Recap: Kentucky blows out Louisville
Louisville football couldn’t stop Kentucky’s rushing attack, falling to its rival 45-13 in Lexington Nov. 30. The Cardinals allowed 45-13 rushing yards as Wildcat quarterback Lynn Bowden rushed for 284 yards and four touchdowns.
Kentucky finished with 517 rushing yards, averaging 12.9 yards per carry.
Javian Hawkins rushed for 142 yards and a touchdown for Louisville. The Cardinals were held scoreless in the second half.
Louisville had a strong opening drive. Hawkins gained 33 yards on a third-and-2 to take the ball to the Kentucky 33-yard-line. The Cardinals drive appeared the stall as Kentucky’s defensive line stopped three run plays for no gain.
Facing a fourth-and-10, Cunningham lofted a pass to Atwell in the back of the end zone for a touchdown. Atwell’s 33-yard touchdown reception was his 12 touchdown catch of the year, tying a program record for touchdown catches in a single season.
Kentucky answered with its potent rushing attack. Bowden and Christopher Rodriguez Jr. each had runs of 18 yards to begin the drive. A.J. Rose capped the 65-yard drive with a score from four yards to give Kentucky a 7-6 lead with 6:24 left in the first quarter.
Kavosiey Smoke had Kentucky’s longest run of the year, a 70-yard gain, earlier in the second quarter on a 94-yard scoring drive. Bowden scored from six yards to give Kentucky a 14-6 lead.
After a three-and-out, Louisville attempted a fake punt as punter Mason King handed the ball off to Trenell Troutman, but the play was stopped for a gain of one yard. Kentucky took over on the Louisville 34-yard-line.
Matt Ruffolo made a 45-yard field goal to extend Kentucky’s advantage to 17-6 with 9:06 left in the second quarter.
Jordan Griffin intercepted a Cunningham pass midway through the second quarter, but Louisville’s defense forced a three-and-out following the turnover.
The Cardinals got a desperately needed score late in the first half. Khane Pass stopped Bowden behind the line of scrimmage on a fourth-and-1 on the Louisville 44-yard-line with 35 seconds left in the second quarter.
After the change of possession, Cunningham sent an option pitch to Hawkins, who weaved through Kentucky’s defense for a 56-yard touchdown run. Hawkins’ surpassed 100 yards for seventh time this season with the run and cut the Cardinals’ deficit to 17-13 before halftime.
Louisville’s momentum didn’t last long after halftime. Bowden went 60 yards for a touchdown on Kentucky’s second play from scrimmage of the third quarter.
Bowden had a 46-yard touchdown run with 1:31 left in the third quarter on a third-and-1 to extend Kentucky’s advantage to 31-13. Rodriguez had a 64-yard touchdown run early in the fourth quarter, going untouched.
Bowden scored from 32 yards with 5:15 left for his fourth touchdown.
