LEXINGTON — Chris Rodriguez Jr. would run wild for 196 yards and two rushing touchdowns as No. 22 Kentucky defeated the 16th-ranked Mississippi State Bulldogs 27-17 on Saturday night at Kroger Field.
It was the second-highest rushing total of Rodriguez's career and he even eclipsed the 3,000-yard mark for career rushing during Saturday’s win. He's now the fourth player in school history to reach that number.
Quarterback Will Levis returned to the starting lineup after missing last week. He completed 17 of his 23 passes for 230 yards with one touchdown and an interception. Kentucky fans got a bit of a scare in the third quarter when Levis briefly exited the game with an apparent left shoulder injury. Levis would only miss part of one series and play the rest of the game.
DeAndre Square led the way for the defense, with 11 tackles and an interception as Kentucky held the Bulldogs below their average of 37.5 points per game.
Kentucky appeared to be driving for the game's first score as they advanced into Bulldog territory. However, the drive would come to a halt when Rahsaan Lewis caught a pass from Levis for the first down, only to have the ball stripped from, giving the ball back to Mississippi State on their own 36 with 7:45 remaining in the opening quarter.
Again Kentucky would miss out on another scoring opportunity, as they would force the Bulldogs to punt on their following possession. Barion Brown would field the punt and streak down the sideline for the score, but the play would be negated with a block in the back penalty.
The Wildcats would overcome the setback to drive near midfield, thanks to a 31-yard completion from Levis to receiver Dane Key. But the drive would stall due to penalties and force Kentucky to punt.
The Bulldogs would put together a 13-play, 57-yard drive, that consumed over six minutes to finally break the scoreless tie as a 48-yard field goal from the leg of Massimo Biscardi gave Mississippi State a 3-0 lead with 8:24 left in the half.
Kentucky would get the ball back with :47 remaining in the half, and with the help of a couple costly Bulldog penalties, would drive into the red zone for the first time of the game. Unable to get into end zone, Matt Ruffolo would come on to kick a 28-yard field goal to tie the game at 3-3 as both teams headed to the locker room.
The Wildcats would take the opening drive of the second half and move down the field. Levis would suffer his injury during a play where he completed a 33-yard pass to Brown to put Kentucky in Bulldog territory.
Backup quarterback Kaiya Sheron would check in and manage to move the ball to the Bulldog 19, but Kentucky would ultimately have to settle for a field goal.
Ruffolo would connect from 36 yards out, to put Kentucky ahead 6-3 with 11:34 left in the third quarter.
Mississippi State (5-2, 2-2 SEC) would answer with scoring drive of their own as the Bulldogs would drive 75 yards for the first touchdown in the game. The score would come on a fourth-and-goal from the one, as Rogers would hit tight end Austin Williams on a quick out route in end zone for the six points. Biscardi added the extra point and Mississippi State lead 10-6 with 8:28 left in the third frame.
Levis would return to action on the next drive to a big ovation from the home crowd. Kentucky would turn to its running attack, with four straight carries by Rodriguez, the fourth of which the senior would burst 47-yards to the Bulldog 8. The gain would put Rodriguez over 100 yards for the game.
Kentucky (5-2, 2-2 SEC) would gamble and go for it on fourth-and-goal from the MSU three yard line. The gamble would pay off, as Levis connected with Lewis for a touchdown. The score would be the first of Lewis’ career.
Ruffolo booted the point after try and Kentucky led 13-10 with 4:10 left in the third quarter.
After forcing the Bulldogs to punt on their next possession, Kentucky would take advantage.
The Wildcats would take control of the game with a seven-play, 80-yard scoring drive that featured two spectacular plays. The first, a pass from Levis to JuTahn McClain on a sidearm pass thrown between two defenders, that McClain would rip off 31 yards. On the very next play, Rodriguez would break two tackles, and race his way into the end zone for the score. Ruffolo's kick would give Kentucky a 20-10 lead with 11:43 remaining in the game.
Later in the quarter with Kentucky driving to put the game away, the Bulldogs would get a huge play from the defense, as Emmanuel Forbes would pick off a Levis pass and return it 59 yards for the score to cut the Kentucky lead to just three points with 8:33 left.
But the Wildcats would answer on their next drive when Levis connected with Dekel Crowdus for a 50-yard completion down the left sideline. On the very next play, Rodriguez would finish off the drive as he would push his way into the end zone for his second score of the night. Ruffolo added the extra point and Kentucky led 27-17 with 5:30 to play.
Mississippi State's next drive would end abruptly as Square would pick off Rogers and Kentucky would run out the clock.
Kentucky will be on a bye next week but return to action on Oct. 29 at Tennessee. The kickoff time and television network for the game have not yet been announced.
Mississippi State 0 3 7 7 = 17
Kentucky 0 3 10 14 = 27
Second Quarter
MSU — Massimo Biscardi 48 field goal, 8:26
UK — Matt Ruffolo 28 field goal, :04
Third Quarter
UK — Matt Ruffolo 37 field goal, 11:34
MSU — Austin Williams 1 pass from Will Rogers (Massimo Biscardi kick), 8:28
UK — Rahsaan Lewis 3 pass from Will Levis (Matt Ruffolo kick), 4:10
Fourth Quarter
UK — Chris Rodriguez Jr. 16 run (Matt Ruffolo kick), 11:43
MSU — Emmanuel Forbes 59 interception return (Massimo Biscardi kick), 8:33
UK — Chris Rodriguez Jr. 7 run (Matt Ruffolo kick), 5:30
Comments