Kentucky's upset of Ole Miss was the win fans -- and Mark Stoops -- needed

When Brock Vandagriff took his fifth sack of the day on third down to give Ole Miss the ball back with seven minutes to go, I’ll admit it: I thought the Cats were cooked. It was just a matter of time before the dream was dashed, again.

Kentucky had played admirably to this point, holding Ole Miss’ high-flying offense to just 17 points, but, as feared, it didn’t seem the Cats could produce enough offense to pull off the upset. Another big game in which Kentucky came up just short, another monumental opportunity missed due to so many blown plays and questionable calls. After daring to dream that Kentucky would win one of these games, Lucy yanked the football back again, only for the old familiar dread to seep back in.

Finally, Kentucky Football said, “Not so fast.”

As they had so many times on Saturday, the defense stood tall, forcing Ole Miss to another three and out. With 4:42 left, the Cats took over at their own 17-yard line down four, 17-13. Another field goal wouldn’t do. Kentucky needed a touchdown and needed to milk the clock to get it. Scoring and clock management have both eluded the Cats so far this season, but with the game on the line, Mark Stoops decided to roll the dice.

On 4th and 7, the same down and distance on which Kentucky infamously elected to punt vs. Georgia, the Cats went for it. It was a game-winning gamble that even Lane Kiffin didn’t see coming. Brock Vandagriff found Barion Brown with a 34-yard pass that turned into a 63-yard gain. The roller coaster dipped again two plays later when Gavin Wimsatt fumbled the ball on the two-yard line; mercifully, Josh Kattus pounced on it and scored. The same Kattus who whiffed on a block that led to a sack earlier in the game and dropped a crucial pass. Suddenly, redeemed.

Of course, with 2:25 to go, any Kentucky Football fan knew the story wasn’t over yet, especially against the nation’s top offense. This had the classic recipe for heartbreak. Even after Jaxson Dart ran for a loss and threw two incompletions, the Rebels went for it on 4th and 11 and of course, converted, a 42-yard completion down the middle to put them within striking distance. Admit it: when Ole Miss kicker Caden Davis lined up for the 48-yard field goal attempt to tie the game, you thought it was going in.

Fewer shanks have felt better than the one that happened Saturday afternoon at Vaught-Hemingway Stadium. Davis may have missed the mark for the Rebels but he landed it for a fanbase and a coach that desperately needed a big win. I doubt I was the only one who was numb when the Cats went into victory formation against the No. 6 team in the country with a Heisman candidate at quarterback. The demons from the South Carolina and Georgia games were exorcised with the 20-17 win. All those dreams we tucked away? They’re not back just yet — Kentucky’s schedule is still a gauntlet — but they’re peeking out, letting us know they weren’t just a mirage.

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That’s why, after weeks of criticism, Mark Stoops took a well-earned victory lap. After the game, you could hear the emotion in his voice in interviews and see it as he walked towards the visitor’s section with his hands raised. This win meant a lot. Three weeks after faceplanting vs. South Carolina and two weeks after letting an upset over No. 1 Georgia slip through its fingers, Kentucky swung back, winning a big game the Mark Stoops way: ball control, defense, and for once, a gamble. One that Stoops knew in his gut was right after taking the alternative approach two weeks earlier.

Now, Kentucky has a week off to heal, which will be crucial for players like Maxwell Hairston, one of the stars of the defense who was ruled out on Friday night, and Chip Trayanum, who continues to recover from a broken hand. After that, the Cats play Vanderbilt, Florida, and Auburn, three games that just one day ago, seemed like toss-ups. Just like that, we went from worrying about bowl eligibility to dreaming about what’s next. That’s what sports will do to you.

For us, that’s what a big Kentucky Football win will do to you. Drag you from the edge of apathy right back into the fight. From wondering if the program really does have a concrete ceiling to marveling at a crack in the glass one. Whether or not that crack grows remains to be seen, but man, it’s just nice to know it’s there. For once, the Cats won the big game.

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