Citrus Bowl Summary: Kentucky football 20, Iowa 17

Orlando, Fla.

After seeing a 10-point halftime lead volatile and failing to take the lead again with consecutive well-deserved ball control, Kentucky developed a decisive effort in the game to win its fourth consecutive bowl game in an exciting way.

With a loss of 17-13 and 3:31 left, the Wildcats drove 80 yards in eight innings to take a permanent lead from Iowa 20-17 in the VRBO Citrus Bowl. Chris Rodriguez made the decisive touchdown, the game’s second, out of 6 yards, with Will Levis and Wan’Dale Robinson making a 52-yard connection to Iowa’s 1-yard line in less than two minutes.

Iowa had one last chance to settle things to his advantage, but DeAndre Square cut off Spencer Petras after 48 seconds.

“We’re used to it,” British head coach Mark Stoops said. “We’ve won a lot of tough games. I think it’s because our players care about each other, they have perseverance, resilience to you and respect for the game.

Robinson finished 170 yards at 10 receptions. He finished 104 receptions during the season, becoming the first player in school history to reach the turn of the century in one season, and Robinson ended up at 1,334 yards, breaking the record for one season received.

Kentucky improved to 10-3 and ended up in double-digit victories for only the fourth time in school history, but for the second time in four years.

“This is the standard, 10 wins,” Robinson said. “That it is.”

How did it happen

When Iowa collected 12 yards in the first set of the game, the UK forced a pound into subsequent bills. Rodriguez opened the first set of Cats in the 7 and 8-yard runs and finally finished the 13-game, 80-yard run at Levi’s 5-yard TD reception.

The arrest penalty continued Iowa’s second series of attacks before Kentucky got the ball back. After two unproductive runs, Levis was fired from the left for an 8-yard loss. Iowa responded with the first goal; Hawkeyes got into the UK 5-yard line but was pushed back for a wrong start and had to settle for a 28-yard finish early in the second quarter.

Kentucky increased their lead at the end of the first half after reaching a difficult spot. After consecutive kicks that resulted in 8-yard losses, Levis delivered a third and 26 balls straight from the center to Robinson for a 32-yard pick, allowing Matt Ruffolo to take a 21-yard chip shot. 10-3 with just over 2 minutes left. On his next defense trip, Jordan Wright knocked down the feed that fell into D’Eryk Jackson’s hands for the seventh kidnapping of the UK season. Kentucky five games later added another field goal and rose 13-3 before the break.

“Halfway through, one of the last things I said was, ‘Believe me, they won’t go away,'” Stoops said. “‘But neither do we.”

The sack, Iowa’s fourth in the game, stopped the UK’s second-half opening kick as it reached midfield. The Hawkeyes failed to change back for the first time on British territory, but they forced a second stroke and got the ball back in midfield. In the end, they took advantage of their good field position and ended the 6-game run with a score of 20 yards in the Arland Bruce.

Kentucky put Iowa in its own 10 with a pound made at the start of the fourth quarter, but the Hawkeyes were able to go 92 yards in nine games to lead 17-13. Petras found Sam LaPorta in the 36-yard TD at 10:54.

The Wildcats moved the ball well in their next set to reach Iowa 35, but JuhTahn McClain stopped a inch shorter in the fourth and 1 game with 7:13 left. Kentucky came up with the first three in and out of the game and got the ball back about a minute later, but was stopped close to midfield by Levi’s desperate throw in fourth and 10th.

Notes

▪ The UK announced before the start that eight players were inactive due to a combination of injuries and health and safety practices. The status of the two players on the list – Josh Alin and Isaiah Eppsin – has previously been revealed by the team; they were involved in a car accident in which they were injured. Stoops described Friday’s third-listed player, Josh Paschal, as “highly questionable” over a season-long injury that worsened during a British game against Louisville.

The other five players listed were: linebacker Marquez Bembry, offensive tackle Dare Rosenthal, linebacker Trevin Wallace, runner Kavosiey Smoke and linebacker JJ Weaver.

▪ Mark Stoops improved overall 59-53 as head coach for the UK. If he starts his 10th season by beating Miami (Ohio), he will face Paul “Bear” as the all-time victory leader at Bryant School.

▪ The country’s active leadership in consecutive non-conference wins was on the line on Saturday. Both teams participated after winning 15 such games in a row.

This story was originally published January 1, 2022 at 4:34 p.m.