KSR Today: Post-Texas Blues

Good morning, folks! The result of yesterday’s football game in Austin, TX wasn’t anything we weren’t expecting. Texas is ranked No. 3 in the country for a reason. Head coach Steve Sarkisian has the Longhorns contending for a national championship and Kentucky was just the next opponent in the way. The Wildcats lost 31-14 in a closer-than-expected game down the stretch as the program’s eight-year bowl game streak officially came to an end.

But Kentucky sure didn’t do itself any favors along the way. The Wildcats turned the ball over twice and went just 2-12 on third down. Texas recorded six sacks on UK quarterbacks, which started with Brock Vandagriff under center before head coach Mark Stoops turned to true freshman quarterback Cutter Boley in the second half. Vandagriff had a rough go of it in the first half, finishing with just 51 yards on 3-7 passing with a touchdown and an interception. The offense rolled with Boley in the second half though as the rookie exuded confidence, tossing a handful of downfield bombs. He finished with 160 passing yards on 10-18 passing with one interception.

“I just felt like we needed a spark at that time,” Stoops said of the decision to change QBs. “We knew we were going against a really good defense. With Cutter in there, I thought he did some good things once again, and he’s gaining some really valuable experience.”

Boley wasn’t perfect (no one on Kentucky was), but he was able to move the ‘Cats into scoring territory on four of his five second-half possessions. We’ll likely have another quarterback “controversy” going into the season finale against Louisville next weekend. There was at least a moment of hope late in the third quarter when UK was down just 10 points after a Jamon Dumas-Johnson defensive touchdown. That’s all it was though: hope.

Kentucky has dropped to 4-7 on the season and finishes 1-7 in the SEC, the worst conference mark since Stoops’ first season at UK in 2013. Vibes are low going into Louisville Hate Week. While you’re changing your fantasy lineups and preparing for this afternoon’s slate of NFL games, dive into everything KSR pumped out in the aftermath of yesterday’s loss.

• Kentucky Ends Abysmal SEC Campaign with 31-14 Loss at Texas
• Kentucky’s school record eight-year bowl streak has officially been snapped
• Mark Stoops Gives Bush Hamdan Vote of Confidence
• Another running back had career game against Kentucky
• Cutter Boley Optimistic Kentucky can be “Something Special” in the Future
• Texas beat Kentucky in the trenches

KSR Rapid Reaction

Mark Stoops’ postgame press conference

We also would like to give another shoutout to our terrific sponsor, Friends of Coal, who helped support us during KSR’s first-ever trip to Austin.

Friends of Coal is dedicated to informing and educating Kentucky citizens about the coal industry and its vital role in the state’s future. We provide a united voice for an industry that has been and remains a critical economic contributor to Kentucky. By working together, we can provide good jobs and benefits for future generations. Coal is RESILIENT, RELIABLE, and AFFORDABLE.

Friends of Coal is a volunteer organization. All are invited to be a part of our organization, which consists of proud Kentuckians as well as residents from beyond our borders. Head to friendsofcoalkentucky.org to learn more. 

Volleyball after another SEC title

Craig Skinner’s program can at the very least secure a tie for its eighth consecutive SEC championship this afternoon. Sitting on a 12-2 conference record, No. 12 Kentucky volleyball has just two games left on the regular season schedule. A win over Arkansas this afternoon would put the Wildcats a full game ahead of second-place Florida and Texas. If UK wins and both of the Longhorns/Gators lose today, then the ‘Cats will win the SEC outright.

Kentucky will host the Razorbacks (16-10; 6-8 SEC) inside Memorial Coliseum at 4:00 p.m. EST on the SEC Network. It’s also Senior Day, so come out and support the seniors in what will be their final college home game.

‘Cats in the NFL: Week 12

TIME (EST)/TV	MATCHUP
1:00 PM (FOX)	Vikings @ Bears
1:00 PM (FOX)	Lions (J. Paschal, Z. Smith) @ Colts
1:00 PM (CBS)	Patriots @ Dolphins
1:00 PM (CBS)	Buccaneers (M. Edwards) @ Giants (D. Phillips, W. Robinson)
1:00 PM (FOX)	Cowboys @ Commanders
1:00 PM (CBS)	Chiefs @ Panthers (L. Johnson, T. Wallace)
1:00 PM (CBS)	Titans (W. Levis) @ Texans
4:05 PM (CBS)	Broncos @ Raiders
4:25 PM (FOX)	49ers @ Packers (C. Valentine)
4:25 PM (FOX)	Cardinals @ Seahawks
8:20 PM (NBC/Peacock)	Eagles (D. Kinnard) @ Rams

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