Three takeaways from Kentucky football’s Governor’s Cup win against Louisville
Three takeaways from Kentucky football’s dramatic 38-31 victory over the Louisville Cardinals on Saturday at L&N Stadium:
1. A triumphant finish to a disappointing regular season
These Wildcats could have folded. They could have folded after last week’s ultra-disappointing loss at South Carolina. They could have folded after falling behind No. 9-ranked Louisville 17-7 early in the second half Saturday. They could have folded after Devin Leary’s catastrophic interception in the fourth quarter which allowed Louisville to tie the game. So many times they could have folded.
They didn’t fold. Not these Cats. Facing a Louisville team that was ranked ninth in the AP Top 25, that was itching to snap a four-game losing streak to its in-state rival, Kentucky just kept finding ways to win Saturday before the largest crowd (59,225) in L&N Stadium history.
“Just really proud of this team for the finish,” UK coach Mark Stoops said afterward. “I think we’re the only team in the United States that has played four teams that are in the top 10 right now. That’s a tough schedule. No excuse for last week, we know that, but they found a way to pick themselves back up and finish strong.”
Prime example: J.J. Weaver. The outside linebacker from Louisville who has not had the senior season that he had hoped to have. Yet Saturday, playing in his hometown, Weaver made two huge plays, forcing and recovering a fumble, then recovering a fumble forced by linebacker D’Eryk Jackson on the next series.
Weaver finished with eight tackles and one sack to go with that forced fumble and two fumble recoveries.
“Just playing with an edge,” Weaver said. “It feels good to be at Kentucky.”
2. Kentucky finally played complementary football
All season long, the Cats had struggled to play complementary football, to have the offense pick up its defense in need, and the defense to pick up its offense. And the special teams to pick up both sides. In Saturday’s second half, in the final game of the regular season, the Cats did exactly that.
When Louisville drove 75 yards in 15 plays to open the second half by extending the Cards’ lead to 17-7, UK’s Barion Brown returned the ensuing kickoff 100 yards for a touchdown to put the Cats right back in the game.
“That really sparked us,” quarterback Devin Leary said.
When Louisville answered with a quick touchdown to go up 24-14, the Cats answered even quicker. Leary hit Izayah Cummings for a 55-yard gain to the Louisville 20-yard line. Next play, Leary hit Ray Davis for the 20-yard score to slice U of L’s lead to 24-21.
Even after Leary threw a catastrophic fourth-quarter interception that eventually allowed Louisville to tie the game at 31, UK’s offense responded right back, with Leary finding Brown for a 23-yard gain before Davis sprinted over left tackle 37 yards for what turned out to be the winning touchdown.
The UK defense responded, keeping U of L out of the end zone in the home team’s final possession when safety Jordan Lovett intercepted a Jack Plummer pass in the end zone to seal it.
“Our kids played high-level football and made plays,” offensive coordinator Liam Coen said. “That’s what you call competitive greatness. Being your best when you’re best is required. And that’s what those guys did.”
3. A different mood for bowl prep and the offseason
Not only did Kentucky beat Louisville for the fifth consecutive year, the Wildcats own their seventh game, thus clinching a winning season. And believe me, finishing the regular season 7-5 with a win over Louisville is far different than finishing the regular season 6-6 with a loss to Louisville.
Let’s be honest, Mark Stoops has taken his fair share of criticism this season. Coming off a 7-6 campaign of a year ago, the Cats jumped to a quick 5-0 start before losing five of their next six. They were bludgeoned at Georgia 51-13. They wasted an early 14-0 lead in a 38-21 loss to Missouri. They were never in the game against Alabama, losing 49-21. And then there was that inexcusable (Stoops’ words) loss at South Carolina.
Saturday’s outcome puts a different spin on things. Beating Louisville always brings a smile to the faces in BBN. To beat a Louisville team that was 10-1 and had already earned a berth in next week’s ACC championship game was even sweeter.
Said Stoops, “This means a lot for a lot of reasons.”
