Kentucky walked into Saturday with a chance to do something the program’s current players had never seen and the fan base has barely been able to imagine. Instead, the Wildcats left Kroger Field with the same old result against Alabama.
The Crimson Tide, ranked No. 12 in the US LBM Coaches Poll and the Associated Press Top 25, erased a 17-13 halftime deficit and rolled to a 45-17 win over Kentucky on Sept. 12.
It was the 40th loss in 43 meetings for the Wildcats, who are now 1-1 overall and 0-1 in SEC play. Alabama moved to 2-0 and 1-0 under coach Kalen DeBoer, and for the first time in his three seasons, his team won after trailing at halftime.
Before Saturday, the Tide had been 0-7 in those games.
For a while, though, Kentucky had Alabama on the ropes.
First-year coach Will Stein got exactly the kind of start any underdog dreams about. Mi'Quise Humphrey-Grace delivered the game’s first knockout punch, jumping a Keelon Russell pass and taking it 2 yards for a pick-six less than five minutes into the game.
The 6-foot-4, 271-pound defensive lineman finished the play by diving into the end zone. Kentucky wasn’t done there, either.
On Alabama’s next drive, the Wildcats forced another turnover when they recovered a fumble by Russell.
The Tide also spent the first half helping Kentucky out in less dramatic ways. Alabama was flagged seven times before halftime, almost double Kentucky’s four penalties.
Still, the Wildcats couldn’t fully cash in on the opportunities in front of them.
Two second-quarter possessions in particular swung the half back toward Alabama. On one, Kentucky had Alabama in third-and-long before CJ Works was called offsides, turning a third-and-12 into a third-and-7 at the Tide’s 28-yard line. Alabama gained 13 yards on the next snap and settled for a field goal.
The next drive followed the same script. Alabama faced third-and-20 at its own 23, but Russell found Marshall Pritchett for a 23-yard completion to extend the possession. Conor Talty then knocked through another field goal, trimming Kentucky’s lead to 14-13 with 2:09 left in the half.
Even so, Kentucky carried a 17-13 edge into the break and opened the second half by forcing a three-and-out. That looked like a real opening.
Then Alabama took over.
The Crimson Tide scored on their next five possessions - one field goal and four touchdowns - and turned a four-point deficit into a runaway win. What had looked like a live upset bid by the middle of the third quarter quickly turned into a reminder of how much work remains for Stein’s program against an SEC heavyweight like Alabama.
In Other News...
Kentuckys Fast Start Vs Alabama Ended In A Brutal Second-Half Collapse
Kentucky looked in control early against No. 12 Alabama, jumping out with a fast start that suggested the Wildcats might be ready to land a statement win. Instead, the game flipped after halftime, when Alabama put together a relentless surge and Kentuckys offense never found its footing again.
The second half was especially rough for the Wildcats, who managed only three first downs and 62 total yards while Alabamas defense kept heat on the quarterback and forced multiple turnovers. Even after a shaky opening stretch, Alabamas quarterback settled down and helped guide the comeback, leaving Kentucky to sort through how a promising start unraveled so quickly. [Read more 🡒]
Kentucky Let Another Alabama Opportunity Slip Away Fast
For a half, Kentucky looked like it had another heavyweight SEC upset within reach at Kroger Field. The Wildcats built a 17-13 lead on the strength of timely defensive plays, including an interception returned for a touchdown and a forced fumble, and for a while the home crowd had every reason to believe Alabama might be staring at a familiar road problem.
Alabama changed the feel of the game quickly after halftime, taking the lead in the third quarter and then pulling away in a hurry. Kentucky never scored again, getting shut out the rest of the way as the Crimson Tide finished with a 45-17 win and left the Wildcats to wonder how quickly a promising afternoon can turn once the margin for error disappears. [Read more 🡒]
Kentuckys Offense Ran Into A Problem Alabama Kept Exposing
Alabamas defense gave Kentucky a long afternoon in Week 2, and the root of the problem was familiar to anyone who watched the game closely: the Wildcats never found a clean answer for what Kane Wommack was throwing at them. The Tide leaned on a zone-heavy approach that kept Kentucky from getting comfortable, and the pressure on the quarterback only made the picture tougher as the game wore on.
Will Stein pointed to the challenge Alabamas coverage and pass rush created, and it was clear Kentuckys offense spent too much of the day trying to fight uphill. When a team cannot protect its quarterback or establish the run, the margin for creativity gets thin fast, and Alabama kept exposing those limits in a way Kentucky will have to address as the schedule moves on. [Read more 🡒]