Kentucky quarterback Will Levis returned to the field following a shoulder injury on the first series of the second half and ignited the Wildcats to a 27-17 victory over Mississippi State at frenzy Kroger Field on Saturday night.
The Wildcats moved to 5-2 and 2-2 in the Southeastern Conference. The Bulldogs dropped to 5-2, 2-2.
Running back Chris Rodriguez ran to a pair of fourth quarter touchdowns and finished with 196 yards on 30 rushing attempts. He became the fourth player in team history to rush for over 3,000 yards.
Levis totaled 230 yards through the air and one TD toss. He completed 17-of-23 and was picked once.
After a scoreless opening quarter, the Bulldogs struck first as Massimo Biscardi booted a 48-yard field with 8:26 left before the break to make it 3-0.
Kentucky pulled even at 3-all on Matt Ruffalo’s 28-yard field with four seconds left in the quarter.
The Wildcats took their first lead on the opening drive of the second half on Ruffalo’s 37-yard field goal with 11:34 to go in the third period.
Mississippi State went back on top when quarterback Will Rogers III hit Austin Williams on a one-yard pass play on fourth-and-goal with 8:28 remaining in the third quarter. Biscardi’s PAT kick made it 10-6.
Kentucky marched right back down the field and took a 13-10 lead on Levis’ three-yard pass to Rashaan Lewis on fourth down with 4:10 remaining. It was his first career TD reception.
Rodriguez pushed the Wildcats up 20-10 with a 16-yard run with 11:43 left to play.
The Bulldogs closed to within three when Emmanuel Forbes picked off Levis and returned it 59 yards for a score. It came with 8:33 to go.
The Wildcats came right back and went back up by 10 on Rodriguez’s seven-yard run with 5:30 remaining.
Kentucky, now 5-2, will be idle this coming week before traveling to Tennessee (7-0) on Oct. 29.
At Lexington
SCORE BY QUARTERS:
MS (5-2)….…0 3 7 7 – 17
UK (5-2)……0 3 10 14– 27
Scoring:
First Quarter
No scoring
Second Quarter
MS – Massimo Biscardi, 48-yard field goal, 8:26
UK – Matt Ruffalo, 28-yard field goal, :04
Third Quarter
UK – Matt Ruffalo, 37-yard field goal, 11:34
MS – Austin Williams, 1-yard pass from Will Rogers III (Massimo Biscardi kick), 8:28
UK – Rahsaan Lewis, 3-yard pass from Will Levis (Matt Ruffalo kick), 4:10
Fourth Quarter
UK – Chris Rodriguez, 16-yard run (Matt Ruffalo kick), 11:43
MS – Emmanuel Forbes, 59-yard INT (Massimo Biscardi kick), 8:33
UK – Chris Rodriguez, 7-yard run (Matt Ruffalo kick), 5:30
Next up: Kentucky (5-2) at Tennessee (7-0), TBA, Oct. 29.