Sep 27, 2014; Lexington, KY, USA; Kentucky Wildcats head coach Mark Stoops coaches his team during the game against the Vanderbilt Commodores in the second half at Commonwealth Stadium. Kentucky defeated Vanderbilt 17-7. Mandatory Credit: Mark Zerof-USA TODAY Sports
On a brisk cold day at CWS, the Cats came out in all blue uniforms with the white helmet. Kentucky won the toss and elected to receive. Coming off a 1 game suspension, Stanley “Boom” Williams returned the kick and took it for 75 yards. The drive would stall and Kentucky would have to settle for a 37 yard field goal.
On defense the Cats looked good, not allowing ULM any yards and sacking the QB once. Kentucky would get the ball back. Their next drive would also stall and they would have to punt. Back on defense now, the Cats brought them to a 3rd and 6 where ULM completed a 35 yard catch and run. ULM would take it to the Kentucky 30. on 3rd and 8 the pass was incomplete, but Kentucky was penalized for a roughing the passer. 2 plays later ULM connected on a 12 yard pass for a touchdown. ULM would take a 7-3 lead.
Kentucky would start there next drive on the 34. and they would go 3 and out again. However, on the punt ULM had 12 men on the field, and that gave Kentucky a first down and the ball back. Kentucky would again have to settle for a field goal, one in which Austin McGinnis would miss.
Aside from the first ULM drive the Kentucky defense looked pretty horrid. ULM would take it all the way down to the Kentucky 31, where on 3rd and 6 Bud Dupree batted down a pass to make it 4th and 6. ULM would miss the field goal.
Kentucky would finally break out the wildcat formation, and that’s when things looked like they were taking off, but then JoJo Kemp threw an interception which would lead to ULM touchdown on the very next play. ULM would lead 14-3. That would be the end of the 1st quarter.
Kentucky would get 2 first downs before they would have to punt again. At this point in the game this the worst that the Kentucky offense has looked all year. That said, Patrick Towles connected on a 83 yard touchdown to Javess Blue. Kentucky would trail 10-14. The Kentucky defense would take care of business and intercept ULM pass and take it in for the touchdown. Josh Forest was the one who intercepted the ball. Kentucky would lead 17-14.
ULM would take the kickoff to the 17 yard line. The Kentucky defense finally started taking shape, ULM would fumble the snap and make it 2n and 18 and on 3rd and 18 ZaDarius Smith would record a sack. Kentucky offense would capitalize on their next possession, driving it down the field and scoring on a 4 yard pass to Blake Bone. Kentucky would take a 24-14 lead with 4:08 left.
ULM would have a decent drive that went to midfield and they had a 4th and 4, they went for it and were thrown for a 7 yard loss and Kentucky would take over on downs. Kentucky couldn’t do anything with the ball and would go for it on 4th down with 13 seconds left in the half, they were unsuccessful. Kentucky entered the half leading 24-14.