Despite a messy first half, Kentucky finished the job in Lexington on Saturday and pulled away from South Alabama for a 45-21 win.
The Wildcats looked out of rhythm early, and not just for a possession or two. Kentucky didn’t get on the board until the end of the first quarter, then gave the Jaguars a quick answer by muffing a punt and allowing South Alabama to tie the game.
From there, the first half kept tilting back and forth in ways UK never wanted. South Alabama grabbed a 14-7 lead, Kentucky answered, and then the Jaguars marched right back down the field on their third straight possession to go up 21-14 in the second quarter.
Kentucky did manage to swing the momentum before halftime. A big run and an interception helped the Cats get back in front, though they still settled for a 24-21 lead at the break.
The second half was a different story entirely. Kentucky came out and set the tone immediately, scoring in less than a minute behind a punishing ground game.
That became the formula for the rest of the afternoon. The Wildcats leaned on their running backs and offensive line, controlled the game on the ground, and kept South Alabama off the scoreboard after halftime.
CJ Baxter was the headliner in that rushing surge. The Texas transfer is settling in as RB1, and he looked every bit like the reliable hammer Kentucky needs.
Baxter isn’t built on pure burst, but he’s hard to bring down, patient behind the line, and increasingly effective as the season goes on. He broke loose for a 53-yard run and tied his career high in rushing touchdowns with five this season.
Baxter finished with 149 yards on 16 carries and a touchdown.
He wasn’t alone in carving up the Jaguars. Jason Patterson continued to give Kentucky a different kind of threat out of the backfield, and Jovantae Barnes finally got his chance to make noise too.
Patterson, who was expected to be RB3 entering the season, has forced his way into a bigger role with his quickness and ability to change the pace. On Saturday, he delivered in a big way, scoring three touchdowns - including a 75-yard burst - while finishing with 137 yards on 12 carries.
Barnes, the Oklahoma transfer, had his first real impact game of the year. After an injury slowed his start and limited him earlier in the season, he finally looked comfortable and productive against South Alabama.
Barnes joined Baxter and Patterson in topping 100 yards on just eight carries, and he added a rushing touchdown. Together, the three backs accounted for five rushing touchdowns and close to 400 yards on the ground.
Barnes did roll his ankle late, though the hope is that it’s only minor.
The line in front of them deserves plenty of credit, too. The Big Blue Wall kept opening lanes and continued to look like one of Kentucky’s best offensive lines since the John Schlarman era.
Still, the win didn’t erase everything that went wrong early. Third downs remain a real issue for Kentucky on both sides of the ball, and South Alabama took advantage of that to hang around much longer than it should have.
Kentucky entered the game ranked 112th nationally in third-down defense and 129th in third-down offense, and those struggles showed up again. The Jaguars were able to extend drives, and Kentucky’s offense repeatedly left chances on the table.
The Cats did tighten things up defensively as the game moved along, especially after halftime, but the numbers remain a concern. Kentucky’s offense is usually efficient, yet it doesn’t run a high volume of plays, which makes every conversion matter even more.
Fourth down wasn’t much better. South Alabama converted 2 of 5 attempts, while Kentucky went 1 of 3.
Both of UK’s misses came in the first half and killed momentum at important moments. It was the kind of sloppiness that can turn a game into a grind, and it’s something Will Stein will need to clean up quickly.
Kentucky now heads to Columbia to face South Carolina next Saturday afternoon in another SEC matchup.
In Other News...
Kentucky Earned SEC Respect With A Breakdown Fans Need To See
Cole Cubelics Sunday Takeaways have become a familiar stop for SEC fans looking for a sharper read on what just happened, and Kentucky was part of the conversation after a performance that clearly earned the leagues attention. The former Auburn center, now an SEC Network analyst, has made a niche out of detailed postgame breakdowns, often drilling down by jersey number and pairing the film notes with broader strategic observations.
For Kentucky fans, the appeal is obvious: Cubelics analysis offers a more exact view of where the Wildcats stood in a game like this, beyond the final score and the usual talking points. Since taking over the Sunday Takeaways from Anthony McFarland in 2018, he has built the segment into one of the SECs more useful weekly film sessions, and his latest look at Kentucky is the kind of breakdown supporters will want to see for themselves. [Read more 🡒]
Kentucky Is Bringing Back A Beloved Game Day Feeling This Weekend
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Wilbur Hackett and JoJo Kemp will serve as honorary captains for the South Alabama game, giving the day another familiar face from different eras of Kentucky football. Hackett, one of the first African American players in the SEC, also returned to campus to complete his degree in 2020, a fitting thread for a weekend built around recognition, continuity and the people who helped shape the program. [Read more 🡒]
Kentucky Just Got The National Validation Wildcats Fans Wanted
Todd McShay gave Kentucky football a dose of national attention this week, and not the routine kind that gets buried under blue-blood chatter. On a recent episode of The McShay Show, he singled out offensive coordinator Will Stein as a reason the Wildcats have a real chance to surprise people, pointing to Steins track record with quarterbacks and the growing confidence on that side of the ball.
For Kentucky fans, it is the kind of outside validation they have been waiting for, especially in a sport where the Wildcats are usually asked to prove they belong before anyone starts talking about bigger goals. McShay went so far as to suggest Kentucky could make an unexpected run toward the College Football Playoff, a level of belief that instantly raises the stakes for how this season gets judged and puts a sharper spotlight on what Stein and the offense do next. [Read more 🡒]