Kentucky Football: Middle Tennessee comeback bid falls short

Middle Tennessee threatened to pull off a Group of Five upset of Kentucky football in Lexington. But the Blue Raiders couldn’t pull off the comeback.

Kentucky paced themselves to a 17-0 lead after the first quarter, as their C-USA counterparts Middle Tennessee seemed unready for the start of the contest. But the Blue Raider awakened in the second quarter, rattling off 10 points but giving up another touchdown along the way. Down 24-10 at the half, Middle Tennessee showed amazing resilience as they came close to downing the Wildcats on the road in a 34-23 defeat on Saturday afternoon in Lexington.

Middle Tennessee quarterback Brent Stockstill was an ultra-efficient 30-of-33 for 293 yards. Stockstill racked up three touchdowns, making up for his sole interception early in the game. But it wasn’t enough to take down a strong Kentucky team ranked No. 17 in the most recent College Football Playoff Top 25 rankings.

Benny Snell Jr. was a major reason why the Wildcats prevailed at home on Saturday. The veteran running back finished with 115 yards and two touchdowns on 25 carries. That performance on the ground helped make up for a lackluster day from quarterback Terry Wilson, who finished with just 121 yards on the day. He did go 10-of-14 for a completion rate above 70 percent, and Wilson did throw a touchdown and avoided interceptions. But it was the rushing attack that made the difference on offense.

Defense also helped change the complexion of the game. The Wildcats forced two early turnovers, as Stockstill’s first pass of the game was picked off and returned 66 yards for a touchdown by Kentucky safety Mike Edwards. On the ensuing Middle Tennessee drive, the Blue Raiders fumbled the ball, allowing the Wildcats to get another quick touchdown. That 14-point swing more than accounts for the difference on the scoreboard.

Kentucky now looks ahead to the regular-season finale against Louisville. With the Cardinals in disarray after terminating Bobby Petrino, the Wildcats will look to set themselves up for the first 10-win season since 1977.

Middle Tennessee still needs to beat UAB on the Saturday after Thanksgiving to play for the Conference USA title. The Blue Raiders will go bowling either way, but they risk entering the postseason on a two-game losing streak.