Despite the lack of optimism surrounding the Kentucky football program, the chance of beating the Tennessee Volunteers can always light a fire under the Big Blue Nation.
Before Saturday night’s kick-off, you’d be hard-pressed to find many people who were confident in UK’s ability to score enough points to hang around against the 17th-ranked Vols. Things were dicey out of the gate, and it looked as if the Cats were going to be knocked out of the fight before it even began. The entire first half was
a roller coaster of emotions and featured one of the all-time wacky, multiple fumble plays that you’ll ever see.
Credit to Cutter Boley and the offensive unit for locking in and putting together some of the best offensive drives of the entire season. It was an almost unbelievable sight to see a Kentucky football team throw for three scores. It was the first time a UK quarterback has thrown for three touchdowns in a first half since 2006 when Andre Woodson did against Ole Miss.
Unfortunately, Brad White’s side of the ball had no answers for Tennessee’s passing attack and would give up 35 points in the first two quarters. The theme would continue into the second half as Joey Aguilar dissected any defense that was placed in front of him. The deep ball was working early and often. The Cats just could not stop Tennessee from spreading them out and scoring at will. Seven different Volunteers scored in the rout.
Aside from Tennessee fans, Kroger Field was virtually empty as the clock ran out to zero. If the wind wasn’t already out of UK football’s sails, it is now.
Box Score
MVP
Despite getting taken to the woodshed, there were some genuine positive takeaways from the massacre in Kroger Field on Saturday night. Cutter Boley was the first quarterback since Andre Woodson back in 2006 to throw for three touchdowns in the first half of an SEC game. His five total passing touchdowns were the most for a freshman in UK football history. Boley would finish the game 26/35 for 330 yards to go along with those five passing scores. Pretty incredible stuff.
Losing stinks. Getting blown out is worse. But both are more tolerable when your team is at least putting points up on the board.
Cutter Boley used a variety of weapons against the Vols and proved once and for all that he’s a more than capable SEC quarterback with a bright future.
