No. 16/14 Kentucky Rolls Past LSU, moves 6-0

Football
10/9/2021 11:12:00 PMMadison Dennis

LEXINGTON, Ky. Chris Rodriguez Jr. rushed 147 yards and defender Will Levis Kentucky crossed the LSU 42-21 Saturday night at Kroger Field.

With the win, Kentucky moved to the season 6-0 and the SEC 4-0. This is the first time Kentucky has a 6-0 reading since 1950 and only the fifth time in school history.

Kavosiey Smoke also spent a great evening with the cats on the field, collecting 104 yards. Defender of Great Britain Will Levis was 75 yards and two goals on the ground as Kentucky rushed 330 yards as a team.

Levis hit 14 of 17 out of 145 yards and three touches. Wan’Dale Robinson was Levi’s favorite spot tonight when he got eight assists at 60 yards and a score.

LSU (3-3, 1-3) took control of the opening and made the first couple of downs before the British defense made another big game. DeAndre Square fired LSU quarterback Max Johnson and forced fumble, which he recovered Josaih Hayes LSU at 44 yards.

Kentucky would turn turnover into points. The cats drove to the red zone of the LSU and in the quarter and goal of the three Levis joined Rodriguez in the goal area on the right. Matt Ruffolo added PAT and the UK took a 7-0 lead at 6:17 to play in the first quarter.

In his next possession, the LSU opened its own 25-yard line and drove to the Kentucky area. However, the fourth and one from the UK 31, Johnson’s pass, intended for Jack Bech, fell incomplete and the Cats took over.

Near the end of the first quarter, Kentucky drove to the end of the LSU again. Rodriguez rose 17 yards from the middle, and Levis joined Justin Rigg 34 yards in the passport game and you get the cats in the red area. Then in the first game of the second quarter, Levis hit the dive Wan’Dale Robinson 11 yard score. Ruffolo’s PAT was good in Kentucky and led 14-0 with 14:54 left in the half.

The next five assets would result in pounds, three for LSU and two for Kentucky. After the last possession at halftime, the UK drove close to midfield before time ran out in the middle. Britain will take a break 14-0.

Kentucky got the ball to start the second half, and after starting their own 25-yard line, the cats ran into the LSU area at the feet of Rodriguez, who had a 22-yard rush to drive, and Levis, who hit 33 yards to get to the LSU six-yard line. Two plays later, Levis rushed one yard toward the goal and extended the UK lead. Ruffolo added a point after and Kentucky led 21-0, 10:57 remaining in the third period.

LSU responded with the first scoring of the game. The Tigers covered 75 yards in nine games and were constrained by Tyrion Davis-Price’s one-yard goal attack. Cade York added PAT and the UK lead was 21-7 with 6:43 left in the third quarter.

However, Kentucky reacted immediately. In the next run, the cats used a fine mix of feed and run to take the ball down from the field and score. In the final game of the run, Levis ran to the left and made a five-yard touch, the second game. Ruffolo added PAT and the UK led 28-7 with just 1:06 to play in the third quarter.

When LSU put the ball down, Cats took over the ball and continued his lead. Kentucky only needed three plays to cover 56 yards. Levis joined Robinson with a 16-yard passport. Smoke then rushed to the middle for 16 yards and eventually Levis connected Ju’than through McClain’s 10-yard finish point, the first touch of McClain’s career. Ruffolo made the second PAT and the Cats led 35-7 with 12:07 left in the game.

LSU would add a couple of fourth-quarter touchdowns to cut the lead 35-21. Tigers would try to kick, but Rigg recovered. The cats then marched 44 yards in just four plays, all in Rodriguez’s hustle and bustle. The final game was an 18-yard goal and Ruffolon’s PAT scored 42-21 and 4:23.

Kentucky will return to operations on Saturday and will visit No. 2 Georgia at Sanford Stadium in Athens, Ga.