Kentucky's Offense Rebounds with 41-6 Win; Defense Dominates Ohio

By Hayden Kennedy

After back-to-back games with little production, Kentucky's offense found its stride Saturday afternoon as the Wildcats gained 488 total yards in an impressive 41-6 win over Ohio at Kroger Field.

UK running back Demie Sumo-Karngbaye snapped a two-game touchdown drought for the Cats, finishing with 12 carries for 47 yards and two TDs. 

Jamarion Wilcox of Kentucky gained a team-leading 82 rushing yards against Ohio Saturday at Kroger Field. (UK Athletics Photo by Caleb Bowlin)

Wildcat quarterback Brock Vandagriff went 17 of 24 passing for 237 yards, helping Dane Key set his new career-high with 145 yards receiving on seven catches, while Jamarion Wilcox led the team on the ground with 82 yards rushing on eight carries. 

On Kentucky's passing game, coach Mark Stoops said, “I thought Brock did a really good job as well and played tough. If you do things right and you continue to work really hard eventually that ball will find you. Obviously, we need to do things to protect and put them into position. I think it’s just a testament to how consistent he’s been. The way he’s worked and the way he has just put his head down and got better. "

UK kicker Alex Raynor continued to shine, hitting two field goals while setting a new school record with 12 consecutive makes, surpassing Austin MacGinnis. Raynor is now 19 of 20 for field goals during his career at Kentucky. 

Meanwhile, the Ohio Bobcats were limited to just 223 yards of total offense and gave up two turnovers without their starting quarterback. UK's Maxwell Hairston’s pick six late in the third quarter marked the fifth consecutive season his team has had an interception go for a score.

When asked about Kentucky's defense, defensive back Maxwell Hairston said, “I feel like this defense is so close and tight that it gives us confidence. It makes you go out there and play faster because I know that my brothers to the left and to the right are going to do their job. They’re going to play hard and aggressive, and I trust them and they trust me, so the belief system that we have with one another is just amazing.” 

The Wildcats will travel to Oxford, Mississippi, on Saturday, September 28th, to take on the 5th-ranked Ole Miss Rebels. As of Monday, Kentucky is a 17-point underdog. The 12 noon ET game will be shown on ABC with Sean McDonough, Greg McElory and Molly McGrath calling the action.

Hayden Kennedy, a recent UK graduate, is a contributing writer from Lexington.