KENTUCKY POSTGAME NOTES
Mississippi State at Kentucky
Kroger Field, Lexington, Ky.
Sept. 22, 2018
FINAL SCORE: Kentucky 28, No. 14 Mississippi State 7
Team Records and Series Information
- Kentucky is 4-0, 2-0 in the Southeastern Conference. Mississippi State is 3-1, 0-1 in the SEC.
- The all-time series between Kentucky and Mississippi State is now tied, 23-23. Kentucky has won one in a row.
- Next for the Wildcats: on Sept. 29, UK plays host to South Carolina. Game time is at 7:30 p.m. and it will be televised on the SEC Network.
Team Notes
- Kentucky is 4-0 for the first time since 2008.
- UK is 2-0 in SEC play for the first time since 1977.
- After winning at then-No. 25 Florida two weeks ago, this is the first time UK has won back-to-back games against ranked opponents since 1977.
- First win over a Top-15 team since No. 11 Louisville in the 2016 regular-season finale.
- First home win over a Top-15 team since No. 1 LSU in 2007.
- First home win over a ranked team since 2015 vs. Missouri.
- First win over a ranked Mississippi State team since 1953.
- Largest margin of victory (21 points) over a ranked opponent since a 21-0 win over Ole Miss in 1993.
- It is also the fewest points allowed vs. a ranked opponent since that Ole Miss game.
- It is the fewest yards allowed vs. a ranked opponent since Ole Miss also got 201 yards in that 1993 game.
- Largest margin of victory against a Top-15 ranked opponent since a 34-7 win over No. 14 Tulane in 1973.
- UK is 12-4 in its last 16 home games. It is the best stretch since 2006-08.
- UK is 13-5 in its last 18 regular season games. That’s the best 18-game regular-season stretch since Nov. 20, 1976, to Oct. 21, 1978 (13-4-1).
- UK is 21-5 in September over the last five seasons.
- UK has allowed zero points in the third quarter this season, first time to do that in the first four games since at least 1980.
- Mississippi State entered the game averaging 311.7 rushing yards per game but the Kentucky defense limited the Bulldogs to just 56 rushing yards on 28 carries for a 2.0 yards per carry average.
- 56 rushing yards is the fewest vs. a ranked opponent since holding Louisville to 55 rushing yards in 2002.
- The Bulldogs threw for 145 yards, which is the fewest passing yards in a game for MSU this season.
- MSU entered the game averaging 587.7 yards of total offense per game, but the Wildcats held them to just 201 yards of total offense on Saturday, including only 53 in the decisive second half.
- UK limited MSU to seven points and 201 total yards, the best defensive showing against an SEC team since holding Vanderbilt to seven points and 139 yards in a 17-7 win in 2014.
- This was the fewest points allowed vs. Mississippi State since a 13-7 win in 2005.
- UK allowed 11 first downs, fewest since Vanderbilt had eight in 2014.
- That was the fewest first downs vs. a ranked opponent since allowing 11 vs. Georgia in 1997.
Player Notes
- UK’s game captains were TE C.J. Conrad, S Mike Edwards, OT George Asafo-Adjei and LB Josh Allen.
- Sophomore quarterback Terry Wilson completed eight passes of 14 passes for 71 yards. He added a net 18 rushing yards.
- He became the first UK quarterback to win his first four career starts since Mike Hartline in 2008.
- Junior running back Benny Snell Jr. rushed 25 times for 165 yards and four touchdowns, tying the school record for touchdowns in a game. Snell is the first player in program history to have four touchdowns in a game twice in a career.
- He also set the UK career touchdown record with 39 TDs. The previous mark was 37 by Randall Cobb.
- It was the 15th 100-yard game of his career, second in school history.
- He has had at least 100 yards in each of the past five SEC home games.
- Has 2,964 career rushing yards, ranking fourth on the UK career rushing list. He needs 32 yards to tie Rafael Little for third place. He needs 872 yards to break the school record.
- 165 rushing yards ties the school record for most against a ranked SEC opponent, also Dicky Lyons Sr. 165 rushing yards vs. Tennessee in 1967.
- His 165 rushing yards tonight is most vs. Mississippi State since Derick Logan had 186 in 1996.
- Snell has 17 touchdowns in the last seven home games.
- Sophomore wide receiver Lynn Bowden led Kentucky with three receptions for 15 yards.
- Sophomore running back A.J. Rose rushed nine times for 47 yards.
- For the season, Rose has rushed 26 times for 193 yards and three touchdowns.
- Senior linebacker Josh Allen totaled six tackles, two tackles for loss, a quarterback sack, a pass breakup and a quarterback hurry.
- He now has 17.5 career quarterback sacks, tying Jeremy Jarmon for fourth on the UK career list.
- Redshirt freshman safety Tyrell Ajian had his first career interception in the fourth quarter, returning it 35 yards. It set up Snell’s 36-yard touchdown run on the next play.
- Senior safety Darius West led Kentucky with nine tackles, adding two pass breakups.
- Senior linebacker Jordan Jones had eight tackles in the game, including one quarterback hurry.
- Junior linebacker Kash Daniel had seven tackles and one quarterback hurry in the game.
- Sophomore linebacker Jamar “Boogie” Watson had four tackles in the game, including a sack.
