Yes, I uttered my share of expletives during the second half. No, eking out a win at SC doesn't establish us as a championship caliber team. Nevertheless, there are a number of positives to take away from last night's victory. Here are just a few:
1. Achieving a road win. Williams-Bryce is one of the loudest venues in the conference. That we were able to quiet that crowd in the first half and ultimately at the end of the game is a real accomplishment and one to draw on for the future.
2. Overcoming a poor start. Couldn't have scripted a much worse beginning to the game by digging ourselves that hole in the first minutes. Credit KY for an answering touchdown drive and a dominant first half.
3. Connecting on the long pass to Badet. Good throw and catch. Coming at the end of the first half, it gave KY the opportunity for another score, rather than simply protecting a 17-7 lead.
4. Actually converting that opportunity into a touchdown. With time running out and no time outs that situation could easily have resulted in no points or a hurried attempt at a field goal. Those four points (assuming we got the field goal) proved to be the difference.
5. Holding a resurgent South Carolina team to three field goals in their first three second half drives. This is what seems to happen to KY all the time -- having to settle for field goals.
6. Converting SC's conversion attempt to tie the game into 2 points for UK and a four point lead. Again, the kind of play that historically seems to have always happened to KY to snatch defeat from the jaws of victory.
7. Making that final drive. When they needed it most, the offense made plays to seal the victory, again something we have often endured as victim rather than perpetrator.
8. Winning the game in spite of playing a less than perfect 4 quarters of football.
Besides a win, which is always good, lots of positives to build on. Remains to be seen what gets built, but all in all a heartening result.
1. Achieving a road win. Williams-Bryce is one of the loudest venues in the conference. That we were able to quiet that crowd in the first half and ultimately at the end of the game is a real accomplishment and one to draw on for the future.
2. Overcoming a poor start. Couldn't have scripted a much worse beginning to the game by digging ourselves that hole in the first minutes. Credit KY for an answering touchdown drive and a dominant first half.
3. Connecting on the long pass to Badet. Good throw and catch. Coming at the end of the first half, it gave KY the opportunity for another score, rather than simply protecting a 17-7 lead.
4. Actually converting that opportunity into a touchdown. With time running out and no time outs that situation could easily have resulted in no points or a hurried attempt at a field goal. Those four points (assuming we got the field goal) proved to be the difference.
5. Holding a resurgent South Carolina team to three field goals in their first three second half drives. This is what seems to happen to KY all the time -- having to settle for field goals.
6. Converting SC's conversion attempt to tie the game into 2 points for UK and a four point lead. Again, the kind of play that historically seems to have always happened to KY to snatch defeat from the jaws of victory.
7. Making that final drive. When they needed it most, the offense made plays to seal the victory, again something we have often endured as victim rather than perpetrator.
8. Winning the game in spite of playing a less than perfect 4 quarters of football.
Besides a win, which is always good, lots of positives to build on. Remains to be seen what gets built, but all in all a heartening result.
