Three Plays: Will Levis delivers on money downs

No. 22 Kentucky pulled the mild home upset over No. 16 Mississippi State mainly due to a strong rushing attack and stout defensive performance. Chris Rodriguez Jr., the Big Blue Wall, and Brad White’s defense led the way, but the Cats do not get to the winner’s circle without some clutch plays from QB1.

In the second half after a left shoulder injury, Will Levis delivered when the Big Blue had to have it, and three big throws on money downs led to all three touchdowns for the Wildcats.

KSR’s Three Plays is here to breakdown the snaps that made the biggest difference in Kentucky’s decisive 27-17 win over Mike Leach’s program.

Will Levis saves the first goal-to-go possession

Kentucky opened the third quarter with a field goal to take a 6-3 lead, but Mississippi State immediately responded with an eight-play, 75-yard touchdown drive to take a 10-6 lead. However, Will Levis would return to the game after an injury and watched Chris Rodriguez Jr. set up a scoring opportunity.

The redshirt senior rumbled 47 yards on his fourth carry of the possession to give the Cats a first-and-goal inside the 10. Offensive coordinator Rich Scangarello would then give Rodriguez three more cracks, but Kentucky found itself with a fourth down at the Mississippi State three. From there, Kentucky turned to Levis.

The quarterback does a good job allowing Rahsaan Lewis to follow Dane Key into the endzone, and then the walk-on receiver sits in a throwing window. Levis delivers a dart to give Kentucky its first touchdown of the game and a lead it would not relinquish for the rest of the night.

The big conversion was a sign of things to come for the offense in the second half.

An explosive play is created under pressure

At the start of the fourth quarter, Kentucky once again found itself in Mississippi State territory but faced a third-and-long. Rich Scangarello then asked his quarterback to go make a play.

Will Levis delivered for the Cats in a big moment as the home team clung to a 13-10 lead.

With just over 12 minutes to play in the fourth quarter, MSU goes to an exotic pressure bringing five rushers, and both inside linebackers get a free run at Levis. However, the quarterback is able to find some space and changes his arm agnle to deliver a terrific throw to JuTahn McClain.

The junior tailback does the rest.

Kentucky earns a red zone possession off of the created explosive play, and Chris Rodriguez Jr. finds paydirt from 16 yards out one snap later to give Kentucky its first 10-point lead in the game. Third-down playmaking from QB1 helped put points on the board.

Kentucky gets vertical

After a short punt gave Kentucky the ball at the Mississippi State 45, the offense blew a huge opportunity. On fourth-and-short, Rich Scangarello draws up another wide receiver screen, but this time star cornerback Emmanuel Forbes jumps the route for a huge pick-six to get the Bulldogs back in the game.

On the next possession, Mississippi State creates a third-and-medium and again decides to bring pressure. Will Levis stands his ground in the pocket and finds a streaking Dekel Crowdus wide open on what appears to be a coverage bust.

Chris Rodriguez Jr. then gets in the endzone again one play later to put the icing on a huge home win.

Kentucky’s ground game was borderline dominant for most of the game, and the defense was sensational, but the Cats do not beat Mississippi State without some clutch playmaking from Will Levis on the money downs.