Photo Credit: UK Athletics
Kentucky’s defense forced three turnovers and bottled up the Cardinals offense much of the game to win the Governor’s Cup matchup, 26-13, at Kroger Field on Saturday afternoon.
The Wildcats finished the regular season at 7-5, and now await their bowl fate. The announcement will come on Dec. 4.
Quarterback Will Levis passed for 188 yards and two touchdowns – one each to Dane Key and Barion Brown.
Running back Chris Rodriguez added 120 yards on 24 carries.
Kentucky scored first on Keys eight-yard pass from Levis with 7:46 left in the opening quarter. Matt Ruffalo kick made it 7-0. The score was set up by Josh Kattus’ 70-yard catch and run.
Ruffalo extended the Wildcats lead to 10-0 on a 43-yard field goal with 12:48 remaining in the second quarter. His 29-yard boot made it 13-0 two minutes later.
The Cardinals closed to within 13-7 on quarterback Malik Cunningham’s 6-yard run with 37 seconds left in the opening half.
Ruffalo pushed the Cats up 16-7 with a 35-yard field goal with 8:43 to play in the third period.
Following a Louisville turnover, UK went 16 yards in three plays, capped by Brown’s three-yard pass from Levis to make it 23-7.
Ruffalo’s fourth field goals, the most in a single game for the placekicker, extended the lead to 26-7 with 12:06 left to play.
Louisville scored on a 27-yard pass play from quarterback Brock Domann to Tyler Hudson. The two-point conversion run failed, leaving the Cats up 26-13.
At Lexington
SCORE BY QUARTERS:
UL (7-4)……0 7 0 6 – 13
UK (6-5)…..7 6 10 3 – 26
Scoring
First Quarter
UK – Dane Key, 8-yard pass from Will Levis (Matt Ruffalo kick), 7:47
Second Quarter
UK – Matt Ruffalo, 43-yard field goal, 12:48
UK – Matt Ruffalo, 29-yard field goal, 10:32
UL – Malik Cunningham, 6-yard run (James Turner kick), :37
Third Quarter
UK – Matt Ruffalo, 35-yard field goal, 8:43
UK – Barion Brown, 3-yard pass from Will Levis (Matt Ruffalo kick), 6:35
Fourth Quarter
UK – Matt Ruffalo, 40-yard field goal, 12:06
UL – Tyler Hudson, 27-pass from Brock Domann (run failed), 7:03
Next up: Kentucky (7-5) vs. TBA