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Kentucky stuns No. 11 Louisville

LOUISVILLE, Ky. — For Kentucky football and head coach Mark Stoops, signature wins had been oh so close the past four years.

But on Saturday afternoon, four years of frustration and heartrending finishes could be forgotten as the Wildcats upset No. 11 Louisville 41-38 in Papa John’s Cardinal Stadium.

Kicker Austin MacGinnis drilled a 47-yard field goal with 12 seconds left to secure Kentucky’s first win over Louisville since 2010. The field goal came just a few plays after Louisville quarterback Lamar Jackson fumbled on the Kentucky 9-yard line with 1:45 left to play.

Kentucky quarterback Stephen Johnson, who played the best game of his career by passing for 338 yards and three touchdowns while also rushing for 83 yards, led Kentucky to field goal range on the final drive. He found Jeff Badet for 29-yards and then senior Ryan Timmons caught a pass to get down to the UL 29. MacGinnis did the rest from there.

“We knew it was going to be a hard fought game, but we believed every minute that we were gonna come in here and battle a very good football team, an unbelievably talented quarterback,” Stoops said after the game. “We were fortunate to get some turnovers, which you guys know we've been on the wrong end of that a lot, and we were able to get a few tonight that made a difference. Again, just happy to hang in there and battle and continue to grow. It's a special moment for these players to get a little reward for all their hard work, and for the assistant coaches that have worked so hard.”

Turning point: In a back-and-forth battle it’s hard to pinpoint just one defining moment, but Jackson’s fumble gave Kentucky the chance to win. Instead of taking the lead, Louisville had to try and defend a Kentucky offense that totaled 581 yards on the day. Louisville had one last shot after the field goal, but Jackson’s hail mary was picked off by Mike Edwards.

Player of the game: Stephen Johnson. The junior quarterback who started the season as the backup likely won the starting job regardless going into next season. Johnson’s 338 yards passing were a career high. Johnson found Garrett Johnson for touchdown strikes of 75-yards and 63-yards. He also led Kentucky in rushing with 83 yards.

What’s next: Kentucky was going to a bowl regardless, but the Wildcats are likely to land in a better bowl after the win. The 7-5 finish to the regular season guarantees Kentucky’s first winning season since 2009.

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