Kentucky defeats Iowa 20-17 in VRBO Citrus Bowl

Down seven players due to injury or COVID-19, the Kentucky Wildcats defeated the Iowa Hawkeyes by a final score of 20-17 in the 2022 VRBO Citrus Bowl. And it was a rock fight from start to finish.

Kentucky opened the game with a beautiful 13-play, 80-yard drive that resulted in a five-yard touchdown catch for Chris Rodriguez. Every play went for positive yards, including nine plays going five yards or more.

The two teams traded punts on back-to-back drives before then putting together 10-plus-play drives that resulted in field goals, keeping UK ahead 10-3.

A tipped interception for Kentucky’s D’Eryk Jackson with 2:09 to go resulted in a field goal to put the Wildcats up 13-3, the second straight red zone trip UK failed to score a touchdown. With Iowa making a late push in the final seconds before half, Kentucky’s Quandre Mosely then picked off Iowa’s Spencer Petras as time expired to keep it a 10-point game.

Given the chance to go up three scores with the opening kickoff after half, the Wildcats were forced to punt after a seven-play drive. Then when gifted a stop on a muffed snap on fourth down for Iowa in the red zone, UK again punted — this time a three-and-out.

The Hawkeyes wouldn’t be kept out of the end zone the next time out, trekking down the field for a six-play, 50-yard drive that resulted in a 20-yard touchdown run by Arlan Bruce IV. Deep in the third quarter, Kentucky’s lead was cut to three, with the Wildcats up 13-10.

With UK’s offense sputtering, Iowa put together another dominant scoring drive, a nine-play, 92-yard journey to the end zone. It was capped off by a 36-yard touchdown throw by Petras to Sam LaPorta to put the Hawkeyes up 17-13.

Looking to flip the momentum back, Kentucky drove down the field 40 yards in seven plays, including two solid gains on a pass to Demarcus Harris (14 yards) and a run by Chris Rodriguez (13 yards). Pushing down to the Iowa 35, though, the Wildcats failed to convert on fourth down, putting the ball back in Iowa’s hands up four and just over seven minutes left in the game.

The Kentucky defense forced a huge three-and-out to get the ball back, taking over at the 11 with just under six minutes to go. The Wildcats drove 43 yards down to the Iowa 46, but failed to convert on a 4th-and-10, with Levis throwing a pick to give the Hawkeyes the ball back at their own 36 with 3:59 to go.

UK would get one final shot, though, as the defense forced another punt to get the ball back with 3:31 to go. With their backs against the wall, Kentucky drove down the field for an eight-play, 80-yard touchdown drive, with Rodriguez finding the end zone on a six-yard rush. Wan’Dale Robinson had catches of 17 and 52 yards to put Kentucky in scoring position.

Needing one final stop, the Kentucky defense came up clutch, with Deandre Square picking off Petras to seal the 20-17 victory.

Kentucky finished the day with 354 yards compared to 384 for Iowa, with the Wildcats winning the time of possession 37:54 to 22:06.

Will Levis threw for 233 yards, one touchdown and one interception on 17-28 passing in the win. Chris Rodriguez added 107 yards and one touchdown on the ground, while Wan’Dale Robinson finished with 170 receiving yards on ten catches.

Kentucky ends the year with a 10-3 final record, just the fourth ten-win season in program history. UK joins Alabama as the only Power 5 program to win four straight bowl games.

Citrus Bowl champions.