Kentucky Loses Postseason Winning Streak in Pitiful 21-0 Loss to Iowa in Music City Bowl
NASHVILLE, Tenn. — Kentucky football's postseason winning streak is no more.
In an eye-gouging performance, the Wildcats fell 21-0 to the Iowa Hawkeyes in the TransPerfect Music City Bowl. Kentucky was able to compile just 185 yards, while never coming close to sniffing the opposing end zone.
UK (7-6) had won four bowl games in a row entering Saturday afternoon, including its most recent victory over the Hawkeyes, which came in the Vrbo Citrus Bowl on Jan. 1. Coach Mark Stoops' squad was unable to end 2022 the way it started.
"Obviously very disappointed in this defeat," Stoops said after the loss. "(Iowa) played a very good game. Both of us were down some players and a bit short-handed, and they did what they had to do to win the football game."
The Wildcats were without star quarterback Will Levis and running back Chris Rodriguez, and it showed from the get-go. Nashville native and true freshman Destin Wade would start under center for the Cats. While it had all the makings for a storybook ending, it would turn out to be quite the opposite.
Wade completed 16 passes for 98 yards, but two crucial mistakes in the form of a pair of pick-sixes took UK out of the game for good. Wade would also rush the ball 16 times, totaling 29 yards.
"I felt confident," Wade said postgame. "It's football. Things can go wrong or good, that's just how it is."
"(Wade) was put in a tough situation," Stoops added. "He will learn from it without a doubt. We look forward to that in his growth."
Iowa (8-5) started third-stringer Joe Labas, who was making his collegiate debut for the Hawkeyes. The redshirt freshman threw for 139 yards and one touchdown, playing the role of game manager to near-perfection. Veteran tight end Sam LaPorta led Iowa with five catches for 56 yards.
It was a defensive clinic on both ends, as well as a busy day for both punters. The Kentucky defense forced eight three-and-outs, while the Hawkeyes didn't allow a UK drive to last longer than nine plays. There were a combined 17 punts across the four quarters. Iowa failed to convert a third down, while UK went 2-18.
"Defensively, i thought we played very good for a majority of the game," Stoops said. "Iowa was creative early trying to get their playmakers and tight ends the ball ... very good players."
Wade took center stage for the first drive of the game, and opened nicely with a pair of completions, the latter going to Dane Key for a 15-yard gain. The drive would quickly stall out for the Cats afterward, seeing the first punt of the afternoon.
Labas would impress in his first drive, completing his first three passes for 37 yards, all of which went for first downs. Iowa racked up 45 yards in the drive, getting to the UK 33-yard line. Kirk Ferentz would opt to go for it, but redshirt freshman safety Jordan Lovett would break up the pass, forcing the turnover.
It would become a game of field position from then on, as Kentucky punted away to end its first four drives. Iowa would punt two more times, but punter Tory Taylor would out-do UK's Wilson Berry, pinning the Cats within the 10-yard line twice.
Wade and the offense would garner zero momentum, failing to find the line to gain. On Iowa's fourth drive of the game, it would start at in Kentucky territory at the 42-yard line. Labas found Sam LaPorta on the first play of the drive, leading to the tight end shedding multiple tackles en route to a 27-yard gain, getting inside the red zone. The next play would see the first score of the game, as Labas found Luke Lachey for a 15-yard touchdown that included another broken tackle.
Kentucky's first drive of the second quarter was disastrous, as Wade hurled the first of two pick-sixes, overthrowing Key, but throwing right into the hands of safety Xavier Nwankpa, who ran it back 52 yards to the house, immediately doubling the Iowa lead to 14.
Things would go back to normal for a bit, as four consecutive punts pushed the first half along at a measly pace. Taylor's leg continued to put the Hawkeyes in a good spot on defense, which would once again payoff with less than two minutes to go until halftime.
On third down near the end zone, Wade's pass was jumped by cornerback Cooper DeJean, who strolled 16 yards for the Hawkeyes's second defensive score of the game.
Kentucky would enter the locker room down 21-0, having just 96 yards of offense. Things wouldn't get much better from there.
Wade remained at QB for almost the entirety of the second half, but nothing changed offensively. In fact, nothing changed for either team. Every single drive for both teams in the third and fourth quarter ended in either a punt or turnover on downs.
"We came in here to compete to win, but I also wanted to let Destin play. I wanted to see the future and what it looks like and give him an opportunity to just go out there and play ball," Stoops said.
The Cats were able to reach the Iowa side of the field on only two occasions. It was an abysmal end to what was a disappointing 2022 season for the Wildcats.
"Things are going to be fine," Stoops stated. "We have a very good football team that wants to comeback hungry. Obviously there was just something a bit off this year from time to time."
It's Kentucky's first shutout loss since Oct. 19, 2019 in a loss to Georgia and the first shutout in Music City Bowl history.
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