Kentucky took the field on Saturday night under somewhat unusual circumstances.
Their opponent, Eastern Michigan, arrived in Lexington with a less-than-impressive 0-2 resume, offering very little reason for fans to be excited about the game. However, Cutter Boley’s first start of the year provided an extra layer of intrigue as the Big Blue Nation seemed to be all in on the start of the Cutter Boley era in the Bluegrass.
The Cats wasted no time getting on the scoreboard. The first play of the game resulted
in a UK interception that set up a quick touchdown.
To the BBN’s delight, Boley would immediately showcase his ability to throw the ball downfield, giving the offense its first sign of life all season. His first two half touchdowns were UK’s first passing scores of 2025.
Unfortunately, sloppy play and poor execution were the cause of a horrendous end to the second quarter. Kentucky whiffed on multiple chances to pull away but instead went to the locker room with a mere 28-16 lead. End of the half woes continue to plague Mark Stoops and the Cats.
SEC talent rose to the top, and the third quarter belonged to UK. Brad White’s defense settled in and put the clamps on while the offense continued to show progression in Cutter Boley’s debut. Eastern Michigan’s only points of the second half came in the last minute during garbage time, as the Cats went on to win 48-23.
Despite a frustrating end to the second quarter, it was an overall solid performance that most importantly validated that this is Cutter Boley’s team heading into the BYE week.
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Kentucky’s ground game remained strong in its third game of the season. Seth McGowan had a monster game, tallying 104 yards on 18 carries with three touchdowns. The impressive hat-trick earned him MVP honors in UK’s dominant win over Eastern Michigan.
The dual running-back approach with Seth McGowan and Dante Dowdell continues to produce effective results for Bush Hamdan’s offense. Tonight, it was McGowan who found the end zone three times while carrying the majority of the workload, 18 times.
Mark Stoops and his coaching staff have taken a lot of criticism as of late, but if there’s been one consistent theme of his tenure at Kentucky, it’s a solid run game. Through three games, Seth McGowan is the latest beneficiary.
