Nov 4, 2023; Tuscaloosa, Alabama, USA;  Alabama Crimson Tide quarterback Jalen Milroe (4) runs for a touchdown against LSU at Bryant-Denny Stadium. Alabama defeated LSU 42-28. Mandatory Credit: Gary Cosby Jr.-USA TODAY Sports

No. 8 Alabama looks to continue dominance of rival Kentucky

Alabama remains in the national championship picture but badly needs to post a road win against Kentucky on Saturday in Lexington.

That’s the perfect opponent for the No. 8 Crimson Tide, who have beaten the Wildcats in all seven meetings this century and stand 38-2-1 all-time against their fellow Southeastern Conference squad.

Alabama (8-1, 6-0 SEC) enters its latest matchup with Kentucky (6-3, 3-3) on a roll with seven straight victories since a September loss to then-No. 11 Texas.

After beating then-No. 14 LSU last weekend in an SEC West battle, the Crimson Tide are on track for a showdown with No. 2 Georgia in the SEC title game next month.

Alabama coach Nick Saban is thrilled with the position his team is in with three regular-season games remaining. The Crimson Tide also have momentum after back-to-back 14-point victories against then-No. 17 Tennessee and LSU.

“This team has created an opportunity where now they’ve got to make a choice,” Saban told reporters. “We’ve had two big games in a row here and still got two SEC games left and another game. So you’re going to have to make a choice about taking care of business … because we can create an opportunity for ourselves and maybe win the West and maybe get in the SEC championship game and who knows what happens from there.”

Much of Alabama’s in-season rise can be attributed to the improvement of Jalen Milroe.

Milroe set a Crimson Tide quarterback record by rushing for four touchdowns in the win over LSU. He finished with 155 yards on the ground and also completed 15 of 23 passes for 219 yards.

The player who was benched after the loss to Texas in Week 2 and didn’t play against South Florida in the team’s third game is now the team’s most indispensable player. Milroe has passed for 1,836 yards, 13 touchdowns and five interceptions while adding nine scores on the ground.

“I’m focused on trying to get better,” Milroe said. “There’s some things I need to improve on. … I’m not a finished product.”

Alabama leads No. 9 Ole Miss — a team it beat earlier this season — by one game in the SEC West race.

Kentucky had dropped three straight games before picking up an impressive 24-3 road win over Mississippi State last weekend.

Wildcats quarterback Devin Leary missed the fourth quarter with an eye injury but coach Mark Stoops said Monday that Leary is fine.

Leary has passed for 1,905 yards, 18 touchdowns and seven interceptions this season. And Kentucky certainly could use a big game from Leary if it wants to keep it close with the Crimson Tide.

“Alabama is a team that, you can see, is getting better and better,” Stoops said. “A typical Nick Saban team that is very big, very physical, very talented and extremely well coached. They seem to be getting better and stronger as the year goes on. That will be a big challenge for us, just to match their physicality.”

The Wildcats’ defense tuned up for the matchup by racking up five sacks and holding the Bulldogs to 218 total yards. Linebacker D’Eryk Jackson had a 28-yard interception return for a touchdown.

On the other hand, Kentucky allowed a whopping 122 points during the three-game losing streak against then-No. 1 Georgia, Missouri and then-No. 21 Tennessee.

“I felt like we improved in certain areas,” Stoops said of the Mississippi State win. “This team, we haven’t put it all together yet but definitely improved.”

Wildcats star running back Ray Davis is 97 yards away from a 1,000-yard season. He averages 6.1 yards per carry.

–Field Level Media

Nov 4, 2023; Starkville, Mississippi, USA; Kentucky Wildcats quarterback Devin Leary (13) makes a pass against the Mississippi State Bulldogs during the first quarter at Davis Wade Stadium at Scott Field. Mandatory Credit: Matt Bush-USA TODAY Sports

Kentucky snaps losing streak with decisive win over Mississippi State

Devin Leary fired two touchdown passes as Kentucky snapped a three-game losing streak and became bowl eligible Saturday night with a 24-3 win over Mississippi State in Starkville, Miss.

The Wildcats (6-3, 3-3 SEC East) built a 21-3 halftime lead and cruised on to their first victory at Mississippi State since 2008.

The win marked the first time Kentucky has been victorious in consecutive meetings with the Bulldogs since 2005 and 2006.

The team’s bowl eligibility marked the eighth straight season Kentucky will play in the postseason.

Over three quarters of play, Leary was 13 of 22 for 156 yards with scoring passes to Demie Sumo-Karngbaye and Dane Key.

Ray Davis rushed for 80 yards on 21 carries, and Tayvion Robinson caught five passes for 91 yards.

Linebacker D’Eryk Jackson snared a pick-6 for the Wildcats’ fourth defensive score this season.

Kentucky moved ahead 26-25 in the all-time series.

For the Bulldogs (4-5, 1-5 West), Mike Wright went 11 of 21 for 78 yards with an interception. Chris Parson relieved him in the second half and was 6 of 14 for 67 yards.

Zavion Thomas had 44 yards on six receptions.

Mississippi State quarterback Will Rogers and running back Jo’Quavious Marks did not play due to injury.

On its first series in the 51st meeting between the schools, Kentucky went 62 yards in eight plays behind Leary as all the yards were produced through the air.

The transfer quarterback from N.C. State finished it at 10:11 with a four-yard play-action pass to Sumo-Karngbaye for the running back’s first TD reception this season.

In the second quarter, the Bulldogs put together a marathon drive for their first points, traveling 88 yards in 20 plays on a drive that took 12:29 off the clock. Kyle Ferrie capped the long possession with a 25-yard field goal at 8:51.

As halftime approached, Jackson stepped in and intercepted Wright’s short pass. The linebacker rumbled 28 yards with his second interception and crossed the goal line for a 14-3 edge.

With just 52 seconds left in the half, Leary found Key on a four-yard slant for the sophomore’s second consecutive game with a TD reception, putting Kentucky up 21-3 at halftime.

On its second series of the third quarter, Kentucky’s Alex Raynor nailed a 32-yard field goal at 5:51 for the second half’s only points.

–Field Level Media

Oct 28, 2023; Lexington, Kentucky, USA; Kentucky Wildcats quarterback Devin Leary (13) passes during the second quarter against the Tennessee Volunteers at Kroger Field. Mandatory Credit: Jordan Prather-USA TODAY Sports

Kentucky carries three-game skid to Mississippi State

The bubble has burst somewhat on Kentucky’s season, but the Wildcats have found an offensive weapon with bowl eligibility just a win away.

Having dropped three straight games after a 5-0 start, coach Mark Stoops will take his squad to play Mississippi State on Saturday night in a Southeastern Conference matchup at Starkville, Miss.

A victory by Kentucky (5-3, 2-3 SEC) would give the school the six wins necessary for a bowl game plus snap the pesky skid that started against top-ranked Georgia a month ago.

Despite the dark, winless October, the Wildcats saw their offense re-emerge last week in a 33-27 loss to then-No. 21 Tennessee, their longtime rival.

Kentucky’s Devin Leary enjoyed a big game in defeat, as the former North Carolina State quarterback went 28 of 39 for a season-high 372 yards and two touchdowns. It was his second 300-yard game for the Wildcats.

Leary’s top target was Dane Key, who had a season-high 113 yards and a touchdown on seven catches.

“It’s very encouraging because they’ve worked really hard,” Stoops said of the players who are part of his aerial attack. “You’re starting to see some growth, and that I’m happy with. … Our guys just have to have that same approach and we’ll get better.”

Not surprisingly, the offense of Mississippi State (4-4, 1-4) has sputtered since record-setting quarterback Will Rogers went down with a shoulder injury against Western Michigan on Oct. 7 in a 41-28 win.

The slide continued last week in a 27-13 loss at Auburn, where the Bulldogs allowed 24 points in the first half before outscoring the host Tigers 10-3 in the second half.

“You ain’t winning a football game playing a half of football,” Bulldogs coach Zach Arnett said. “I appreciate the guys’ efforts in the second half, but I’m not particularly interested in moral victories. … We’ve struggled to put a full game together all year, which is my fault. You ain’t gonna beat a good football team playing half football.”

Mike Wright continues to run the offense in Rogers’ absence. Running backs Jeffery Pittman and Seth Davis produced 113 rushing yards between them against the Tigers, while Zavion Thomas caught nine passes for 112 yards and a score.

The all-time series between the schools is level at 25-25. The home team has won the past eight meetings.

–Field Level Media

Kentucky wide receiver Barion Brown (7) after making a reception while covered by Tennessee defensive back Doneiko Slaughter (0) during an NCAA college football game on Saturday, October 28, 2023 in Lexington, KY.

No. 21 Tennessee escapes with tight victory over Kentucky

Joe Milton III threw for 227 yards and Jaylen Wright added 120 yards rushing as No. 21 Tennessee withstood a challenge from Kentucky in a 33-27 Southeastern Conference win on Saturday in Lexington, Ky.

Milton completed 17 of 20 passes for one touchdown and no interceptions as Tennessee (6-2, 3-2 SEC) led from start to finish in fending off the Wildcats (5-3, 2-3).

Charles Campbell made all four of his field-goal attempts and Dylan Sampson added 115 total yards (76 rushing, 39 receiving), playing a major role late for the Volunteers.

The sophomore accounted for 52 of the yards on a key 65-yard march in the fourth quarter, which Sampson capped with a 12-yard touchdown carry that put Tennessee up 33-24.

Then, after Alex Raynor kicked a 28-yard field goal to draw Kentucky close with 4:24 left, Sampson helped salt the game away as the Volunteers ran out the clock on the game’s final possession.

In losing their third straight game, the Wildcats got a strong performance from Devin Leary, who completed 28 of 39 passes for 373 yards and two touchdowns.

Tennessee held Ray Davis to a season-low 42 yards and a touchdown on 16 carries. Dane Key added seven catches for 113 yards and a touchdown for the Wildcats.

Tennessee jumped in front on its first possession as Wright sprinted 52 yards for a touchdown.

The Volunteers then stuffed Davis on a fourth-and-1 carry at the Wildcats 34, setting up a 44-yard field goal by Campbell that gave Tennessee a 10-0 lead.

Then it turned into a shootout, as both teams scored on their remaining possessions in the first half.

After the teams traded field goals, Leary directed consecutive 75-yard touchdown drives. He capped the first with an 11-yard scoring pass to Barion Brown. Davis finished off the other with a 7-yard TD run.

In between, Milton threw a 39-yard scoring pass to Chas Nimrod, who was wide open on the Kentucky sideline.

A 34-yard field goal in the closing seconds of the first half by Campbell gave Tennessee a 23-17 lead. Campbell then opened the scoring in the third quarter with a 35-yarder with 6:49 to go.

Leary cut the deficit to 26-24 with a 7-yard touchdown pass to Key later in the third, but after that Sampson took advantage of a tired Wildcats defense.

–Field Level Media

Oct 21, 2023; Tuscaloosa, Alabama, USA; Tennessee Volunteers quarterback Joe Milton III (7) passing against the Alabama Crimson Tide during the first half at Bryant-Denny Stadium. Mandatory Credit: John David Mercer-USA TODAY Sports

No. 21 Vols, Kentucky pitch complete game plans

When No. 21 Tennessee travels to face Kentucky in a Southeastern Conference clash on Saturday in Lexington, the Volunteers and Wildcats are seeking the finishing touch.

Both are coming off games in which they led SEC opponents in the second half before imploding.

In Tennessee’s 34-20 loss at then-No. 11 Alabama, the Volunteers (5-2, 2-2 SEC) blew a 13-point advantage as they were outscored 27-0 in the second half.

In Kentucky’s 38-21 home defeat to Missouri, the Wildcats (5-2, 2-2) entered the fourth quarter in the lead before surrendering the game’s last 18 points.

Kentucky has had a bye week to recover from its collapse and to address other issues. After opening 5-0 and rising to a No. 20 rank, the Wildcats have yielded 89 points while losing their past two games, to No. 1 Georgia and then Missouri.

“You’ve got to repair, reflect and readjust,” Kentucky coach Mark Stoops said on Monday of the bye. “Most importantly, it gives us a good chance to look at ourselves.”

The Kentucky defense has excelled against the run, but stopping the pass has been problematic. The Wildcats allow opponents to complete 67.7 of their attempts, ranking No. 125, and they are No. 127 in completions allowed (24.8 per game).

The Wildcats have struggled against teams that play quickly and quarterbacks who can improvise. Tennessee and its mobile quarterback, Joe Milton III, present a stylistic challenge, Stoops said, as an “elite tempo team.”

The Kentucky offense boasts Ray Davis, who leads the SEC in rushing (111.6 yards per game) and yards per carry (7.0). However, the Wildcats have been hindered by an anemic passing attack.

Transfer quarterback Devin Leary has shown little of the stuff that made him the 2022 ACC preseason player of the year at North Carolina State. In the past three games, Leary has completed just 33 of 72 passes for 317 yards, with five touchdowns and two interceptions.

Tennessee arrives in Lexington after an uncharacteristic second-half meltdown. In three seasons when leading at halftime under Josh Heupel, the Volunteers had won 22 straight times.

“I could sense the players’ disappointment this morning,” Heupel said on Monday. “At the same time, when we walked out of the team meeting room, you gotta cut it clean. You gotta take the lessons moving forward. But we gotta go.”

Last week in Tuscaloosa, Tennessee laid the groundwork for toppling Alabama for the second straight year as Milton threw two touchdown passes to spark the Volunteers to a 20-7 halftime lead.

However, the Crimson Tide owned the second half. They stopped Tennessee twice on downs and got a soul-crushing defensive play in the fourth quarter when Milton fumbled and Jihaad Campbell made a 24-yard scoop and score.

The Volunteers’ inability to convert on fourth down has been telling. In their two losses (against Florida and Alabama), they are 0-for-6 on fourth down.

On Monday, Heupel dismissed a reporter’s suggestion that the Volunteers employ the “tush push” strategy popularized this year by the Philadelphia Eagles.

“At the end of the day, we gotta find a way to pick up the first down,” Heupel said. “We’ve used a lot of different formations. We’ve been under center, been in (shotgun). We’ve used it all.”

–Field Level Media

Oct 14, 2023; Lexington, Kentucky, USA; Kentucky Wildcats quarterback Devin Leary (13) throws a pass during the second quarter against the Missouri Tigers at Kroger Field. Mandatory Credit: Jordan Prather-USA TODAY Sports

Missouri erases 14-point deficit to roll past No. 24 Kentucky

Punter Luke Bauer’s touchdown pass awoke Missouri from an early slumber as the Tigers recovered from a 14-point deficit to post a 38-21 victory over No. 24 Kentucky on Saturday night in Southeastern Conference play at Lexington, Ky.

Brady Cook passed for one touchdown and rushed for another as Missouri (6-1, 2-1 SEC) continued its strong start. Cody Schrader rushed for a touchdown while Marquis Johnson and Theo Wease Jr. had scoring receptions.

Kentucky star Ray Davis gained 128 yards on 20 carries for his third outing of at least 100 rushing yards this season. Devin Leary was 14-of-27 passing for 120 yards, two touchdowns and two interceptions for the Wildcats (5-2, 2-2), who lost their second consecutive contest.

Davis and Anthony Brown-Stephens had touchdown catches for Kentucky, which totaled just 135 yards over the final three quarters. Overall, Missouri held a 324-299 edge.

Cook completed 19 of 29 passes for 167 yards and one interception. He added 40 yards on the ground. Marcus Clarke and Kris Abrams-Draine each had a fourth-quarter interception.

The Tigers took a 28-21 lead on Cook’s 1-yard run and Schrader’s two-point conversion run with 14:14 left in the contest.

A little more than three minutes later, Schrader exploded through a big hole up the middle for a 19-yard scoring run to give Missouri a 14-point lead with 11:07 left. Harrison Mevis made it a three-score game with a 29-yard field goal with 3:17 remaining.

Missouri was outgained 150-16 in the first quarter and then faced fourth down on its first possession of the second quarter when the coaches called for the punting unit.

The trick play was on and Bauer fired an impressive downfield strike to the left that Johnson caught for a 39-yard score with 11:38 left.

The big play ignited the Tigers. Mevis kicked a 25-yard field goal with 4:44 left in the half before Cook connected with Wease on an 18-yard scoring pass with 15 seconds remaining as Missouri held a 17-14 halftime advantage.

The Tigers outgained Kentucky 163-17 in the second quarter.

Mevis kicked a 31-yard field goal to give the Tigers a six-point edge with 11:54 left in the third quarter.

The Wildcats regained the lead at 21-20 on Leary’s 4-yard touchdown pass to Brown-Stephens with 3:39 left in the third quarter.

Earlier, Kentucky scored 14 first-quarter points on Leary’s 7-yard touchdown pass to Davis and Leary’s 13-yard keeper.

–Field Level Media

Georgia tight end Oscar Delp (4) celebrates after scoring touchdown during the first half of a NCAA college football game against Kentucky in Athens, Ga., on Saturday, Oct. 7, 2023.

Carson Beck, No. 1 Georgia thump No. 20 Kentucky

Carson Beck established career highs of 389 yards and four touchdown passes to help top-ranked Georgia roll to a 51-13 victory over No. 20 Kentucky on Saturday night in Southeastern Conference play at Athens, Ga.

Brock Bowers caught seven passes for 132 yards and a touchdown for Georgia (6-0, 3-0 SEC), which extended its school-record winning streak to 23 consecutive games. Bowers moved into second place in school history with 24 career touchdown catches, trailing only Terrence Edwards (30 from 1999-2002).

Marcus Rosemy-Jacksaint (99 yards), Rara Thomas, Oscar Delp and Andrew Paul also had scoring catches for the Bulldogs. Beck completed 28 of 35 passes and Kendall Milton rushed for a touchdown as Georgia gained 608 total yards while defeating Kentucky for the 14th consecutive time.

Devin Leary was 10-of-26 passing for 128 yards and two touchdowns for the Wildcats (5-1, 2-1). Ray Davis had a scoring reception and rushed for 59 yards on 15 carries after compiling a career-high 280 rushing yards against Florida one week earlier.

Josh Kattus caught a touchdown pass for Kentucky, which gained 183 yards.

Georgia had a 384-127 yardage edge while building a 34-7 halftime lead.

The Bulldogs began the game with a seven-play, 75-yard drive that ended with Beck’s 40-yard scoring pass to Rosemy-Jacksaint.

Georgia’s second excursion was 82 yards over seven plays, with Beck tossing a 15-yard touchdown pass to Thomas.

The third possession saw the Bulldogs travel 95 yards on 13 plays. Beck capped it with a 5-yard scoring pass to Delp with 11:03 left in the second quarter.

Kentucky got on the board on Leary’s 4-yard pass to Kattus with 6:44 remaining in the half.

Peyton Woodring kicked a 36-yard field goal and Milton scored on a 5-yard run to boost George’s lead to 31-7. Woodring added a 42-yard field goal as time expired in the half.

Davis caught a pass from Leary and turned it into a 26-yard touchdown pass with 10:34 left in the third quarter. The two-point conversion run failed.

Woodring tacked on a 32-yard field goal more than seven minutes later. Bowers caught a 21-yard touchdown pass with 10 seconds left in the period to make it 44-13, snapping a tie with school legend A.J. Green (2008-10) for second-most career scoring receptions.

Backup quarterback Brock Vandagriff tossed a 7-yard scoring pass to Paul on fourth down with 2:38 remaining to cap a 12-play, 92-yard drive.

–Field Level Media

Kentucky   s Ray Davis ran past Florida   s Jason Marshall Jr. for the long touchdown Saturday afternoon.
Sept. 30, 2023

Ray Davis (280 yards) runs Kentucky past No. 22 Florida

Ray Davis rushed for a career-high 280 yards and scored four touchdowns to propel host Kentucky to a 33-14 defeat of No. 22 Florida, Saturday afternoon in Lexington.

Davis, a fifth-year back at his third FBS school, scored three of his touchdowns in the first half as the Wildcats (5-0, 2-0 Southeastern Conference) sprinted to a 23-0 lead on its way to beating a ranked Gators team for the third straight year.

Florida (3-2, 1-1) was led by Graham Mertz, who completed 25 of 30 passes for 244 yards with two touchdowns and an interception.

Davis had touchdown runs of 75, 3 and 2 yards and turned a screen pass into a 9-yard scoring play. Davis averaged 10.8 yards on his 26 rushes.

Three minutes into the second quarter, when Davis ripped off a 33-yard run, he exceeded his previous career high of 167 rushing yards, which he accomplished last year at Vanderbilt in a loss to South Carolina.

He came up 19 yards short of the Kentucky single-game rushing mark of 299, established by Moe Williams.

With Davis in high gear from the start, Kentucky scored on its first four possessions. Five Davis rushes accounted for 60 of the yards in an 81-yard march that set up a 24-yard field goal by Alex Raynor to open the game.

Davis’ first touchdown came on a pass from Devin Leary. It was set up by a 21-yard interception return by Trevin Wallace and gave Kentucky a 10-0 lead.

On their next possession, the Wildcats punted but a Gators’ penalty on the play sustained the drive. Davis took advantage immediately, bolting off tackle and breaking into the clear on his 75-yard jaunt on the next play.

Davis’ 3-yard scoring run capped an 80-yard march and put Florida up 23-0 with 8:54 to play in the first half.

In the middle periods, Florida got touchdown passes of 4 and 33 yards from Mertz, which were sandwiched around Davis’ fourth touchdown.

In the fourth quarter, Raynor booted a 50-yard field goal, his 12th straight dating to last year when he kicked for Georgia Southern.

Since snapping a 31-game losing streak against Florida in 2018, Kentucky has won four of the last six meetings.

–Field Level Media

Florida Gators wide receiver Ricky Pearsall (1) makes a one-handed catch for a first down during the first half against the Charlotte 49ers at Steve Spurrier Field at Ben Hill Griffin Stadium in Gainesville, FL on Saturday, September 23, 2023. [Matt Pendleton/Gainesville Sun]

No. 22 Florida tackles road woes, series losing streak at Kentucky

There was a time when the Florida Gators could beat Kentucky with one hand tied behind their backs.

Florida wideout Ricky Pearsall may need only one hand to make a spectacular catch, but the No. 22 Gators will have their hands full against the unbeaten Wildcats in Southeastern Conference action Saturday in Lexington, Ky.

Kentucky (4-0, 1-0 SEC) returns home after opening the conference calendar with a 45-28 victory at Vanderbilt last Saturday.

The Wildcats have won the last two meetings with Florida and three of the last five in a rivalry that once saw the Gators sweep 31 straight meetings from 1987 to 2017. Kentucky won 26-16 last season in The Swamp and entered this week as a slight favorite at Kroger Field.

Kentucky coach Mark Stoops insisted that the past “really doesn’t have any bearing” on Saturday’s game.

“There’s a term that we use a lot in our program and that is divine discontent,” he said. “We know there’s more out there. We know we can play better. And that ought to be our motivation. …

“We’re still hungry and nobody’s content with what we’re doing and we’re looking forward to a great opportunity here this week with the Florida team that we know is always extremely talented (and a) very good team.”

The Gators (3-1, 1-0) enter with three straight wins since a season-opening setback at then-No. 14 Utah. Florida defeated Charlotte 22-7 last Saturday but hasn’t played outside Gainesville since that Aug. 31 loss in Salt Lake City.

Florida held Charlotte to 10 first downs and 211 total yards, including 78 rushing yards on 29 attempts.

“Defensively we were lights out outside of one possession,” said head coach Billy Napier, whose Gators are giving up just 13.5 points per game.

Graham Mertz completed 20 of 23 passes for 259 yards and one touchdown against the 49ers. Pearsall posted six catches for 104 yards, including a fantastic one-handed grab in the first quarter — despite absorbing a huge hit from two defenders.

Mertz hasn’t thrown an interception since the opener and Pearsall leads the team in catches (26) and receiving yards (362). Trevor Etienne has rushed for 329 yards, including 172 in a Sept. 16 upset of then-No. 11 Tennessee.

Including the loss at Utah and a pair of neutral-site defeats in his first season on the job in 2022, Florida is just 1-6 outside of Gainesville under Napier.

“I think this is a big week,” Napier said. “Obviously Kentucky has a really good football team. We’ve got a ton of respect for Coach Stoops and the program that he’s built there, the consistency in which they play and the brand of football that they play — the fundamentals, the philosophy.

“It’s a tough place to go play.”

Devin Leary, a transfer from NC State, has thrown for 1,060 yards with nine touchdowns and five interceptions for the Wildcats. Ray Davis, a Vanderbilt transfer, leads Kentucky with 314 rushing yards and five TDs. While with the Commodores last season, Davis ran for 122 yards in a 31-24 upset of a 20th-ranked Gators squad.

–Field Level Media

Kentucky Wildcats wide receiver Tayvion Robinson (9) makes a late second quarter touchdown catch over Akron Zips cornerback Darrian Lewis (24) to put the Cats up by two touchdowns in the first half in Saturday's game at Kroger Field in Lexington. Sept. 16, 2023

Devin Leary (3 TDs) leads Kentucky to blowout of Akron

Devin Leary tossed three touchdowns in his best showing with Kentucky, helping the Wildcats remain unbeaten with a 35-3 win over the Akron Zips on Saturday night in Lexington, Ky.

Leary finished 16 of 26 for 315 yards with one interception to help Kentucky (3-0) remain perfect through its first three games for the third straight season.

Ray Davis rushed for 72 yards a score and caught three passes for 97 yards as he amassed 169 all-purpose yards.

Josh Kattus and Tayvion Robinson each caught scores from Leary. Demie Sumo-Karngbaye rushed for one.

Over their past 20 home games, the Wildcats have won 16 times and are 17-4 over the past 21 home contests under the lights. They have won both all-time meetings with Akron.

DJ Irons was 23 of 34 for 130 yards for the Zips (1-2), a 25-point underdog. Cornerback Tyson Durant recorded an interception.

A transfer from North Carolina State, Leary capped the game’s first drive by finding Kattus on the right side for a short 6-yard score at 10:34.

Akron’s best opportunity occurred near the end of the half when the Zips went 50 yards in 14 plays. However, Noah Perez’s attempt on a career-long 47-yard boot fell short.

On the ensuing drive, after a big loss on a bad snap eventually left UK in a third-and-goal from the Akron 22, Leary fired a ball that Robinson pulled down in the back of the end zone with eight seconds left for a 14-0 halftime lead.

In a sharp showing, Leary connected on all but four of his 16 first-half passes and totaled 208 yards.

Meanwhile, the Zips found it very tough to generate any offense. They totaled 77 yards of total offense on just 22 plays run in the half.

In the second half, Perez finally put Akron on the board with 3:27 left in the third quarter when he nailed a field goal from 36 yards.

Leary produced the most spectacular play of the game when he shook off a pair of tacklers in the backfield and flipped a pass to Davis, who reversed field and took it 58 yards for a score with 1:38 left in the third.

Davis added a second tally on a 55-yard run before Sumo-Karngbaye rounded out the scoring with a 4-yard run with 3:04 to play.

–Field Level Media