LIVE BLOG: Kentucky vs. Murray State
After four straight losses, the Kentucky Football team is back home to try to get back in the win column. KSR’s new and improved LIVE BLOG will bring you all the sights and sounds from Kroger Field as the Cats host the Murray State Racers (1:30 p.m. ET, SEC Network+).
You know what’s going on with Kentucky. To make a bowl, the Cats have to win out. Today’s game against Murray State is by far the easiest of the three remaining. The Racers are 1-9 this season and have lost seven straight. They opened the season with a 51-0 loss at Missouri. Their defense is especially bad, which should provide ample opportunity for Kentucky’s struggling offense to find its footing. Brock Vandagriff will start at quarterback, but freshman Cutter Boley is expected to get plenty of reps as the program looks toward the future.
Today’s game streams exclusively on SEC Network+, so if you’re unable to watch, we’ve got you covered. Refresh the feed below for updates and our takes on the game, from Kroger Field and the couch. You can also join the conversation on the KSBoard Game Thread or by texting your observations to 859-587-3828 (standard messaging rates apply).
So Close to a Pick Six and a Special Teams Disaster
11/16/2024 01:16:31 PMTerhyon Nichols is searching for his first career interception. He almost got it, thanks to a Maxwell Hairston cornerback blitz. The true freshman from Cincinnati jumped the route. He had nothing but green grass between him and the end zone, but couldn’t make a challenging catch for the pick six.
It’s always a wild ride when Ja’Mori Maclin returns punts. For a moment, it looked like he muffed the punt that Murray State recovered in the end zone. Fortunately, officials ruled that he did not touch the football. Exhale.
First Quarter Stats
11/16/2024 01:09:13 PMKentucky out-gained Murray State by 100 yards in the opening period that featured more than one unusual moment.
Not a Pretty Scoring Drive, but We’ll Take It
11/16/2024 01:02:06 PMThe Kentucky offense isn’t exactly firing on all cylinders. Demie Sumo-Karngbaye is the only UK running back with a carry so far, and it hasn’t looked easy for him. He has seven carries for 29 yards.
Kentucky had a third and long converted to Dane Key that got the Cats into the red zone. Vandagriff was promptly sacked. The Kentucky quarterback got the Cats out of the danger zone by scrambling for 22 yards on third and 15, setting up a short touchdown run for DSK to give the Cats a 14-0 lead with a minute left in the first quarter.
What a Stat Line
11/16/2024 12:56:52 PMI had to save this for my records. Not sure I’ll ever see a line like this again.
The Arm-Punt Play Didn’t Work This Time
11/16/2024 12:53:21 PMOne snap after Brock Vandagriff got lucky on a long ball to Hardley Gilmore, he did the same exact thing. They dialed up the deep shot to Gilmore. It was once again severely under-thrown. This time Murray State did not drop the interception.
Brock’s deep-ball might be the best part of his game. These long under-throws are baffling. No harm, no foul. A Tre’vonn Rybka sack derailed Murray State’s drive and Kentucky has the ball back after a 3-and-out.
I know this is SEC Network+, but…
11/16/2024 12:48:54 PMLook, I get that ESPN doesn’t exactly send its top production crew for SEC Network+ games, but the broadcast quality is not great. It looks like Vaseline was smeared on the camera lens during Hardley Gilmore’s first career touchdown reception. Thankfully, they seem to have gotten the camera in focus now.
A Silly Way to Score a Touchdown
11/16/2024 12:41:36 PMKentucky dialed up a deep shot to Hardley Gilmore, looking to get the true freshman his first career touchdown. Brock Vandagriff severely under-threw the ball. For all intents and purposes, it was an arm-punt, except the return man wasn’t ready for it. The Murray State defensive back dropped the interception right into Gilmore’s hands for a 52-yard touchdown. Just how Bush Hamdan drew it up.
Turnover Time!
11/16/2024 12:40:30 PMThe Murray State quarterback rolled out and threw it into a crowd of Kentucky Wildcats. Jordan Lovett slid to the turf to pick off the pass, the sixth of his career and the first this fall.
Josaih Hayes makes his 2024 Debut
11/16/2024 12:36:35 PMThe fifth-year nose guard tore his Achilles in the spring. They couldn’t keep him off the field. He rehabbed to make his return for the Murray State game and on his first snap he made a tackle. Very cool moment. Hayes can use a redshirt and get another year of eligibility for 2025.
It’s Football Time in the Bluegrass
11/16/2024 12:31:20 PMThe Racers won the toss and elected to receive. The shorthanded Kentucky defense will be tested first. Let’s play football.
The Crowd: Not that Bad
11/16/2024 12:27:12 PMI don’t think it’s worth making a big stink on who is or isn’t here for this game. It will be the worst crowd of the year, but I’ve been in much emptier Kroger Fields. The student section is near capacity. Traffic getting into the stadium wasn’t bad, but the Red and Blue Lots were mostly full. It’s a fine, half-full stadium for an FCS game. Let’s just hope they’re treated to a fun football game.
Reminder that today’s game is “on the computer”
11/16/2024 12:17:18 PMWe’re about 15 minutes from kickoff, which is a good time to remind you that today’s game is only on SEC Network+, which you can access on the ESPN app if you have SEC Network with your cable subscription. Richard Cross and Charles Arbuckle (whom I’ve never heard of before) are on the call or you can listen to Tom Leach and Jeff Piecoro on the radio. Of course, we’ll be providing score updates and highlights on this here live blog.
Kickoff: 1:30 p.m. ET
TV: SEC Network+ (Richard Cross, Charles Arbuckle)
Watch college football games live – try Fubo for free! Click HERE NOW.
Local Radio: UK Sports Network (Tom Leach, Jeff Piecoro, Dick Gabriel)
AM: 840 WHAS, 630 WLAP
FM: 98.1 WBUL
Online: iHeart Radio
Sirius XM: 102 or 111
Live Stats: StatBroadcast
Good news, bad news on the injury front
11/16/2024 12:03:36 PMWant some good news? Chip Trayanum is back on the field. Josaih Hayes is also dressed for the first time this season after suffering an Achilles injury.
Now for the bad news.
Jantzen Dunn, J.J. Weaver, D’Eryk Jackson, Quay’Sheed Scott, and DJ Waller Jr. are all missing in warmups. There is also no sign of Jamon Dumas-Johnson. Looks like Alex Afari Jr. and Grant Godfrey will be getting the start at inside linebacker today.
Pregame notes from Kroger Field’s press box
11/16/2024 11:55:20 AMBecause the parking lot was severely lacking, I was in the press box earlier than usual today. The KSR Pregame Show ended at 11:30 a.m. I took the equipment apart, stowed it away, and still found my seat in Kroger Field’s press box by noon (a new personal record). Some notes from the pregame press box scene:
— Murray State is well-represented in the fifth-floor media area. Lots of people here to see and cover the Racers in Lexington.
— The bowl of brown substance next to the press box mashed potatoes is balsamic vinaigrette, not gravy. I had to pretend I knew that the whole time as I ate a large plate of balsamic mashed potatoes at a table with strangers. The guy behind me followed my lead in line. I owe him an apology for the false gravy narrative that I created.
— “If You Wanna Be My Lover” by the Spice Girls is the current stadium song as I write this. I’ll tell you what I want, what I really, really want: Kentucky to cover 41 points today.
— Holding off on my game day coffee tradition after consuming an unhealthy amount before and during the pregame show. The under will hit on press box coffees this week.
— Speaking of the pregame show, KSBar had a great crowd this morning, giving me hope for the crowd at today’s game. Go Cats.
Kentucky defensive line will be short-handed
11/16/2024 11:44:36 AMWe’ve got our first injury update of the day. Kentucky star defensive tackle Deone Walker and rotational player Kahlil Saunders are both in sweatsuits during warmups. The Wildcats will not have either today. Saunders suffered an injury last week against Tennessee and Walker has appeared on multiple availability reports this season.
Stay tuned for more injury updates.
Not the greatest turnout so far
11/16/2024 12:19:09 PMAs you might expect, by all reports, the parking lots were not packed ahead of today’s game. The crowd at the Cat Walk was lively, though.
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