The play that might have changed Kentucky Football
- Thread starter WilmoreCat
- Start date
Bowden's first tuddy! And my father and I were bouncing off the walls when that play happened.
Good one, but I think it might have been Austin’s FG to beat MS St. in 2016.
yeah...I'd have to pick Austin's FG vs Miss st as well. We lose that game and we still might have beat UL to get to bowl eligible (or not). But that game seemed to turn UK around for the next two years.
Gets my vote too, and in addition, was in a game we dominated, should have won by double digits, but in classic "Same Old Kentucky" fashion, our QB fumbles on their goal line, they pick it up and run it back for a TD, turned an easy win into what could have been another kick in the nads. But we hit two passes with next to no time on the clock and kick a 51 yard FG to win, really turned the program around.
I'd have to got with Money's FG against Miss St. If that didn't happen not sure Stoops would still be here taday.
Excellent blocking...
In case folks haven't noticed, Terry Wilson has wheels....(we're gonna' surprise some folks this year!)
VTech, 4th & 7yards to go, 4thQ, UK down... Ali catch on a running scramble to keep the drive alive...! Now that was a play...
Go CATS!
In case folks haven't noticed, Terry Wilson has wheels....(we're gonna' surprise some folks this year!)
VTech, 4th & 7yards to go, 4thQ, UK down... Ali catch on a running scramble to keep the drive alive...! Now that was a play...
Go CATS!
Lots of picks for Austin’s game-winning FG vs State. Definitely an exciting win.
While I can’t point to any particular play, to me the pivotal game in Stoops tenure was a few weeks earlier vs USC. Recall that the Cats were 1-2 going into that game and not looking good at all. USC was just as bad or worse....
Remember also the ugly, vicious rumors (lies and falsehoods) about Stoops’ personal life that were circulating leading up to the game.
Lose that game and the Cats are 1-3 going into Tuscaloosa the following week. I’m thankful that didn’t pan out that way.
While I can’t point to any particular play, to me the pivotal game in Stoops tenure was a few weeks earlier vs USC. Recall that the Cats were 1-2 going into that game and not looking good at all. USC was just as bad or worse....
Remember also the ugly, vicious rumors (lies and falsehoods) about Stoops’ personal life that were circulating leading up to the game.
Lose that game and the Cats are 1-3 going into Tuscaloosa the following week. I’m thankful that didn’t pan out that way.
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It was my memory that those rumors were before the State game and the feeling was lose the MSU game stoops was gone.
by far the biggest play was the fg to best state, as far as leading us up to where we are now.
Wasnt that the game when Badet caught deep post and hit the ground immediately? Whatever game that was, when it happened, i thought, "coaching". In years prior our WR wouldve tried to get more or score and accidentally run the clock down. Very smart play by Badet.
That was an enormous play in Kentucky football's rise to respectability, and it serves as a reminder what Terry Wilson can do with the football. Get's me jacked thinking about what might be possible this year.
You might be thinking of a play by Stephen Johnson on the road at USCe in 2017. He slid down inside the 10, after a 60 yard+ run late in the 4th Q, allowing us to run 4 more running plays prior to a field goal. His freakishly smart play prevented a possible strip-tackle, and damn near exhausted the clock.
While that was a great heads up play as well. I was thinking the MSU 2016 game.
At the 1:17:40 point in the video. Badet caught it across the middle, beyond the first down marker and immediately went down. At 1:19:44, CMS talks about how they work on that exact scenario every week in practice. His comment cemented my original thought ... coaching.
Also on that drive, so many (old) Kentucky plays ... Walker gets taken out by ref on a crossing pattern. Baker mistimes a jump and drops a sure TD. But we pulled it out anyway ... changing the culture! Oh, and I forgot ... a missed horsecollar on Smitty on that last drive too.
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I think I would vote for the Bowden throw. Or more, I vote against the kick. Yes, it was very important. Maybe 2nd or 3rd. But, it was a 51 yard field goal to beat a 6-7 Mississippi State team so we could end up 2 games over bowl eligibility. I've been there with this program a few times.
Beating Florida. At the swamp. Breaking that steak. To deserve an NY6 bowl game and Top 10 finish leading to a beating of Penn State in a prestigious New Year's day bowl game. That was new air. Now I think how kind of disappointing 8-4 and Belk Bowl win was. Now I think an SEC East championship is an eventuality in the coming years with talent recruited and program expectations. Maybe this year. That's change you can believe in.
Beating Florida. At the swamp. Breaking that steak. To deserve an NY6 bowl game and Top 10 finish leading to a beating of Penn State in a prestigious New Year's day bowl game. That was new air. Now I think how kind of disappointing 8-4 and Belk Bowl win was. Now I think an SEC East championship is an eventuality in the coming years with talent recruited and program expectations. Maybe this year. That's change you can believe in.
I ain't scared...they'll make real noise this year, and SEC East Champions is a real possibility...
go CATS!
I don't care which play you pick. The fact we have so many plays to pick from shows how much our program has progressed!! Great time to be a UK FB Fan!!!!
All great plays. But imo it was the tough contested game winning final seconds catch by Dorian Baker to beat EKU in maybe year 3 of stoops.
Stoops was already in the hot seat (fair or not) and that loss at Commonwealth would've almost surely sealed his fate; and set us on another coaching search.
Stoops was already in the hot seat (fair or not) and that loss at Commonwealth would've almost surely sealed his fate; and set us on another coaching search.
A great one no doubt, but in my mind the play that said “we’re here” is Bunchy pulling on a running play and ANNIHILATING the safety. Went for about 15 yards rushing, but it showed that we’re just as physical, we’re just as talented, and we’re here to play big boy football. Come see about it.
That's the play that always sticks in my mind as well. It was like saying after 30 years of having your lunch money taken away, you finally knock the bully on his a$$.
All the talk about "Stoops was likely to be fired" are not statements that are or were looking through Mitch Barnharts head. Those were fans thinking, not Mitch. I don't believe MB was ever close to dumping Stoops.
I jumped out of my seat before he even made the block, it felt like slo-mo. Then when he crushed that dude, I jumped at the top of my jump and busted through the ceiling.
Not a play but this game is what did it:
https://www.espn.com/college-football/team/_/id/2579/south-carolina-gamecocks
The season opens getting embarrassed in the second half vs S. Miss. Then getting blasted the next week in Florida where the entire team seemed disinterested. The next week UK beat a bad New Mexico St. team, but they still hung 42 points on UK.
This game was UK beating a SECE rival, and were down 7-3 at halftime. Then the next week they showed the heart being competitive at 'Bama despite a huge talent gap ('Bama's defense saying UK's offense was the most physical they played against prior to the SEC Conference Championship). No one has questioned a Stoops' team grit since that SCAR game. That's become the culture now.
https://www.espn.com/college-football/team/_/id/2579/south-carolina-gamecocks
The season opens getting embarrassed in the second half vs S. Miss. Then getting blasted the next week in Florida where the entire team seemed disinterested. The next week UK beat a bad New Mexico St. team, but they still hung 42 points on UK.
This game was UK beating a SECE rival, and were down 7-3 at halftime. Then the next week they showed the heart being competitive at 'Bama despite a huge talent gap ('Bama's defense saying UK's offense was the most physical they played against prior to the SEC Conference Championship). No one has questioned a Stoops' team grit since that SCAR game. That's become the culture now.
AGREE. No doubt that if Macginnis hadn't hit the kick against MSU, then a lot of the other big events would not have happened; but beating UF in the swamp took things to another level. Beating UF on the road is a dfferent animal than beating Mississippi state and south carolina. Add in the fact that it broke the god-awful streak and it doesn't get much bigger.
Without Austin we lose 3-4 more games and Stoops isnt our coach anymore
You may well be right. But being blown out by wku and following that up the next year with losing to EKU at home would've been tough to sell in terms of an unproven coach.
Luckily we will never know
IIRC, i was shocked he wasn't called for holding
The Bud Dupree tip, interception, td vs South Carolina was big.
THAT RIGHT THERE for me is the difference between UK of old and UK today. I hope we continue not to get the bullsht calls that used to decide games.
Those late flags after the play is well over, those flag holding refs tossing the laundry and looking for a call to make on a big play, those passes that bounce off the turf into an opponent's hands and are miraculously interceptions.... UT, UF, and others got the benefit of those calls for years.
This staff and these teams haven't let those calls deter them when they come, and because of that they seem to come less frequently. Almost overcame the chickensht call against our starting RB to beat NW in the bowl game.
I like my team. I like my coaches. I like my football program
This is THE ONE that really hurt me as a fan. This game was "the one that got away" for me... Called this before the season and put money on it, but couldn't convince anyone in my circle to buy tickets and travel for the game. Just had a feeling before the season that this being an away game would put us over the top. No pressure on us whatsoever.
Wish I had been there. The best game ever and the worst for not being there. I AM spoiled
Mississippi State game was one of my all time favorites that I’ve been at as a fan
I’m going with Bakers catch over EKU. If we lose that game Stoops is in big time trouble.
It’s fair to say that each of the aforementioned key plays that led to big time wins (or avoided embarrassing losses) built on each other to get us to the great spot the program is today. There were plenty of other big wins, but the following were pivotal:
2014: vs SC - Bud’s pic 6, JoJo’s Wildcat
2015: @ SC - big road win
2015: vs MO - MS 1st Top 25 win
2015: vs EKU - avoided a terrible loss
2016: vs MS St - McGinnis GW FG
2016: @ UofL - stun Lamar on road
2017: vs UT - only 2nd win in decades
2018: @ FL - ended the damn streak
2018: @ MO - avoided egg, kept SECE in play
2018: vs Penn St - MS first bowl win, New Yrs
2019: vs Ark - LBJ QB debut, must win
2019: vs VA Tech - 2nd bowl win in a row
2014: vs SC - Bud’s pic 6, JoJo’s Wildcat
2015: @ SC - big road win
2015: vs MO - MS 1st Top 25 win
2015: vs EKU - avoided a terrible loss
2016: vs MS St - McGinnis GW FG
2016: @ UofL - stun Lamar on road
2017: vs UT - only 2nd win in decades
2018: @ FL - ended the damn streak
2018: @ MO - avoided egg, kept SECE in play
2018: vs Penn St - MS first bowl win, New Yrs
2019: vs Ark - LBJ QB debut, must win
2019: vs VA Tech - 2nd bowl win in a row
I absolutely see the argument for the importance of the UF game but to me the kick gets the nod bc I truly don't believe Stoops would have been back for the following year if we blow another game to a sub .500 team in "kentucky fashion". His seat was heating up quick with unfair rumors swirling as well. Without Stoops getting an extra year to prove himself, we may still be sitting on the UF streak.
