Kentucky football: wildcats get back to winning ways with a 27-17 victory over Mississippi State

It wasn’t pretty, but the Kentucky football team got back in the win column on Saturday night with a 27-17 victory over the Mississippi State Bulldogs. The Wildcats overcame a rocky offensive start with the help of a stout defensive unit. Let’s take a closer look at the big victory.

Chris Rodriguez is him

Kentucky’s Chris Rodriguez Jr. celebrates running for a touchdown against Mississippi State.Oct. 15, 2022Kentuckymissst 31 /

Kentucky needed Chris Rodriguez to be the workhorse he has proved to be, and tonight he did not disappoint. The senior running back put the run game on his shoulders and helped wheel Kentucky to this victory.

On 31 carries, yes, 31 carries, Rodriguez finished the game with 197 yds and found the endzone two times. The All-SEC running back showed once again just how important he is to this football team. Take a bow, Mr. Rodriguez.

Will Levis has the guts

Oct 15, 2022; Lexington, Kentucky, USA; Kentucky Wildcats quarterback Will Levis (7) dives to the ground during the first quarter against the Mississippi State Bulldogs at Kroger Field. Mandatory Credit: Jordan Prather-USA TODAY Sports /

Will Levis continued his legendary time in Lexington tonight with one of the more gutsy performances we have seen from a quarterback. Returning from a foot injury that sidelined him last week, Levis got into the swing of things after a few off-target throws early in the game.

Levis finished the game with 2 TDs and 1 INT for 230 yds on 17 of 23 attempts. The stat sheet will show that Levis was only sacked once, but the Mississippi State defense got a few hits on the future 1st-round pick. One that had Levis exit the game with shoulder pain, but he would later return. Levis showed his team and its fans he has the heart of a Wildcat.

Wildcat defense

Oct 1, 2022; Oxford, Mississippi, USA; Kentucky Wildcats linebacker DeAndre Square (5) reacts after a tackle during the second half against the Mississippi Rebels at Vaught-Hemingway Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Petre Thomas-USA TODAY Sports /

The Wildcats do not win this game without the performance of their defense. In the first half, it was the defense who kept this one together as the offense struggled to find its footing. The Bulldogs were 3-11 on third down attempts and finished the game with only 233 yds of total offense. A DeAndre Square interception was the icing on the cake for the Wildcats victory.

dark. Next. 5 things to know about Miss. State

It wasn’t the prettiest of victories, as the Wildcats were penalized eleven times, with over half of those coming in the second half. Nevertheless, no one should ever complain about a victory. The Cats improve to 5-2 on the season and 2-2 in the SEC. The team will have a well-deserved by week coming up before taking on a red-hot Tennessee team.

Home/Kentucky football