Sept 20, 2003
By STEVE HERMAN
AP Sports Writer
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. – Jared Lorenzen passed for two touchdowns and ranfor another, dragging an Indiana defender across the goal line with him, asKentucky beat the Hoosiers 34-17 on Saturday.
The 260-pound quarterback, Kentucky’s career passing leader, repeatedlybroke away from Indiana tacklers for big completions and key runs the wholegame.
His 1-yard carry midway through the third quarter, with Indiana linebackerKevin Smith – more than 30 pounds lighter – desperately trying to hang on, putthe Wildcats up 20-10.
Kentucky (2-2) then put the game out of reach on its next possession after a40-yard option pass from Shane Boyd to Chris Bernard, a face-mask penalty onIndiana and two passes by Lorenzen. The Hoosiers (1-3) declined an offensiveinterference penalty on the reception by Keenan Burton, setting up fourth downat the 1, and Draak Davis took a short pitch from Lorenzen and ran in for thescore on the next play.
Kentucky, whose only other victory this season was against Division I-AAMurray State, led the Hoosiers only 13-10 at halftime on Lorenzen’s touchdownpasses of 29 yards to Derek Abney and 51 yards to Bernard.
Indiana was able to stay close early largely because of punter TysonBeattie, who placed the ball at the Kentucky 3 twice, at the 2 once and at the13. The Wildcats couldn’t get a first down after any of the punts inside the 5,but with more room to move the ball from the 13, they drove 10 plays for theirfirst score.
Arliss Beach breaks a tackle by Indiana defender Cedric Henry during the fourth quarter. |
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Abney caught an 8-yard pass and ran another 24 yards to help Kentucky tomidfield. Seven plays later, from the 29, Lorenzen hit Abney again for atouchdown and a 7-0 lead.
Indiana cut it to 7-3 early in the second quarter on a 21-yard field goal byBryan Robertson and got the ball back just over a minute later after a Kentuckypunt. An end-around run by receiver Courtney Roby went 58 yards for an apparenttouchdown, but the play was called back because of a holding penalty, andRobertson missed a 50-yard field goal try six plays later.
Indiana’s only lead came at 10-7 on its next possession, when Matt LoVecchiopassed 63 yards to BenJarvus Green-Ellis for a touchdown. That lead lasted just21 seconds, though.
A pass-interference penalty on the Hoosiers’ Joe Gonzales gave the Wildcatsthe ball at their 49. Lorenzen, who was 11-for-20 for 147 yards, hit Bernard onthe 51-yarder on next play for the go-ahead score. Kentucky added thetouchdowns by Lorenzen and Davis in the third quarter and finished with a2-yard scoring run by Arliss Beach with a minute left in the final period.
The Hoosiers’ final TD came on a 1-yard run by Brian Lewis with just over 4minutes to go.
