By MURRAY EVANS
Associated Press Writer
LEXINGTON, Ky. (AP) – Rafael Little rushed for a career-high 104 yards and returned a fourth-quarter kickoff 99 yards for a touchdown, helping Kentucky avoid defeat and win 41-29 over Division I-AA Idaho State on Saturday night.
The Big Sky Conference’s Bengals (1-1) led 16-14 at halftime, and 29-28 with 5:06 left after a 26-yard blocked punt return for a touchdown by Sterling Mennear.
Little, a sophomore running back with only three previous career kickoff returns, took the ensuing kick back for the decisive score. It was the first kickoff return for a touchdown by Kentucky (1-1) since November 2002, when Derek Abney did it, and the fourth-longest return in school history.
Kentucky cornerback Shomari Moore intercepted Idaho State quarterback Matt Hagler with 3:44 left, and the Wildcats sealed the win on tailback Arliss Beach’s third touchdown of the game, a 2-yard run with 1:18 left.
Hagler completed 25-of-37 passes for a career-high 291 yards and rushed for two touchdowns but also threw four interceptions, two in the final 3:44 as the Bengals _ who outgained Kentucky 448 yards to 310 – tried to rally.
Hagler’s 1-yard run on the final play of the first half put the Bengals ahead 16-14. Kentucky led 28-16 in the fourth quarter when Hagler capped an 80-yard touchdown drive with a 3-yard run, pulling Idaho State within 28-23 with 6:54 left.
Kentucky went three-and-out, and Shedrack Okoebor blocked the punt by the Wildcats’ Tim Masthay. Mennear scooped up the loose football and rumbled into the end zone.
Little, who had a career-high 19 carries, recorded many of his yards after he was initially hit. He recorded the first 100-yard game by a Kentucky running back since last Sept. 18, when Shane Boyd and Tony Dixon both did so in a win over Indiana.
Keenan Burton returned the opening kickoff 93 yards – the longest non-scoring return in Wildcats history – to the Idaho State 6, and Beach scored on the next play.
But the Bengals answered with a 63-yard pass on their first play from scrimmage and picked up field goals of 32, 50 and 31 yards from Jaret Johnson to go ahead 9-7 early in the second quarter. The 50-yarder was a career-best effort for the senior kicker.
Kentucky regained the lead at 14-9 with an 86-yard touchdown drive, capped by a 31-yard pass from Andre Woodson to Burton, who outjumped Idaho State cornerback Anthony Melvin in the end zone.
The Wildcats responded with third-quarter touchdown drives of 73 and 36 yards, the latter after a 30-yard punt return by Burton.
