In what was a must win for Kentucky, the Cats came out of the gate doing what they have done three other times this season, scoring on their first drive of the game.
After a super kickoff return by Randall Cobb, the Cats only needed seven plays to march 49 yards and take a 7-0 lead. The drive, a picture perfect drive, consisted of five rushes and two passes ending on a Cobb 2 yard run for the first score of the game.
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For the offense, that was it until late in the first half. While the Cats went cold, the Tigers scored on all five of their first half possessions, scoring four touchdowns and a field goal as they took at 31-17 lead into the half.
Newton was a beast scoring 4 TD’s in the first half and rushing for over 100 yards. He ended the game with a clutch fourth quarter drive as he converted on three 3rd downs as the Tigers marched inside Kentucky’s 10 setting up a 24 yard game winning field goal for Wes Bynum as time expired.
Overall Newton had a career high 198 rushing yards against a Cats Defense that look like a deer in the headlights during the first 30 minutes of play.
That all changed as the 3rd quarter kicked off, the Cats Defense rose to the occasion forcing a three and out. The second half was almost a duplicate of the first half in reverse as Randall Cobb and the Kentucky offense scored on three of their four possessions.
At the 7:22 mark, the Cats had evened up the scoring at 34 a piece, only to see Newton and the Tigers march 86 yards for the game winning field goal as time expired.
Cobb and Hartline both had outstanding nights for the Cats as Cobb accumulated four touchdowns and 201 all purpose yards. Cobb scored two on the ground, one receiving and one passing in his normal Mr. Everything fashion.
Hartline went 23-28 for 220 yards, one touchdown and no interceptions. The O-line did a great job as they didn’t allow one sack and gave Mike time to find his receivers.
The victory avenged a 21-14 home loss to the Wildcats a year ago, a defeat that continued an October swoon by the Tigers after they got off to a 5-0 start under Gene Chizik.
Cobb said earlier in the week that he “was pissed off” and tired of losing. His play demonstrated his attitude as he placed the Cats on his slim shoulders in the second half.
His great effort came up just short as the Cats Defense couldn’t stop Newton when it mattered as he ran for 50 yards in the game winning drive.
Cobb wouldn’t get on the field again as the Cats offense stood helpless on the sideline as the clock ticked to 0:00 and the Tigers stole one at Commonwealth Stadium.
Up next for the UK (3-3 – 0-3), a visit from Spurrier and the South Carolina Gamecocks (4-1 – 2-1).
[URL=”http://espn.go.com/ncf/boxscore?gameId=302820096″]
Complete box score here.[/URL]
Go Cats!!!
Contact Chip Miller with your Kentucky questions or comments at [EMAIL=”[email protected]”][email protected][/EMAIL] or via twitter at [URL=”http://twitter.com/ukbigbluenation”]@ukbigbluenation[/URL]
