Kentucky Football: Lynn Bowden Jr. has perfect end to Wildcat career

Although he was the subject of controversy to start the day, Kentucky football’s Lynn Bowden Jr. ended the season with a huge passing touchdown.

A day that looked like it would be overshadowed by a punch thrown in warm-ups by Lynn Bowden Jr. on a Virginia Tech defensive lineman turned into a dream scenario for the receiver-turned-quarterback.

While NFL GMs might be hesitant to jump at the opportunity to draft him early on, he could a solid late-round flyer. This punch may put a dark cloud over his draft status, but he made up for it with his play on Tuesday afternoon, leading the Wildcats to a win over a hot Virginia Tech team in the Belk Bowl.

Bowden’s arm, not his legs, were the ultimate decider in this one, too.

The junior who has already declared for the NFL draft changed positions for the better of his team midway through the year. Kentucky was down a number of quarterbacks and it turned to Bowden who had played some quarterback in high school and he unselfishly answered the call. He hasn’t thrown the ball well this year, but he hasn’t had to.

Surprisingly, Kentucky won seven games in the regular season and then reached eight in the bowl game thanks to Bowden.

Although he attempted just 12 passes against Virginia Tech and completed six of them, it was that sixth completion that decided the game with a touchdown pass to Josh Ali.

On the ground, Bowden rushed 34 times for 233 yards and two touchdowns and climbed the single-season rushing list at Kentucky, even passing up one of Benny Snell’s seasons — not bad for a former receiver who switched to quarterback in the middle of the year.

All-in-all, Bowden finished the 2019 season and his Wildcat career on the highest of notes after it looked like he would go out with that video of him throwing a punch. He redeemed himself during the Belk Bowl and capped it off with an unlikely touchdown pass.