Cats outlast Mizzou in bizarre fourth-quarter finish
Kentucky's Will Levis threw a pass under pressure during Saturday's game at Missouri. (William Purnell/USA Today Sports)
Jeff Drummond • CatsIllustrated
Managing Editor Edit
@JDrumUK
One of the shortest punts in program history may have saved the day -- and perhaps the season -- for Kentucky.
Facing a forth-down situation with just under three minutes remaining in the fourth quarter and clinging to a four-point lead, the Wildcats' Colin Goodfellow saw the long snap sail over his head and bounce toward his own end zone.
The senior punter calmly managed to scoop the ball up at the 4-yard line and somehow got the kick off just before Missouri's Will Norris plowed into his plant leg for a roughing-the-punter penalty.
Goodfellow was carted off the field with what might be a serious injury, but heroic effort allowed Kentucky to retain possession and burn off all but the final 38 seconds of the game in a hard-fought 21-17 victory.
"Really fortunate for us," Kentucky head coach Mark Stoops said. "Not a good snap, not a good play. And then (Goodfellow) made a great individual play. Unfortunately for him, he is hurt badly."
Stoops also pointed out that the Cats were fortunate that the errant snap stayed inside the tackle box. Had it bounced more to the right, it would not have afforded Goodfellow protection to kick without being hit by the defender.
Just another day at the office when the Cats and Tigers play in Columbia. Kentucky (6-3, 3-3 SEC) has won seven of the last eight matchups with Missouri (4-5, 2-4 SEC) but the games at Faurot Field have often been bizarre in nature.
"We've been at this for 10 years, and it's just so brutally hard," said Stoops, whose team was coming off a demoralizing 44-6 loss at Tennessee. "We've been beat up, mentally and physically, and you have to go back on the road and play these guys, who are playing their absolute butts off. They are playing so hard. I have a lot of respect for Missouri and coach Drink.
"We had to come back and empty the tank, and that's what these guys did. We had to put everything we had into it... They played hard, and played for each other."
Kentucky got 160 yards passing and three touchdown passes from senior quarterback Will Levis, two of them to freshman wide receiver Dane Key, and another to freshman tight end Jordan Dingle. The Cats also got a 112-yard rushing effort from senior running back Chris Rodriguez.
But it was the defense that kept UK in the game for most of the day, holding Missouri to just 232 total yards and three points through the first three quarters of play.
The Tigers took advantage of good field position and briefly took a 17-14 lead in the fourth quarter, but UK quickly responded with a six-play, 58-yard touchdown drive to reclaim the lead on a 22-yard touchdown pass from Levis to Key.
Kentucky was able to survive despite two missed field goals and 10 penalties, one of which negated a touchdown and another that allowed Missouri a second chance to convert a field goal of its own.
*****
In this "Rapid Recap" feature, we touch on some quick-hitters from the UK victory...
KEY MOMENT:
Goodfellow's heroic recovery of the errant long snap to draw a roughing-the-punter penalty is really hard to top in a game that featured many aesthetically challenged plays. Kentucky head coach Mark Stoops likes to point out that you're never really sure which individual play might win or lose an SEC game during the course of 60 minutes. We're pretty sure we know which one it was this time.
GAME BALL:
Colin Goodfellow, Kentucky -- The senior punter may have suffered a severe leg injury, but his play might have saved the game and the remainder of the Cats' season. Eight-plus wins and a potentially attractive bowl matchup are still in play.
BY THE NUMBERS:
2 for 13 - Missouri third-down conversions against the Kentucky defense.
5 - Touchdown receptions by Dane Key this season, breaking the UK freshman season record previously held by Derek Abney (2000) and Tommy Cook (2001).
7th - Straight year that UK Football has been bowl-eligible.
9 - Team-high tackles for UK sophomore inside linebacker Trevin Wallace, who started in place of injured DeAndre Square today. Wallace had three of the Cats' nine tackles for loss.
9-4 - Kentucky extended its lead in the all-time series with Mizzou. Mark Stoops is 7-3 against the Tigers.
18th - 100-yard rushing performance of Chris Rodriguez's UK career.
21-9 - The Cats' record in games decided by seven or less points since 2016.
QUOTABLE:
"We're fortunate, I know that. I knew it was going to be really tough. This is not an easy place to come and play." -- UK head coach Mark Stoops
UP NEXT:
Kentucky returns home to face Vanderbilt next week at Kroger Field. The Commodores (3-5, 0-4 SEC) are playing South Carolina later tonight in Nashville. Kickoff for the Cats and Dores will be at Noon ET on the SEC Network.
