Whatever Rich Brooks is telling his teams at halftime, it is working. It’s working so good, he needs to copyright it, record it, and have it encrypted into the harddrive of his player’s Ipods and MP3 players and have them listen to it before the first halves of games as well. After a lackluster first half, Brook’s Wildcats dug deep and erased a 14 point deficit and defeated the Georgia Bulldogs in Athens for the first time since 1977.
The Wildcats got off to a good start today. The two teams traded 3-and-outs to start the game and then Randall Cobb returned a punt to the Bulldog 48. A Morgan Newton run for 9 yards plus a Georgia personal foul (one of 5 15 yard Bulldog penalties on the day) had UK in business at the Georgia 24. A couple of plays later, Derrick Locke turned a short pass into a 20 yard TD reception and UK was up 6-0. Randall Cobb proved he was not perfect and bobbled the snap on the extra point and the score remained the same.
The rest of the first half belonged to Georgia. The Bulldogs basically moved the ball at will the rest of the half as UK struggled in both the passing and the rushing game. Perhaps the Bulldogs were playing this game for UGA VII, the recently deceased Bulldog mascot. The famous doghouse stood empty on the sidelines and ESPN provided enough pictures and features on the pooch that it made it seem like a papal succession ceremony. Perhaps the Kentucky defense was distracted and were watching to see of white smoke poured out of the doghouse because Joe Cox racked up 2 passing TD’s and Blair Walsh booted 2 FG’s and Georgia went into the half leading 20-6.
And then, like the previous week at Vandy, Papaw Brooks must have warped the paint on the locker room walls with his salty language as UK came out to play the second half. Moncell Allen forced a fumble on the opening kickoff, which Matt Roark recovered at the Georgia 14. Two plays later, Randall Cobb was dancing in the endzone and the Wildcats were back in the ballgame. The teams fought for field position the next couple of possessions and then the Georgia Bulldogs went up 27-13 midway through the third on a 2 play, 80 yard drive that would have sent the Wildcats of old whimpering back into the fetal position.
But if you needed proof that these are not your 2005 Wildcats, UK responded. Ross Bogue, yes, Ross Bogue, returned a short kickoff to midfield and the Wildcat’s were aided by another Georgia personal foul. Then, LaRod King made an incredible catch on a Newton pass that brought the Cats back within 7 again at 27-20. And not to play spoiler, but the defense would respond by not allowing another point the rest of the way.
Right about this point, the Georgia Bulldogs transformed into the Washington Generals and somewhere, UGA VII was rolling over in his grave. In a stunning turn of events, UK blocked a punt by Georgia but the Bulldogs managed to recover the ball and advance it for a first down, seemingly keeping the ball. But another 15 yard penalty (facemask on the punter) gave UK the ball early in the fourth quarter.
Down just 7, Newton faded back on a 2nd and 21 and threw maybe a 2 yard pass to Derrick Locke. Locke then took the ball and received a fantastic block from who else, Randall Cobb, and Locke tiptoed along the sidelines for a 60 yard TD reception that tied the game at 27 with around 12:30 left in the game. Georgia fumbled and then recovered the ensuing kickoff and then Joe Cox threw a brainless pass that Shane McCord intercepted and returned to the Georgia 8.
At this point, John Calipari grabbed his iphone and sent out an excited twitter text urging his million or so followers to tune in to ESPN 2 and cheer on the Wildcats. (OK, I don’t actually know if Cal has an iphone. I do, and I like to think that he and I could be ibuddies). The good will of the Big Blue Nation then willed Randall Cobb over the goal line three plays later and the Wildcats were winning between the hedges 34-27.
The trainwreck that became the Georgia Bulldogs ensued as a fumbled Bulldog snap resulted in a 8 yard loss and Georgia had to punt. The next Bulldog possession was actually pretty effective as Georgia drove down to the UK 1 yard line and had a 3rd and 1 with about 2:20 left and Wayshaun Ealey fumbled the ball and UK recovered. Kentucky was not able to run the clock out so they had to punt again but Joe Cox was intercepted on the very next play from scrimmage and UK ran out the clock for the 34-27 win.
On paper, the Wildcats were dominated offensively, 487 to 260 yards, but the defense dug in enough at the end to force key turnovers. Morgan Newton continued to progress as he had his best game of his young career with 3 TD’s against no INT’s and the Wildcats had no turnovers.
After starting the season 2-3, the Wildcats have won 5 of 6 and have won three straight SEC games on the road. Those wins have UK poised for the biggest win of the Brooks era versus Tennessee on Saturday. A win will give UK a 8-4 regular season and will lock up second place in the SEC East. One thinks this will propel the Cats into a Florida bowl game for the Holidays in either the Outback Bowl or the bowl in Orlando that used to be the Citrus Bowl.
Get your game face on. It’s Tennessee week.
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