Three Plays: Scoring opportunity blunders sink Kentucky

Kentucky had their chances on Saturday afternoon at Vaught-Hemingway Stadium, but Rich Scangarello’s offense could not come up with the clutch plays in the fourth quarter to win the game.

In the three-point loss to Ole Miss in Oxford, the Wildcats had three possessions in the fourth quarter to put the game-winning score on the board but came away with zero points.

KSR is diving into the missed chances in this week’s edition of Three Plays.

Fourth down miss

After the second huge kickoff return from Barion Brown, Kentucky started its ninth possession of the game at the Ole Miss 32. However, the Cats faced a fourth-and-three on the first play of the fourth quarter. Rich Scangarello drew up a pass concept out of split backs, and a three-deep look from Ole Miss forced Will Levis to check the ball down.

The Rebels then made an outstanding individual play.

As Levis goes to his checkdown, Ole Miss safety Otis Reese makes a terrific play jumping over the top to defend the pass and get the Rebels off the field on a key fourth down. Kentucky blew a chance to take the lead to begin the fourth quarter, but it would not be the only chance the Cats got on Saturday.

Fumble stalls a dominant drive

Following the fourth down incompletion, the Rebels marched down the field to create a goal-to-go opportunity with Lane Kiffin rolling the dice on fourth down. Kentucky’s defense was able to get off the field to give its offense another chance.

The Wildcats then put together one of their best drives of the season.

Kentucky marched 86 yards down the field milking over seven minutes off the clock before facing a third-and-two inside the red zone with three minutes and change remaining. Rich Scangarello made a good call on a zone read that Will Levis kept for what appeared to be an easy first down with a potential game-winning score coming just a few plays away.

But the ball ended up on the grass.

After a low hit by safety AJ Finley, linebacker Austin Keys comes over and jars the ball loose from Levis, and Ole Miss comes up with a monster takeaway to end a beautiful drive from Kentucky.

It would not be the last monster takeaway.

Another red zone fumble

Once again in the fourth quarter, Kentucky’s defense bows up and gives the offense one final opportunity to win the game. It looks like it’s going to happen after Barion Brown takes a screen 51 yards to the Ole Miss 7.

However, an illegal motion took points off the board on a Will Levis fade completion to Dane Key. On the next snap, Ole Miss would win the game with another clutch play on defense.

As Kentucky runs a double move, the Ole Miss pass rush got to Levis as Jared Ivey recorded a sack fumble just as the quarterback was getting rid of the ball. Once again, the Rebels made the plays when they had to have them.

Saturday was a missed opportunity for the Wildcats. The offense had plenty of chances in the fourth quarter but could not finish the deal.