Kentucky’s trip to South Carolina ended with the kind of finish that can change a season, and Will Stein made sure nobody missed how much it meant.
The Wildcats pulled off the biggest road comeback in program history, and their first-year head coach treated the moment like a man who knew exactly what he was watching unfold. Kentucky improved to 4-1 (2-1) and will stay in the top 25 heading into a matchup with what should be a ranked LSU team, which takes on McNeese State tonight.
The ending came after Kentucky chose to play defense first in overtime. LaNorris Sellers pushed South Carolina into the lead with a touchdown for the Gamecocks, putting the pressure squarely on Kentucky to answer.
The response was immediate. Henry Boyer scored for Kentucky, his third touchdown in five games, and Stein wasted no time signaling what he wanted next. He held up the duece, making it clear the Wildcats were going for two and for the win.
Kenny Minchey took the snap, stepped up, and found Willie Rodriguez wide open in the back of the end zone for the conversion and the victory. Stein’s reaction from there said plenty on its own.
He celebrated like a student on State Street, minus the couch burning.
That kind of energy fits the way Stein has carried himself since arriving. Earlier this year, he was up on a chair leading Cats fans in a C-A-T-S chant on SEC Nation, and he told the media that Kentucky would win big because of him. So far, he has given no reason to think he wasn’t serious.
It’s the sort of moment a coach earns by trusting his team and backing it up with a bold call. In the SEC, wins like this don’t come easy.
Just ask Shane Beamer, who is 0-3 this year. Stein had every reason to enjoy the result, and by the look of it, he did - especially with his family.
In Other News...
Will Stein's Late Gamble Put Kentucky Fans On Edge
Kentuckys 35-34 overtime win at South Carolina came with all the chaos youd expect from a road game that turned into the largest comeback in program history. Will Stein spent much of his postgame press conference walking through how it all unfolded, from the defensive strain that made the finish feel so precarious to the way key players helped the Wildcats dig out of a hole and keep the game alive.
Stein also owned the clock-management mistake late in regulation, a rare public slip in a night filled with high-leverage decisions. The biggest one came in overtime, when he chose to go for the win with a two-point conversion instead of extending the game, a gamble he tied to how worn down his defense had become as Kentucky dealt with injuries and a game that kept asking for one more answer. [Read more 🡒]
Kenny Minchey Just Delivered A Kentucky Road Performance Fans Rarely See
Kenny Mincheys night in Columbia started slowly, but it ended with Kentucky leaving South Carolina with a 35-34 overtime win and a quarterback performance the program has not seen often on the road. Minchey settled in as the game went on, completing 28 of 41 passes for 272 yards and three touchdowns while helping the Wildcats bounce back from early trouble and stay in the thick of the SEC race.
The bigger significance may be what Minchey just did in a road conference setting. He became the first Kentucky quarterback since 2001 to post those passing numbers in an SEC road game without throwing an interception, a rare blend of volume, efficiency and poise away from home. With the win, Kentucky moved to 4-1 overall and 2-1 in league play, and it now has a quarterback performance worth circling as the schedule gets tougher. [Read more 🡒]
Kentuckys Gutsy Win Left The Wildcats With A Worrying LSU Problem
Kentuckys overtime escape against South Carolina came with the kind of toll that can change a week in a hurry. The Wildcats survived 35-34, but the win was shadowed by a string of injuries, with running back Jason Patterson, linebacker Antwan Smith and defensive back Jaden Smith all leaving the game hurt. Jaden Smiths injury was described as severe, turning what should have been a momentum-building finish into a far more uneasy evaluation of the roster.
Coach Will Stein said several other players were already unavailable before kickoff, adding another layer of concern as Kentucky shifts its focus to LSU. The Wildcats know they earned something valuable by pulling out a gutty overtime victory, but the challenge now is figuring out how much of that lineup will be intact when the next test arrives. [Read more 🡒]