Stars Play Like Stars: Snell, Allen Step Up

The wind was whipping and temperatures were dropping.
 
With each passing moment, it became increasingly clear that Saturday night was not going to be an instant-classic kind of night.
 
It was, however, most certainly a Benny Snell Jr. and Josh Allen kind of night. When the Wildcats needed their stars to play like stars, Snell and Allen did exactly that, and then some.
 
“It really does say a lot,” Mark Stoops said. “Those guys have been steady for us for years.”
 
Snell and Allen were a little more than steady in the fourth quarter as No. 14/17 Kentucky (6-1, 4-1 SEC) eked out a 14-7 win over Vanderbilt at Kroger Field. Snell carried the load on offense, while Allen led a defense that cemented itself further as one of the best units in the country.
 
“Once again, very proud of our football team,” Stoops said. “In fact, finding a way to win the game, to grind out a tough, hard-fought victory. Nasty night. Very windy. Tough conditions. Really appreciate the way we fought it out. Love the way the defense played really all night.”
 
The offense, on the other hand, struggled to find its footing until the very end. The Wildcats completed just three passes for 18 yards – all to Lynn Bowden Jr. and one for a touchdown – and found themselves locked in a dogfight with the visiting Commodores. After the defense forced a red-zone fumble on a fourth-down stand early in the fourth quarter, it was Snell’s time to shine.
 
“Every night, these are the situations I dream of,” Snell said. “Either we gotta score a touchdown or the game’s on the line, I want the ball in my hands.”
 
Snell carried 10 times for 74 yards on the ensuing 80-yard drive, scoring the go-ahead touchdown from seven yards out. UK didn’t throw a single pass on the 12-play drive, but not even a stacked box and a defense that pretty much knew what was coming could stop him.
 
“That’s Benny Snell football,” Snell said. “If it’s gotta be 20 carries, 30 carries-plus, he’s going to make it happen. That’s what I want. I want the ball in my hands.”
 
Snell got his wish on Saturday, as he ran 32 times for 169 yards for his 16th career 100-yard rushing performance. His final five carries came as UK tried to bleed the final 5:55 off the clock, but Snell was stopped on third down. That only served to set up Allen’s big moment.
 
By that point, Allen had already registered seven tackles, a pass breakup, a sack and a drawn holding penalty. Then, as Vandy approached midfield on a potential game-tying drive, Allen got to Kyle Shurmur. He stripped the Commodore quarterback and Mike Edwards fell on the loose ball, giving Allen his second game-clinching strip sack after he accomplished the same feat at Florida.
 
“Big-time players make big-time plays in big-time games,” Allen said. “I felt like that was a big-time moment in the game, a real crucial time. If it has to be somebody, I gotta step up.”
 
Making Allen’s big play and impressive performance a little sweeter are memories of a 2017 season in which he faltered in the second half of the season after a huge first six games. He has no attention of letting history repeat itself in 2018.
 
“I came back for situations like this,” Allen said. “I had a lot to prove. Last year during the second half, my play dropped. I told myself coming back this year I wanted to increase my play. I wanted to be more effective in the game, be more of a playmaker and that’s what I’m going to continue to do.”
 
Already, Allen has surpassed his pass-rushing production from a season ago, as he has eight sacks and 12.5 tackles for loss through seven games. More importantly, he is a key cog for a defense playing at an elite level and a team that is bowl eligible on Oct. 20 with everything left to play for over the regular season’s final five games.
 
“This is one of the goals we wanted to have,” Allen said. “We wanted to be one of the best teams in the country. Being top 10, if we are, is just another step to where we want to be in the long run. Right now, we have a lot of short-term goals to get to the long-term goals so we’re going to keep winning and keep doing what we do.”
 
In other words, Allen is enjoying the journey while fully recognizing it’s far from over. His fellow star is doing much the game.
 
“It’s pretty fun,” Snell said. “Right now, me personally, I’m living my dream. I’m happy. I’m happy with how far this team has come. We’re starting to get recognized a little bit more so it feels good, but we still got way more games to play.”