The Kentucky Wildcats beat the Oklahoma Sooners in Norman on Saturday night, 21-13, in yet another thriller that came down to the final possessions.
The Cats got off to a rip-roaring start as they drove down the field on a 13-play, 67-yard drive for a touchdown. That’s against an elite defense and one that simply does not give up opening-drive touchdowns.
However, the rest of the half did not go exactly the same. In fact, it was a slugfest that the Sooners won without a doubt. Oklahoma took a 10-7
lead into halftime.
After the break, the teams traded blow after blow, but neither gave in. The Sooners took a 13-7 lead before Kentucky marched down the field to retake the lead 14-13.
The Cats then drove the ball all the way down the field again, but the Sooners came up with a massive fourth-down stop inside the 10-yard line. Defensive wins ensued, which culminated in a pick-six by Kentucky to finish it off.
The Cats win again!! Kentucky moves to 6-1 in what’s been a dream season.
Next up, the Cats will return to Lexington to take on the Vanderbilt Commodores next Saturday night.
Here are four things to know from win No. 6.
Kentucky is bowl-eligible
We’re not even out of October, and Kentucky is already bowl eligible. Let that sink in.
It took Will Stein all of seven games to become bowl-eligible for the first time as a head coach. Kentucky is now set to play in the postseason for the first time since the 2023 season.
What a team. What a season, and it’s far from over.
CJ Baxter did not play
I want to start with arguably the biggest storyline of the game. CJ Baxter was listed as questionable all week after suffering an ankle injury in the LSU game, but the expectation had been that he’d play.
Baxter was dressed, but he didn’t play a single snap. Kentucky’s biggest weakness this season has been depth, and the running back room is no different. Jason Patterson is solid, and Jovantae Barnes runs hard, albeit he is unproven, but the offense begins and ends with Baxter.
That was evident in this game. Kentucky could not establish even a resemblance of a run game. Part of that is on the offensive, but it’s hard to believe Baxter wouldn’t have made a difference. The bruiser has shown the ability to wear a defense down and, while Patterson and Barnes might have more home-run ability, they don’t beat down the defense like Baxter.
Thankfully, this setback did not cost Kentucky a victory.
The defense stepped up when it mattered most
Kentucky’s defense has been up and down all season. I think it’s fair to say they’ve been more good than bad, but it hasn’t been perfect. It’s a havoc defense that tries to get the offense behind the sticks, but they also play a type of bend-don’t-break at the same time.
That was evident in this game, as John Mateer did whatever he wanted for about three and a half quarters until he got inside the red zone, which is when the Cats locked in. It’s a risky proposition, but when the offense is humming, it’s a fun way to play. It wasn’t as fun in this game because every possession was magnified with limited possessions.
Big shoutout to Mi’Quise Humphrey-Grace. He played like a man possessed. MHG tallied 2 TFL, 1.5 sacks, forced an interception, and sacked Matter on one of Oklahoma’s final drives of the 4th quarter following the big turnover on downs by the Cats.
While the game was frustrating to watch, the defense ultimately did what it needed to help Kentucky get the W. Jordan Castell had two interceptions, including a pick-six on Oklahoma’s penultimate drive. Ty Bryant then nabbed another interception on the final drive to seal Kentucky’s massive road victory.
The offense met its match
Alabama’s defense is elite. LSU’s defense is arguably just as good. Kentucky struggled against the Crimson Tide in game 2, but they flourished against LSU last week. Coming into this game, Kentucky’s season low for scoring was 17 points against Bama.
That changed in this game as Brent Venables and Co. put on a defensive masterclass against Will Stein and Joe Sloan. As I mentioned above, Baxter’s absence surely played a big factor in this game, but, at the end of the day, you cannot make excuses. You just execute and win. Or not.
The Big Blue Wall was abused all night. Kenny Minchey took a beating. And the Cats could not run the ball under any circumstances. Keep in mind, as I said earlier, the Cats did whatever they wanted on the opening drive of the game, but after that, the Sooners locked in, and Stein/Sloan had no answer.
But in the end, it doesn’t matter because the Cats won AGAIN, and against one of the best defenses in college football.
Now, let’s celebrate!
Go CATS!!
