KENTUCKY POSTGAME NOTES
Louisville at Kentucky
Kroger Field at C.M. Newton Grounds
Nov. 30, 2019
 
FINAL SCORE: Kentucky 45, Louisville 13
 
Team Records and Series Information

• Both teams finish the regular season at 7-5.
• Kentucky leads the series 17-15 and has won two in a row.
• Next for Kentucky: the Wildcats await their fourth-consecutive bowl invitation, which will be issued on the afternoon of Sunday, Dec. 8.  

 
Team Notes

• Kentucky has won nine straight non-conference games, longest since the 2006-09 streak of 18 consecutive non-conference wins. 
• Kentucky has won at least seven games for four consecutive seasons for the first time since 2006-09.
• The Kentucky senior class has won 31 games over the last four seasons, most since the 1953 senior class also had 31 victories.
  • Eleven seniors were honored in pregame ceremonies, including LB Elijah Barnett, LS Blake Best, DE T.J. Carter, LB Kash Daniel, S Jordan Griffin, DT Phil Hoskins, K Ben Logsdon, OG Logan Stenberg, DT Calvin Taylor, WR Ahmad Wagner and OG Mason Wolfe.
  • UK also honored 12-year-old Luke Klausing on Senior Day.  The Louisville native has been an honorary member of the team since 2018 through the Team IMPACT program, which connects children with serious/chronic diseases with local athletic teams.
• UK is 12-3 in its last 15 home games, best since 1987-89 (also 12-3).
• This was Mark Stoops’ 32^nd home victory at Kentucky, tying Jerry Claiborne for the most wins at Kroger Field/Commonwealth Stadium.
  • Stoops is one win behind Paul “Bear” Bryant for the most home wins (33) in school history.
• Kentucky scored 45 points today.  It is the first time since 2014 that UK had scored at least 45 in consecutive games.
  • It is the first time that UK has scored at least 45 points against the same opponent in consecutive seasons since 1938-39 vs. Oglethorpe.
  • It is the first time UK has defeated the same opponent by at least 32 points in consecutive seasons since 1959-60 vs. Xavier.
  • This is the first time in school history that UK has scored at least 38 points in the last three games of the regular season (not including bowls).
  • Also the first time in school history that UK has won the last three regular-season games by at least 24 points.
  • Kentucky has had five victories this season by at least 21 points, first time that has happened since 1951 (six wins by at least 21 points).
• Kentucky had six rushing touchdowns today, first time since at least 1985 that UK had at least six rushing TDs in consecutive game.
  • UK broke the school record for rushing touchdowns in a season with 33.
• Kentucky had 521 yards total offense today. UK averaged 12.4 yards per play, second in SEC history behind the 12.7 yards per play of Arkansas vs. Nicholls State in 2014.
• UK had a single-game school record 517 rushing yards today, breaking the record of 462 yards set a week ago vs. UT Martin.
  • The 517 yards is most in the NCAA this season for an FBS team vs. an FBS team.  Army had 594 rushing yards vs. FCS opponent Virginia Military.
  • 517 is the most for an SEC school since Auburn vs. Arkansas in 2016 (543 yards).
  • With 3,293 on the season, UK broke the single-season record of 3,124 rushing yards in 1974.
• UK averaged 12.9 yards per rushing attempt, breaking the Southeastern Conference record of 12.4 by Arkansas vs. Nicholls State in 2014.
• UK entered the game with 39 rushing plays of at least 20 yards this season, leading the nation in that category. The Wildcats added five 20+ rushing plays today.
• It is the first time in school history that UK had runs of at least 70 yards against the same opponent in consecutive seasons – A.J. Rose 75-yard run at Louisville last season, Kavosiey Smoke 70 yards today.
• This is the school-record fourth consecutive season with a 1,000-yard rusher.
• Kentucky has allowed 34 points or less in 26 straight games, the longest active streak in the nation.
  • 26 straight games at 34 points or less is the longest for Kentucky since a 45-game streak from 1976-80.
• Kentucky kept every opponent below 30 points this season, first time the Wildcats have done that since 1979.
• UK kept the last three opponents scoreless in the second half, first time that has happened in three consecutive games since at least 1985.
• Kentucky allowed one touchdown pass.  UK entered the game tied for first among FBS teams with the fewest touchdown passes allowed, six on the season (now seven).
• Kentucky allowed 318 total yards, ending a streak of five consecutive games limiting the opponent to less than 300 yards.
  • Louisville entered the game averaging 453.4 yards per game.
• Louisville’s longest offensive play was 56 yards. UK entered the game second in the nation for fewest plays of 40 yards allowed (four this season, now five). 
• Louisville’s longest pass play was 33 yards. UK entered the game tied for first in the nation for fewest pass plays of 40 yards allowed (one this season).
• Kentucky had a season-high 13 tackles for loss and tied the season high for quarterback sacks with six.
• Kentucky drove for a touchdown on its first drive, the third time in the last four games that UK has scored on its first possession.

 
Player Notes

• UK’s game captains: OG Logan Stenberg, LB Kash Daniel, LB Josh Paschal and athlete Lynn Bowden Jr.
• Junior athlete Lynn Bowden Jr. rushed 22 times for a career-high 284 yards and career-high four touchdowns. 
  • He earned the Howard Schnellenberger Award as Most Valuable Player of the Governor’s Cup game.
  • 284 rushing yards is tied for 11^th in SEC single-game history and most ever by an SEC quarterback.
    • 284 is the third-most by an NCAA player this season
    • It is his second 200-yard rushing game, also 204 vs. Missouri. The school record is three 200-yard games by Moe Williams.
  • Four TDs tied the school records for most rushing touchdowns in a game and most total touchdowns in a game.
  • He averaged 12.9 yards per rushing attempt today, third-highest single-game average in SEC history (minimum 20 attempts).
  • He had a career-long 60-yard touchdown run in the third quarter.
  • UK has a 5-2 record since Bowden took over as starting quarterback.
  • This was his sixth 100-yard rushing game, extending his school record for the most 100-yard rushing games by a quarterback.
  • Bowden became the ninth player in school history with a 1,000-yard rushing season. He has 1,235 yards this year.
  • Bowden has 1,136 rushing yards this season from the quarterback position, breaking the single-season school record of 909 QB rushing yards by Mike Fanuzzi in 1974.
  • During his seven games as the starting QB, Bowden has rushed for 1,136 yards – most for a Wildcat in a seven-game span since Moe Williams in 1995 (1,238 in a seven-game span).
  • Bowden has 1,297 career rushing yards as a Wildcat, moving into a tie for 27^th place on the UK career rushing list.
  • He is averaging 8.2 yards per rushing attempt this season, on track to break Stanley “Boom” Williams’ record of 7.1 per attempt in 2015.
  • He now has 4,407 all-purpose yards in his career, moving up to fifth place in UK history.
• Redshirt freshman running back Christopher Rodriguez Jr. rushed nine times for 125 yards, including a career-long 64-yard touchdown.
• Redshirt freshman running back Kavosiey Smoke rushed twice for 75 yards. His 70-yard run in the second quarter is a career-long and is the longest this season by a Wildcat.
• Sophomore linebacker DeAndre Square and sophomore linebacker Jamin Davis tied for the team lead in tackles with seven each. Davis also had the first sack of his career.
• Junior linebacker Jamar “Boogie” Watson had six tackles today, including two quarterback sacks, along with a fumble recovery. He now has 6.5 sacks for the season.
• Senior safety Jordan Griffin intercepted a pass in the second quarter, his second pickoff of the season and third of his career.
• Junior kicker Matt Ruffolo made his only field goal attempt of the game, a 45-yarder. He also made all six extra points.