivalry MVPs
If awards were handed out to the players and coaches who made the most dramatic impact on our state’s marquee college sports rivalry in 2020-21, the winners would be:
Kentucky men’s sports rivalry MVP: Ryan Ritter, baseball. The sophomore shortstop ignited UK’s 11-7 upset of then-No. 5 U of L April 6 by driving in six runs with a three-run home run and a three-run double. With his glove, Ritter also turned in three defensive gems.
Louisville men’s sports rivalry MVP: Carlik Jones, basketball. The graduate transfer point guard from Radford keyed the rare U of L victory over UK by scoring 20 points and doling out five assists.
Kentucky women’s sports rivalry MVP: Riley Gaines, swimming. The junior from Gallatin, Tenn., won four events — the 50, 100 and 200 freestyle, as well as swimming a leg on the victorious 200 medley relay — to lead No. 10 UK’s 200.5-99.5 rout of No. 19 U of L.
Louisville women’s sports rivalry MVP: Carmyn Greenwood, softball. The senior outfielder went 4-of-5 at the plate as U of L came agonizingly close to upsetting No. 14 UK before falling 6-5 in nine innings Wednesday night.
Kentucky rivalry coach of the year: Lars Jorgensen, women’s swimming. Coached UK to victories in 13 of 16 events in dominant victory over U of L.
Louisville rivalry coach of the year: Chris Mack, men’s basketball. The noted videographer is now 1-2 as top Card vs. the Cats.
Tracking the trends
The current status of the Kentucky-Louisville rivalry by sport:
MEN’S SPORTS
Baseball: Even accounting for this year’s split, Louisville has won 11 of the past 14 meetings.
Basketball: Even accounting for this year’s U of L victory, Kentucky has won 11 of the past 14.
Football: With no game in 2020, the status quo held: UK has won three of the past four.
Soccer: Kentucky’s victory this year means the rivals are deadlocked 4-4-1 over their nine most recent meetings.
Swimming: Louisville has defeated Kentucky in 12 of the past 13 head-to-head meets.
Tennis: UK’s 4-2 victory over U of L on Valentine’s Day was the first meeting between the teams since 2011. Kentucky is 27-0 vs. Louisville since 1982-83.
WOMEN’S SPORTS
Basketball: With no game in 2020-21, the status quo held: U of L has won four straight.
Soccer: For the second straight season, the teams did not play. Louisville has won two straight in the series.
Softball: Kentucky has won eight of the past 10.
Swimming: UK has won the past four dual meets vs. U of L.
Volleyball: With no match in 2020-21, the status quo held: Kentucky has won seven straight and nine of 10.
Now, here’s to a return to normalcy that will include a fully reengaged Kentucky-Louisville rivalry in 2021-22.
