BATON ROUGE – After scoring a touchdown in the overtime period, Kentucky elected to go for two and converted with a Kenny Minchey QB keeper, winning the game for the Wildcats, 35-34, over No. 10 LSU on Saturday night in Lexington.
The Tigers return to Death Valley next Saturday for an 11 a.m. CT kick against the Mississippi State. The game will be televised nationally on ESPN.
Game Recap
Kentucky won the coin toss and deferred its decision until the second half. The Tigers received the opening kickoff and defended the west endzone in the first quarter.
LSU opened their first drive showcasing a little bit of everything – from designed QB runs, to production from Dilin Jones and Harlem Berry, to a few nice catches. However, a 14-play drive spanning 69 yards came up short of pay dirt as Scott Starzyk booted a 26-yard field goal, putting the Tigers up 3-0 with 8:45 to play in the first quarter.
The Wildcats responded quickly as running back CJ Baxter broke free for a 77-yard run over the middle of the field, bringing the ball down to the LSU 3 before being brought down by cornerback PJ Woodland. On the next play, Baxter found the end zone with a 3-yard touchdown score, putting UK up 7-3 with 8:09 to play in the first quarter.
With 1:46 remaining in the 1Q, LSU ran a double flea-flicker and Leavitt found tight end Zach Grace wide open for a 22-yard touchdown, Grace’s first career reception. It capped another methodical drive for the Tiger offense, going 11 plays, 75 yards. LSU took the lead back, 10-7.
On 4th-and-8 from the LSU 18, Grant Chadwick punted the ball 37 yards to the UK 45, returned 55 yards for a touchdown by Brock Coffman, giving the Wildcats the advantage back, 14-10, with 13:06 to play in the first half.
LSU would respond on offense yet again as Leavitt found Jackson Harris on 2nd-and-10 with a 10-yard touchdown connection, giving the Tigers the lead back, 17-14, with 6:16 to play in the first half. It capped a 14-play, 75-yard drive. Charlie Weis Jr. and the offense was dominating UK in time of possession to this point, 20:37-3:12, running 41 plays to the Wildcats’ 9. The scoreboard was close but the box score was not.
The Tigers’ defense continued to struggle stopping Baxter and the Wildcat running game as Big Blue went on to respond with a 15-play, 75-yard drive of their own, taking six minutes and 11 seconds off the clock – their largest drive by far of the game. With one play left in the half, UK elected to go for it, ultimately converting on a 1-yard QB keep from Kenny Minchey, giving Kentucky the lead at half, 21-17.
LSU’s defense came out and got a three-and-out to start the second half.
Leavitt, however, would throw a pass intended for Eugene Wilson III, which was tipped and intercepted by Ty Bryant and returned nine yards to the LSU 36.
Princewill Umanmielen and the LSU defense would make a 4th-down stop of their own as Minchey’s pass intended for Kenny Darby on 4th-and-3 at the LSU 17 was broken up by freshman defensive tackle Deuce Geralds, forcing a turnover on downs, giving the Tigers the ball back with 10:53 to play in the third quarter.
With 2:16 to play in the third quarter, Starzyk nailed a 24-yard field goal to cut the deficit to 21-20, capping off an 11-play, 73-yard drive.
Kentucky continued to move the ball with ease offensively, putting together another business-like 10-play drive spanning 65 yards, ending with a 28-yard field goal from Adam Zouagui, extending the Wildcats’ lead to 24-20 with 11:54 to play in the contest.
On 1st-and-10 from the UK 41, Leavitt takes the pass, pitches it to Jackson Harris, who throws a 41-yard touchdown to Roman Mothershed for the touchdown, giving LSU the 27-24 lead with 9:50 to play in the game. It marked the first passing TD for a non-QB since Malik Nabers to Jayden Daniels in the 2023 Citrus Bowl vs. Purdue (5-yd TD pass). It was also the first LSU football receiver to throw a TD pass in the regular season was SE Todd Kinchen to WR Tony Moss (51 yards) on 9/30/1989 vs. Ohio.
After a nine-play, 51-yard drive, Zouagui’s 42-yard field goal was no good, keeping LSU’s lead at 27-24 with 4:57 to play.
With LSU in control looking to close out the game, Leavitt fumbled while getting sacked on 2nd-and-6 from the Tiger 28-yard line, giving the Wildcats the ball with 4:11 to play in the game.
Zouagui would miss another field goal, this time from 26 yards, keeping the Tigers’ lead at 27-24 with 3:11 on the clock.
Zouagui would make it when it mattered most, nailing a 33-yard field goal with 12 seconds remaining to send the game into overtime, capping off a nine-play drive spanning 67 yards, taking off one minue and 25 seconds off the clock.