Kentucky overcomes miscues in gritty 35-28 win over Missouri

LEXINGTON, Ky. -- It was a game that Old Kentucky almost certainly would have found a way to lose.

New Kentucky -- Mark Stoops' Kentucky, winner of three consecutive bowl games -- did not.

The Wildcats overcame a fumble going into the end zone to negate a potential touchdown, a dropped interception in the end zone that led to seven points for the opponent, and a blocked field goal that would have clinched the victory with 2:07 remaining -- all of it -- to hang on for a gritty 35-28 win over Missouri on Saturday night at Kroger Field.

"We had a chance to really put a knife in them," Stoops said of the closer-than-necessary victory. "Let them off the hook... (but) I really appreciate our players facing that adversity that happened at the end of the first half and once again, responding."

Kentucky's defense, flustered by a Tigers offense that dinked and dunked for 398 total yards, came up with a J.J. Weaver sack on third down and a pass break-up by Carrington Valentine on fourth down with the game hanging in the balance at their 45-yard line with 1:30 remaining.

“We had to change the play," Weaver said. "So, I was really going to drop the play, but Missouri looked the opposite way, so we had to change it really fast. Once they changed it, I was free. We have a game on the line. I needed that.”

"Since I've been the (defensive) coordinator, you think of the Tennessee game in '19, you think of Florida in '19," UK's Brad White said of infamous games in which the Cats let a would-be league win slip from their grasp. "And you know what? They closed.

"When the moment called for this crew to rise up, they rose up. And you never apologize for a win."

Kentucky (2-0, 1-0 SEC) avenged one of its worst performances from the Covid-shortened 2020 season, a 20-10 loss in Columbia, Mo., in which the Tigers dominated from start to finish. The Cats rolled up 519 yards of total offense, including 341 on the ground.

Junior running back Chris Rodriguez had a career-high 27 carries for 206 yards and three touchdowns on the ground, overcoming his fumble going into the end zone that could have put UK ahead 28-7 at the half. He also caught a touchdown pass from UK quarterback Will Levis, who passed for 179 yards, one touchdown, and one interception.

"You know Chris and I know Chris," Stoops said. "... He'll be a beast. And he'll play hard. And I have all the confidence in him. But that doesn't mean we're not going to correct him. And, you know, he will. He'll get it fixed. And he knows. He knows better."

Missouri (1-1, 0-1 SEC) looked poised to steal another victory from the Cats but could not finish its final drive after reaching the UK 37. Weaver's sack on third down -- only the third tackle for loss on the night by the UK defense -- pushed the Tigers back to the 45, and Connor Bazelak's pass intended for Dominic Lovett on 4th-and-13 was broken up by Valentine near the sticks along the right sideline.

Bazelak, a former UK recruiting target, finished 34-of-52 for 294 yards and four touchdowns with one interception. That lone turnover proved to be a big one as UK linebacker Jacquez Jones picked off a pass to start the third quarter after the Tigers had rallied within 21-14 at the break.

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In this Rapid Recap feature, we touch on some quick-hitters from the UK victory...

GAMEBALL:

Chris Rodriguez, Kentucky - The junior running back from McDonough, Ga., tied the school record for touchdowns with four (3 rushing, 1 receiving) to go along with a career-high 206 yards rushing.

BY THE NUMBERS:

1st - Time in program history that UK has opened the season with two games of 500-plus yards on offense.

2 - 100-yard receiving games to start the season for UK's Wan'Dale Robinson, the first receiver to accomplish that since Craig Yeast in 1998.

7 - Players passed by UK's Chris Rodriguez on the school's all-time rushing list with his 206-yard effort on Saturday -- Lynn Bowden, Al Baker, Raymond Sanders, Steve Campassi, Bill Leskovar, Ivy Joe Hunter, and Derek Homer. He is now in 16th place with 1,692 yards.

8-4 - Kentucky's lead in the all-time series with Missouri, having won six of the last seven.

25th - SEC win for Mark Stoops, tying Fran Curci for the most in program history.

35 - Most points scored by UK in an SEC opener since a 42-29 win during the 2007 season at Arkansas.

51-50 - Mark Stoops' record at Kentucky, moving him above the .500 mark for the first time.

331 - Rushing yards by UK running back Chris Rodriguez in the first two games of the season, the most ever by a UK player.

QUOTABLE:

"“We got our butts whipped up front and weren’t able to stop the run." -- Missouri head coach Eliah Drinkwitz

UP NEXT:

Kentucky returns to action Saturday at Kroger Field against Chattanooga. The FCS Mocs (1-1) defeated North Alabama 20-0 today. Next week's game is a Noon ET kickoff and will be streamed on ESPN+