Sept. 13, 2008

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Team Records and Series Notes

• Kentucky is 3-0 and Middle Tennessee is 1-2.
• UK leads the series, 2-0.
• Kentucky has an 8-1 all-time record vs. the current alignment of the Sun Belt Conference.
• Kentucky has won 12 consecutive non-conference games, the longest since a 17-game streak from 1954-60.
• Tonight’s game marked the seventh time in the last 21 games that Kentucky has come from behind in the fourth quarter to win the game.
• After an open date, Kentucky returns to action Sat. Sept. 27 at 7 p.m. at home vs. Western Kentucky.

UK Team Notes

• The Wildcats have a 120-99-4 (.547) record in Commonwealth Stadium.
• Kentucky’s Rich Brooks is 20-16 (.556) at home.
• UK surrendered its first touchdown of the season on a 62-yard TD pass in the first quarter.
• UK held Middle Tennessee to 28 rushing yards, the lowest opponent rushing output since UK surrendered 24 yards at Mississippi State in 2006.
• It was the third consecutive game the defense has allowed 70 rushing yards or less this season.

Game Summary

• 1st Quarter Summary
  • UK surrendered its first touchdown of the season on a 62-yard pass from Joe Craddock to Desmond Gee; Middle Tennessee 7, Kentucky 0 (9:21).
  • The Wildcats evened the score on a 1-yard pass from Mike Hartline to Maurice Grinter; Kentucky 7, Middle Tennessee 7 (3:48)
  • The 37-yard pass from Mike Hartline to tight end T.C. Drake at the end of the 1st quarter was a career long for both players.
• 2nd Quarter Summary
  • After a 10-play drive, UK’s Lones Seiber made a 40-yard field goal; Kentucky 10, Middle Tennessee 7 (4:11)
  • The 40-yard make was Seiber’s longest of the season.
• 3rd Quarter Summary
  • Middle Tennessee took the lead on a 22-yard pass from Joe Craddock to Malcolm Beyah; Middle Tennessee 14, Kentucky 10 (7:26).
• 4th Quarter Summary
  • The Wildcats took the lead on a 6-yard pass from Mike Hartline to Derrick Locke; Kentucky 17, Middle Tennessee 14 (12:20).
  • UK’s Lones Seiber made a 25-yard FG to extend the Wildcat lead; Kentucky 20-14 (6:37).
  • Middle Tennessee’s Alex Suber blocked UK’s Lones Seiber’s 33-yard FG attempt with 0:20 left in the game. It was picked up by Middle Tennessee’s Ted Riley and returned to the Middle Tennessee 48-yard line.
  • On a final play Hail Mary attempt, Middle Tennessee’s Eldred King caught a Joe Craddock pass off a tip and was tackled by UK’s Robbie McAtee at the Kentucky 1-yard line.

UK Individual Notes

• Mike Hartline completed 28 of 47 passes for 254 yards and two touchdowns, all career highs.
• T.C. Drake caught four passes for 82 yards, both career highs.
• Dicky Lyons caught a career-high 12 passes for 79 yards. The last time a UK player caught 10 or more passes was Rafael Little with 11 catches vs. Tennessee last season. Lyons’ previous high was eight twice.
• Lyons now ranks eighth on the career receptions list (127), fifth on the career receiving yards list (1,643) and tied for fourth on the career receiving TD list (17).
• Lyons has caught at least two passes in 24 consecutive games
• Trevard Lindley broke up one pass against Middle Tennessee to increase his total to 26 career breakups, one shy of the school record of 27 held by Antoine Huffman.
• Braxton Kelley had 7 tackles against Middle Tennessee, eclipsing the 200-tackle career mark with 204 over his four years.
• Micah Johnson tied his career high with nine tackles in just the first half. UK’s leading tackler of the night left the game with an ankle injury late in the first half.
• Kelley has made at least three tackles in 15 consecutive games.
• Senior cornerback Robbie McAtee earned his first collegiate start. McAtee recovered a fumble to set up UK’s first touchdown, then made the game-saving tackle on the final play of the game.
• UK’s first score of the game was Mike Hartline’s first career TD pass and Maurice Grinter’s second career TD reception.
• Derrick Locke earned his first career receiving TD on a 6-yard reception in the 4th quarter.
• Tim Masthay, the SEC leader in touchbacks, has 12 touchbacks on the season after two touchbacks against Middle Tennessee.
• Tony Dixon rushed for 28 yards on 11 carries. He now has 1,029 career rushing yards. With the yardage, Dixon passed Terry Samuels (1,012) and Tom Fillion (1,017) to move into 28th on UK’s all-time rushing list.
• Marcus McClinton intercepted Middle Tennessee’s Joe Craddock in the fourth quarter and returned the ball 20 yards. The pick is his second of the season and eighth of his career.